Mary-he Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter by Brea Grant

Mary: The Adventures of Mary Shelley's Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter by Brea Grant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this graphic novel imagining of 5th Mary Shelley age 16 and not wanting to follow into the family business of writing and how the monsters come looking for her to be healed. She is a teen who knows what she does not want to do and I loved the monsters, especially Adam who come calling! I hope there are more of these graphic novels by Brea Grant in the future!

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The Cyanide Canary: A True Story of Injustice by Robert Dugoni and Joseph Hilldorfer

The Cyanide Canary: A True Story of Injustice by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by Tom Perkins, this audiobook broke my heart, made me angry, and gave me hope that these Special Agents will not have to continue to fight so hard against the government, businesses, and the courts as they expose through very tedious interviews, research, and court proceedings the way Allen Elias, owner of a fertilizer facility (but really a hazardous waste disposal factory) did not care about his employees, gets away with it for years because he is a lawyer, liar, has people on the inside warning him, and tries to paint the employees as stupid. I love Robert Dugoni and now I love Joseph Hilldorfer, the EPA agent who fought for Scott Dominguez and his family as he becomes "the cyanide canary" as they expose over many years of court cases just how slow the system is. I had a problem with the judge in the case too and disagreed with his bias in favor of Allen Elias. A tough but needed read about the how those who should know and abide by the rules, laws and regulations, of hazardous waste and disposal do not and are not punished, given jail time, or made to pay up to remediate the waste facility.

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Spitting Devil (Jonathan Stride, #5.5) by Brian Freeman

Spitting Devil by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this audiobook read by Joe Barrett detailing the period between Serena and Maggie as Johnny investigates a creepy mystery happening inside a home, driving the occupants apart and crazy. Another winner by Brian Freeman!

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Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This compelling novel in verse by Jacqueline Woodson can and should be read by all ages! Telling the dramatic story of a son's love for his famous football player father who begins to show the ravages of many years of concussions, My heart ached for ZJ and his mother and most definitely for his father as the life they built for one another was decimated as shakes, anger, memory loss, and moodiness. With memories, songs, music, friends (the Fantastic 4) and family, this 12 year old grows up quickly and lives for those times when his father remembers, calls him Little Man, and hopes for a future that can help his father heal. A must read!

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Sol Invictus (The Eye of Ra, #2) by Ben Gartner

Sol Invictus by Ben Gartner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kudos to the awesomeness of this 2nd book in The Eye of Ra series, written by Ben Gartner. The pulse pounding momentum of John and Sarah's adventures continue with the siblings landing in ancient Rome given the daunting task of bringing enemies together and saving the world. Readers will love the Roman gladiators in the ring, fighting with swords and spears. John still wears the pendant of Ra around his neck but others want that pendant and try to steal it. Gartner's new characters comprise the many peoples of ancient Rome; slaves, gods, venatores, gladiators, soldiers, barbarians, kings and princesses. A young boy, Crocus, saves them from becoming slaves of the Emperor Constantius and then oh do the adventures begin! I loved this second book so much and will be waiting in suspense to see where Joan and Sarah's travels take them!

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The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir by Michele Harper

The Beauty in Breaking: A Memoir by Michele Harper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to my friend and librarian, Mary Alice, for giving me her copy of this debut by Dr. Michele Harper, a memoir about her adolescent life and her life as an emergency room doctor. Michele's compassion and love for her work as a doctor helping those seeking emergency room services was far reaching, humbling, and so moving. This is a must read and I for one am so glad we have the many doctors who valiantly care for patients in their care!

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The 7th Canon by Robert Dugoni

The 7th Canon by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by James Patrick Cronin, I listened to this detective thriller, lawyer mystery on Hoopla. Peter Donley was totally awesome as Father Thomas Martin's attorney. Initially Peter does not believe Father but as time, stories, and Peter's horrific past are revisited, Peter becomes Father's staunch ally as he tries to defend this priest from a heinous murder of a gay street hustler who has come to the priest's refuge. He has to fight a ruthless DA and his father who is as crooked as they come and a politician to boot and his own demons. I loved this book as I love everything Robert Dugoni writes. I could not stop reading/listening to it! For murder mystery lovers!

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Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips

Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Narrated by Ilyana Kadushin, I thought this book would be a mystery and police investigation and it was not! I did not like the way the author crafted the ending either, so I am very disappointed with all the time I put into listening to this book.

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Retribution Rails (Vengeance Road, #2) by Erin Bowman

Retribution Rails by Erin Bowman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 2nd book in the Vengeance Road series! Awesomely narrated by Amy Melissa Bentley and Eric Michael Summerer this takes place 10 years after Vengeance Road and Kate and Jesse Colton appear (I was so so happy) but the main characters are 16 year old Charlotte Vaughn and Reese Murphy (known as the Rose kid). Charlotte is on her way to do a story for the newspaper about the railroad when the Rose Riders Gang, headed by Luther (brother), holds up the train. I was thrilled with Bowman's plot, bad boy Reece try to find redemption, after being forced into the gang and Charlotte yearns to be a reporter like Nelly Bly. There was drama galore, the gang is downright awful, Kate and Jesse are less than forthcoming, Charlotte distrusts Reece and Reece just wants out of the gang. How Bowman manages this kept me turning the pages, rooting for Kate and Charlotte and her mom and hoping against hope those Rose Riders get caught. A thrilling read!



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Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Wilder Girls by Rory Power
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was voted YALSA TOP 10 for Teens 2020. I found it disjointed, scary, and how adults let down teens in their care. No wonder the teens love it!!! There are girls at a school that have been infected by the Tox which manifests itself all kinds of horrible mutations, pain, and body changes. Hetty tells the story but Byatt her best friend is also a narrator. Why these girls are under quarantine with no food, no cure, and no family is creepy and awful. What Hetty and Reese find out about this Tox is strange and horror-filled. Horror is my least favorite genre and this one turned my stomach, so I guess that is why teen readers love it.

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We Hunt the Flame (We Hunt the Flame, #1) by Hafsah Faizal

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, loved this book! It is also the YALSA/HUB Top Ten chosen by teens for the year 2020. The worldbuilding was lavish, the characters deep and elaborate, and the plot was mesmerizing. I loved the Huntress/Hunter, Zafira and rooted for her as she embarks on a dangerous, thrilling quest when she receives an invitation to retrieve the lost artifact that will return magic, but she could also die too. I also liked her struggle---women are looked down upon by the rulers, hence her title Hunter---she clothes herself as a boy to help her people. The evil in this book was tough, thankfully there were characters that counteract it, so the reader is compulsively turning the pages, as each chapter flies by. Highly recommended for teens and adults who love fantasy and so exciting, the 2nd book will be available in Jan 2021, I can't wait!!!

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