Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Still not a fan of this series, but I will stick with it. I really like Adrian who is naturally good---as the Sentinel, he goes against the Renegade code to help others. Nova really irritates me- I guess I should chalk up her personality to never having the things she should have, believing the Renegades should have been there to help her family, and working as a double agent to bring the Anarchists back into power. Their romance would have been so much more normal if Nova wasn't so combative, prickly, and torn. So here's hoping for a good resolution to this Renegades series with the final book.

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Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I LOVE this 2nd mystery by Karen M. McManus --read flawlessly by Sophie Amoss and Kirby Heyborne; I was spell bound as each chapter (alternately read by Malcolm and Ellery) plunged the reader into the past and present of two crimes (one unsolved and the other a missing person is happening now) and as Ellery and her twin, Ezra deal with family issues...Malcom has lived his life in fear since the age of 12 when his brother was the main suspect in the murder of his girlfriend. McManus weaves a sinister mystery that will leave readers enthralled by the many multiple secrets, mysteries, and their desperate race against time to solve it (with or without police help). I could not put this book down and I can't wait for another McManus mystery!

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The Third Mushroom by Jennifer L. Holm

The Third Mushroom by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Ellie, her humor, her positive outlook on the world and her hysterical grandfather who inhabits a body of a 14 year old boy (Melvin and living with them). Holm's book will be totally enjoyed by middle school students; her plot is totally believable with the science experiments, her best friend Raj, her grandfather's life as a teen and cat, Jonas. I totally enjoyed this book; I laughed out loud, I was plunged to the depths of despair and was so happy with how Ellie deals with so many things (she loves her grandfather, cat, is a good friend, and enjoys school, movies, and friends). The science fair experiment had me enthralled, too bad Ellie and her grandfather did not get first place.

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An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this science fiction title by the awesome Hank Green for a twitter chat with #YearofYA Tuesday 1/22/19 at 9PM EST, come join us and we will be discussing great scifi reads! This audiobook was narrated awesomely by Kristen Sieh, Hank Green and the story about twenty something April May finding a transformer like sculpture that turns out to be so much more, talks a lot about social media and the effect of fame on a person. I liked the premise---did not really like April May---she became obsessed with fame, started treating her very loyal friends as less than... the Carls just appeared throughout the world but it is April (and best friend, Andy) who documents it and becomes the symbol.

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For Every One by Jason Reynolds

For Every One by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is for EVERYONE! I literally want to buy a copy and pass it to all my friends; this book is honest, speaks to the heart, and encourages kids (I also think adults will find hope and passion in Jason Reynolds words, poem) to dream, to reach, to never stop wondering. Such a hopeful, realistic, book----a must read!

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Favorite 2018 Middle School Books

In no apparent order; Middle School books published in 2018, I read and loved and Highly Recommend:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2573454967

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2570429340

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2481104661

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2479489269

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2539873674

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2527192806

 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2339410673

Favorite 2018 YA Books

My favorite books of 2018 by BJ Neary

In no order
1- Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi














2- Pride by Ibi Zoboi














3- Dread Nation by Justina Ireland














4- Love, Hate & Other Filters by Samira Ahmed














5-The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo














6- The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee
7- The Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas
8- Fresh Ink: An Anthology by Lamar Giles

Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber

Legendary by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I am going to make this short and not so sweet- I got really tired of Donatella; her decisions, indecisions, vacillations with everyone and everything. There was not enough of Scarlett and Julian (loved them in the first book) I thought Tella and Scarlett were playing the game together! That did not happen. I could not put down the first book and was really disappointed with this book- hated the ending which really would have made my review better. The plot did not hold me in thrall the way the first book did; the characters not so much either, and I loved Scarlett's goodness in the first book- I am getting a little tired of the awful meanness in YA. Sorry for my rant but I really loved the audiobook, Rebecca Soler did a great job. I was disappointed with the plot- having to wring my hands the whole time reading a novel is just not my way of enjoying a good book. Ms Garber I am pleading for a book like the first!

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The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful graphic novel; the illustrations say what the characters don't- you will love Frances and Prince Sebastian---good friends who support one another. Frances has a dream to become a dressmaker and she is given a job by Prince Sebastian (she must keep his secret) and she begins to turn heads with the wonderful designs she creates for Prince Sebastian (also know as Lady Crystallia); such fantastic secondary characters too---a must read, you will laugh, you will cry but you will definitely enjoy this story!!!

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Twelve (The Naturals #4.5) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Twelve by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh do I love getting back with the gifted teens, Cassie, Dean, Michael, Sloane and Lia. In this prequel, we find out backstories of the main characters as they rush to talk a teen off a ledge who beseeches The Naturals to solve 3 teen "deaths" she knows are murders. I just love getting back into each of the Naturals "gifts" profiling by Cassie and Dean, Lia, the lie detector, Sloane the numbers and computer genius, Michael the face reader. I especially enjoyed how Barnes reveals how their past plays into their present job of FBI profilers and cracking impossible cases. Loved this series and would read love to read more with Cassie and crew solving cases using their gifts!!!

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Villain (Gone #8 Monster #2) by Michael Grant

Villain by Michael Grant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh do I LOVE this series and Villain did not disappoint! I devoured this riveting read in 2 days, with new characters (Dillon Poe, Francis Specter, DiMarco) and old characters I love - Shade, Dekka, Cruz, Malik, Sam Temple, Astrid, Armo and characters I hate - Drake, Peaks. As Malik suffers excruciating pain from burns, he ingests" the rock" and when he morphs he is able to give unbelievable pain to others. Dillon Poe is a horror, his power AFTER EATING THE ROCK- when he speaks all must do what he tells them and oh is Dillon awful. As things spiral out of control; Shade, Cruz and Malik want to work with Dekka to HELP turn the public tide of hatred and horror to their favor as superheroes. The government is mostly evil, working against everyone (DiMarco) and intent on wiping out the superheroes and supervillains. This book was action packed; filled with horror, battles, and the world in the clenches of crazy characters intent on evil, murder, and mayhem. But through it all I rooted for the superheroes and can't wait to see what Francis Specter does in future books! A tremendous wild read!

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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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Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) by Maureen Johnson

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this truly spine tingling YA mystery (even better, it is a series!!!) for #2jennsbookclub twitter chat taking place 10/11 at 8PM EST, join us for a great book and even better chat!!! Stevie is such an awesome female protagonist who knows who she is and what she wants - to go to Ellingham Academy and solve the Ellingham mystery & murders. She gets into the exclusive school despite her parents being against it (and Stevie) for a host of reasons that were so annoying. Stevie meets many different students, jumps into solving the mystery, and loves her classes. From day one though, Stevie senses something is weird and it will take the death of a student, tunnels, friends and their "isms" and makeout sessions that will scare Stevie into believing Truly Devious has struck again. Although I wasn't a fan of the ending; I was a fan of Maureen Johnson's awesome ability to write a detective/mystery thriller that had me gobbling up this suspenseful crime thriller. Highly recommended.

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Bloof of a Thousand Stars (Empress of a Thousand Skies #2) by Rhoda Belleza

Blood of a Thousand Stars by Rhoda Belleza
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I listened to this last book in the series, the narrator, Rebecca Soler was stellar but I also found listening to this book more confusing because it jumps and pivots with all the drama, lies, political intrigue. vast technology and the horror that is Nero. He is out to use the overwriter for his own devices- to control anyone (everyone) he wants. Aly, Kara, Rhee (and minor, awesome characters too) are all rushing to head off Nero (which seems almost impossible)- will they succeed? Not to be negative but I did not enjoy this novel as much due to the always changing technology and ever changing fast paced events that were not always explained thoroughly. Violence, lies, cheating are everywhere and the reader is propelled forward, hoping the characters will overthrow Nero which made the narrative seem cut up and rushed.

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