The Housemaid (The Housemaid, #1) by Freida McFadden

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Donna Compton for giving me this great mystery read as I heal from knee surgery. I absolutely LOVED the characters of Millie, Nina and Andrew; even minor characters like Nina's daughter & gardener were taut and masterfully drawn. Just how long will it take for just released convict, Millie, to be drawn into the total chaos of that family that on the outside looks so wonderful, on the inside is anything but. I could not stop reading this psychological mystery and I am definitely going to read the other books in this series!

View all my reviews

Long Shadows (Amos Decker, #7) by David Baldacci

Long Shadows by David Baldacci
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this 7th ad final (?) book in the series! Amos Decker has a new partner and his memory is not what it used to be. There is a murder of a judge and her bodyguard and of course, as Amos delves into the murder he is confounded by the scene. But Amos will not stop until he solves this page turner! Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

Solito by Javier Zamora

Solito by Javier Zamora
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gut wrenching memoir written and narrated by the author. When he was 9 Javier was going to finally be with his parents in America. Crossing the border was supposed to take 2 weeks; ended up taking 2 months. It was fierce seeing it from a 9 year old's eyes. A must read!

View all my reviews

Wave by Diana Farid

Wave by Diana Farid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book, everyone must read- they will love Ava (Persian American) and Phoenix's voices as OCD, cancer, surfing, families are discussed. The words are beautiful and the beauty of surfing and friendship made this reader so happy to have found this book!!!

View all my reviews

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone

Two Nights in Lisbon by Chris Pavone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

January LaVoy does a spectacular job narrating this taut thriller with so much psychological drama!!! I enjoyed listening to this book, Ariel's husband is kidnapped while they are on a business trip in London. The police and the American Embassy do not take her seriously, until the FBI & CIA are involved. A real who done it!

View all my reviews

Detour Ahead by Pamela Ehrenberg & Tracey Lopez

Detour Ahead by Pamela Ehrenberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story of the friendship between Jewish Gilah who is neurodiverse & Guillermo who has just moved to Washington, D.C. who becomes friends with Gilah as they navigate life, family & friendship in Washington, D.C. in this awesome middle grade novel in verse. A must read!

View all my reviews

Dear Student by Elly Swartz

Dear Student by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As Autumn begins middle school, her best friend has moved away and she is devastated (but they do keep in touch!!!) She makes 2 new friends and is awarded the coveted SECRET Dear Students letters. This throws her life into turmoil because there are letters that cause much drama with Autumn caught between her 2 friends! What will she do? Keeping in touch with her friend who has moved away & the teacher who believes she is the best for this voice, help her as she navigates this year in school and life. I love Elly Swartz's book, everyone should read this one!

View all my reviews

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango

Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this debut novel in verse which do well with middle school and YA with the issues (PTSD, death, grief, anger, mental illness) Iveliz presents. Iveliz has a journal which the reader knows is from her heart and since her father's death, which she blames herself for, she is suffering, feels she can't talk to anyone (especially Mami) and even though she looked forward to a newer better year in 7th grade, she has run ins with friends and family and school. I rooted for Iveliz to share her burdens with others like her psychologist, friend Amir and her grandmother. A must read!

View all my reviews

The Elephant Girl by James Patterson and award-winning author Ellen Banda-Aaku

The Elephant Girl by James Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this sad, poignant story about a young African girl, her love of elephants, her loss, and her redemption. Jama relates to animals, less so with her friends, family and villagers. When poachers try to kill a mother elephant Jama has become attached to, the villagers & the rangers do not understand when the fearful elephant, trying to protect her baby, stampedes and kills Jama's mother. What transpires is an insightful, uplifting story for Jama who only wants to take care of elephants and expose the poachers. this is an issue that happens time and time again in Africa and other countries as the elephants are poached for their tusks, rendering baby elephants orphans and terrifying the natural order of the elephants. A must read!

View all my reviews

Answers in the Pages by David Levithan

Answers in the Pages by David Levithan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This middle grade book is a must read for children and parents- using a book being read by a class- Donovan leaves his book out, his mother reads it & objects to him reading it and proceeds to start in motion a book challenge that divides everyone. The book also contains the story of The Adventurers book starring Rick & Oliver which contains the content Donovan's mom objects to. But Donovan & his mom do not talk about it...I loved the many students voices, their teacher, and the author of The Adventurers book---a tense book but a good book!

View all my reviews

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Cara McBrien for giving me this book to read! I really enjoyed all the daughters & Afong Moy as I read about their lives, romances, hardships and issues dealing with trauma, bias, and secrets. The theory of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance was so new to me and I will certainly be reading more- especially the book in the afterward that Jamie Ford has listed 1st in recommended reading. I have a copy of that book and I purchased it (The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.) based on Tara Smith's recommendation! This is a fierce read, this Chinese family and their daughters is explored as well as anti-Chinese bias in America, resulting in a must read!

View all my reviews

Demon Copperhead by Barbra Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Casey Ciocca for telling me what a great book this is & Tara Smith for lending me her copy!!! What a thoroughly mesmerizing read! I loved Demon (also known as Damon Fields) his voice, his mind, and his heart! From his beginnings born to a drug addicted mom in Appalachia, Demon is a thoroughly likable character who goes from foster home to foster home and none of them good until he meets his grandmother Betsy who pounds into him her belief in a good education and once he promises her, Betsy sends him to live with one of her other fosters, Coach. Demon's trauma follows him through life as he frets about being thrown out of his next place to live. But as he grows older, he begins to enjoy popularity, athleticism & girls. But in this bright period, he meets Dori & falls madly in love. I rooted for Demon, but his life with Dori & Maggot who introduce him to drugs, takes him down a dark and twisted road. I loved seeing his ability to draw, his friendship with Tommy and Angus, the adults in his life he believes in, and through this, I prayed for a GOOD LIFE for Damon, he deserved it. A must read, you will not be able to put it down!!!

View all my reviews

In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo

In the Beautiful Country by Jane Kuo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great debut novel! The author uses her experiences coming to America to craft a story about Anna and her parents as they leave Taiwan for California. Her father thought he had a partner in a Dino's store selling ribs and burgers but his "friend" ditched him. Anna struggles in school where she is bullied and made fun of - never telling her parents because they are dealing with bullies too in their store- breaking windows, messing up their tables, spilling ketchup & salt on the floor. Referring to America as the beautiful country, Anna and her parents find it anything but! Struggling this family decides to leave but that will prove difficult trying to sell a store that does not make a profit. This is a must read about the perseverance of an immigrant family who experiences racism often but through a few friends, church and the will to succeed slowly but surely they craft a life---will they stay or will they leave? You must dear this book to find out! Highly recommended!!! And there is a sequel, I will definitely be reading it too!!!

View all my reviews

Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes

Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this middle grade novel in verse from Garvey's viewpoint as COVID 19 hits California, the schools close down, his mom is a teacher (teaching from home) & his dad installs WIFI so he is an essential worker leaving their home each day. Garvey's voice, his friends and family are all so important to this timeline as the pandemic begins. The reader is once again gifted with Nikki Grimes beautiful novel in verse seeing the world gripped, viewing the events that happened (George Floyd & Breanna Taylor killings) while lockdown happens, school is online, quarantine for his father, & how it affects Garvey, his friends & his sister. A must read, highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Misty's 7th grade, being the only girl on the football team was so good! She loses her best friend who has changed, is a hit on the football team except for one nasty guy, and has the full support of her stepdad in all things having to do with the football team. I was glad to see Misty was able to have other girls from the cheer squad be her friends. The peer pressure was tough for Misty but she knew who she was (even when she tried to impress her friend who ditches her for a mean girl). A great middle grade graphic novel!

View all my reviews

Twin Cities by Jos Pimienta

Twin Cities by José Pimienta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twins, Fernando & Teresa live in Mexicali, Mexico but in the fall they will be going to different schools for the first time ever with Teresa crossing the border to a private school. There is the normal brother and sister drama but it reaches a hostile roar---will Fer & Teresa ever be close again? I learned alot about the different sides of the border and I loved the illustrations!

View all my reviews

Bloodmarked (Legendborn, #2) by Tracy Deonn

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great 2nd book in the Legendborn series! Bree is stressed to the max as she tries to rescue Nick, deal with Sel's changes, and fight the powers to be that want to keep secret the demon war. I could not put this book down, did not like the ending...so I NEED the 3rd book for the many questions I have--- for the many answers!!!! I hate Erebus and everyone in the Order as they seek to diminish Bree and her claim as Arthur's descendant with many powers- Medium, Bloodcrafter and Scion---but these powers do not always help her. I want Bree and her friends to be victorious in Book 3!

View all my reviews

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan

Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Cara McBrien for lending me this gut wrenching, awesome read about teens falling in love, reality and the truth come crashing in and someone is dead! Lily and Olivia are the main characters telling the story from their viewpoint, before and after. It is a look at Olivia's son's Asher's romance with Lily, and Olivia's abusive marital relationship until she ran with Asher to a normal life of beekeeping, until it wasn't. I loved the courtroom scenes with Olivia's brother as a brilliant lawyer working with his wife as investigator to prove Asher innocent. There was so much to take in, but I have read many LGBTQ books also transgender books as a YA librarian and I just keep reading them because they are a must read and each book is more enlightening, engrossing, and relatable. There was so much suspense I could not put this book down!

View all my reviews

Hot Dog b y Doug Salati

Hot Dog by Doug Salati
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Mary Alice my book loving librarian friend! This Caldecott Medal winner is perfect for young children through Adults. A little dachshund like dog living in the city is walking on a steaming hot day and all the city noise, clamor, crowds STOP this pup from moving anywhere anymore. Thankfully his astute senior owner knows the perfect place & using all forms of transportation they head toward a beautiful sea and spend a joyful day finding stones & shells by the sea!!! Each page and Illustration by Doug Salati was truly gorgeous, evocative, and best of all celebratory. I loved the city scape and the sea shore adventure, highly recommended!!!

View all my reviews

The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin by Kip Rose

The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin by Kip Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as I loved Kip Wilson's first book, White Rose, so also did I enjoy Hilde's journey from orphan to friend with Rosa and the family at the queer club where they waitress and sing to earn money as the Hitler regime closes in. This novel in verse was gripping and thoroughly researched (see Notes at the end) with Hilde becoming more and more strengthened by her circumstances and friendships with those at the club. Loved the cover, too. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews