Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a book club selection for my Albright College Zoom Book Club. I love anything Jacqueline Woodson writes; she is so interesting and all of her writing is compelling. In this book, Iris gets pregnant and never has her coming of age ceremony---16 years later, her daughter Melody has the all important ceremony wearing the dress meant for Iris. What transpires in between is how the pregnancy alters everything---Iris and Aubrey as a teen couple---she is a much higher social class and so much more advanced than Aubrey. Aubrey and his mom are poor, he is madly in love with Iris and also Melody and spends his life taking care of his daughter and her parents while Iris attends college and goes to work and tries to find herself. I loved everything about this novel except the presentation of the book---it would have helped this reader tremendously if each chapter had the person's name so the reader did not have to guess who was telling the story in that chapter.

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The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I listened to this book and loved the narrators; unfortunately I did not enjoy the story which seemed so disjointed and not telling a story really. It was difficult to try to keep the characters, the plot lines, the stories together but I mightily tried! I loved to read and did not see this as an homage to storytelling at all. So I was not happy to have wasted 18 hours listening- but I loved the narration; it was just a frustrating mess for me, sorry!!!

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The Line Tender by Kate Allen

The Line Tender by Kate Allen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an awesome book- combining the beauty of life, the despair and grief of death, family, friends, sharks, the sea and just a very special book! I loved every word from debut author, Kate Allen and the realistic B&W shark drawings were breathtaking in their stark beauty. Lucy and her Dad are still grieving the loss of shark expert, mom, and wife. As Lucy and her best friend Fred work on a field guide for extra credit for school the reader learns just how special these 2 kids are. But every single character in Allen's book was special; I could not put this book down! I think everyone should read it for so many reasons; I am running out and getting a copy of this book to give to my friends to read! Highly recommended!

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Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love edited by Elise Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond

Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love by Elsie Chapman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this book- all of the short stories interconnected around Hungry Heart Row were important, expressed so many feelings in the backdrop of food, restaurants, those working there and the people who visited the many different restaurants on Hungry Row. The YA authors' stories immersed me in the beauty of the food, the people, and the many meanings---a must read!

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Rogue Heart (Rebel Seoul #2) by Axie Oh

Rogue Heart by Axie Oh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this 2nd book----Ama, Alex, PHNX, Jaewon, Tera, Su, and many more great characters. Ama begins the story and likes where she is working with a family who really cares about her---since she was made to be a weapon and exploited, this family does not know anything about Ama and accepts her. I loved whenever Ama sung, her voice and songs captured people's hearts (esp Su who faithfully came (he was disguised) to listen to Ama for 2 years). I loved her past romance with Alex and how they "find" each other, it was thrilling and the spying and keeping up a glamour was awesome. The battle tactics, the other Ama and Tera, the super soldier push was mesmerizing; I can't wait to read more Axie Oh books!!! Highly recommended.

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Stargazing by Jen Wang

Stargazing by Jen Wang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jen Wang really knows the graphic novel format and she just grabs the reader and brings them into a new and different world. Based very loosely on something that happened to Jen as a child, the illustrations and story movingly tell a story of friendship, empathy, and a journey between new friend, Moon and Christine. A book all should read.

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Finding Home Again (Catalina Cove #3) by Brenda Jackson

Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance (U.S. & Canada) and HQN for the advance reader copy, Finding Home Again by Brenda Jackson, in exchange for an honest review. I read the 2nd book in this Catalina Cove series first (I have not read the 1st, Love in Catalina Cove, but can’t wait to read about Vashti and her journey to love) and I was mesmerized by Brenda Jackson’s beautiful description of Catalina Cove; the sights, the sounds, the water, the beaches and the alluring weather. I was familiar with Bryce and Kaegan’s contentious relationship but did not know the why. Finding Home Again reveals the awful breakup ten years before of Bryce and Keagan, their deep friendship as children and their romance during their high school years and college. I loved their story but the back and forth anger with each other, the glares and mean-spirited words that continued over the years was a little too much conflict for this reader. But I continued to root for Bryce and Kaegan since their thoughts revealed they were not over each other, had cared deeply for each other throughout their loves and still had a raging chemistry. How Kaegan is able to reach Bryce, time and again, required patience and that is where his unwavering love was able to conquer all. Branda Jackson is one of my favorite authors; her books are full of romance, undeniable chemistry, and characters who are real, sympathetic, and totally drawn to each other (I loved Bryce’s love of Kaegan’s long hair falling on his shoulders but also on her body, face, etc). An enjoyable addition to the Catalina Cove series, brimming with romance, naughty thoughts, and packed with sexual energy.

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Bloom by Kevin Panetta

Bloom by Kevin Panetta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Jenn Lagarde for her recommendation of amazing graphic novels!!! I loved the growing friendship of Ari and Hector as they bond over baking in the family bakery (Ari is going to leave with a band) and their many adventures to special places, and Hector's overall niceness and kindness and kickass baking skills had me enthralled from the first page!!! A must read!!!

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Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this award winner (APALA Award Winner, Best Fiction for Young Adults, Morris Winner, Rainbow List Top Ten) as part of the 2019 HUB Reading Challenge and OMG did I love Darius, his friend (first, one and only) Sohrab from Iran, this is a tough book (Darius and his father's relationship, bullying in school, suffering from depression, and a grandparent suffering a brain tumor who is at the end of this life) but one that must be read by all- YAs, parents, school counselors will truly develop empathy for Darius, his life, his insecurities, and his mental health. This is a compelling YA read about immigrants, diversity, belonging, friendship and family. It is a trip to Iran that really changes Darius; I kept rooting for him and loved his nerdiness) I LOVED this book and I loved Darius; his thoughts and introspection will be with me for a long time (I loved his "social cues" and descriptions of the bullies at school as the "Soulless Minions of Orthodoxy") and the authors' characters were so important and key to Darius' life (his sister, his grandmother, his mom, his dad). I also fell in love with the Persian food and culture! Awesome book!

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Storm and Fury (The Harbinger #1) by JJennifer L. Armentrout

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin TEEN (US & Canada) and Inkyard Press for the advance reader copy Storm and Fury by one of my favorite romance authors, Jennifer L. Armentrout, in exchange for an honest review. I plunged into this new series and did not want to stop reading!!! I loved Trinity; she was such a strong, positive female protagonist; she was a warrior to be reckoned with when her clan let her fight yet she was also struggling with lessening eyesight and being over-protected by her gargoyle warden family since it is imperative (she is the last of her kind) she be kept hidden from the world. When demons are turning up killed, a group from the DC clan comes and asks her clan for help. Trinity’s life is totally upended with the arrival of Zayne, Dez and Nikolai. Without going into too much more detail; Trinity and Zayne were steamy and swoon worthy; I can’t wait to see what happens to them in the next book of this series. This a paranormal fantasy romance you do not want to miss!!!

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Slayer (Slayer #1) by Kiersten White

Slayer by Kiersten White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Madeleine Maby's narration of Slayer was awesome. Nina is a medic in the community she lives in while her father was Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Watcher, her mom is also a watcher on the Council, twin sister Artemis, who failed the Watcher test and must protect Nina. Until one day Nina kills a hellhound and finds out she is a slayer. She has no training, many questions, and now she is visited by dreams of those who are in danger. What is Nina to do??? Her family (mom and sister) do not make it easy at all. There are all kinds of people she can't trust, demons are falling from the sky, and someone is killing people while they sleep in their castle. I could not put this book down, I can't wait for the 2nd book! Just as I loved and was compelled to read K White's Conqueror's Saga series; I know the Slayer series is going to hold me captive. I can't really say I was totally happy with the ending but I know I want to know more about Nina and Artemis' world.

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Rayne & Dellilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner

Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to Jeff Zentner, Random House Children’s Books and Crown Books for Young Readers, and #BookJunkies for allowing me to be an early reader of Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee. Once again, I was totally enthralled by Jeff Zentner’s beautiful writing and his memorable characters. Josie and Delia are the best of friends. They are very proud of their gig; hosting a public access show that spoofs horror movies, and boldly roasts their viewing audience. But life is getting in the way; decisions need to be made and there are curveballs being thrown at Josie and Delia. I fell in love with these two girls, who think alike, talk alike, and fiercely protect each other. But Josie has dreams that will take her away from Delia and people keep leaving Delia. The lives of these two friends held me captive and tore my heart in two. Josie and Delia had a weird kind of humor; they laughed often and hard. Josie was snarky, aloof, detached and her acerbic wit showed a girl who was in control. Delia was different; she was more fragile than Josie; her father left Delia and her Mom years ago life and they all suffer(ed) from depression. The Midnite Matinee was her coping mechanism, her life, and her hope her father would view it and return to them. What does the future hold for these two friends with heartache, hopes and dreams? Zentner builds a world where weird humor is a coping mechanism, where best friends with a love of bad horror movies struggle mightily to be true to each other. I rooted for Josie and Delia (they warmed my heart) teens will too; highly recommended;

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