An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard

An Unkindness of Magicians by Kat Howard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book for the 2018 HUB Reading Challenge and for the March twitter chat on AWARD WINNERS for #yearofya to be held Monday 3/26 at 8pm- there are so many book award winners from 2017- come share your titles with us! This amazing book won an Alex Award, the title really lets you know the dark side of magic that takes place in this book. I absolutely loved the strong female protagonist, Sydney- she suffered her way out of the Shadows and had a few plans for revenge, retribution, changing the Shadows & The Unseen World from their horrific practices. This is a Turning year and Sydney is elected champion for House Prospero and as she stormed her way to truth, she made many friends (always a few enemies) and works tirelessly to upend the Houses of Magic that have been taking from magic for years. That said---I hated the ending---that is why 4 star rating. I rooted for Sydney and Laurent and Ian, Grace, Harper, Madison, and Verenece; other than Sydney, there was resolution for all these good characters. I will just quote Sydney (p.348) to Ian "Magic was who I was. I felt it in my blood and bones, Ian. It was me, and now it's gone, and I don't know who the fuck I am anymore." "You'll figure it out," he said. "Who you are now. And I'd really like to stick around and see who that is if you'll let me." So, for all her plans, always having back-up plans, going against the world of magical dominance, what did she get??? I rooted for Sydney--she was someone who deserved a happy ending...

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Roughneck by Jeff Lemire

Roughneck by Jeff Lemire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this awesome graphic novel as part of the 2018 HUB Challenge because it is an Alex Award winner. Jeff Lemire's discussion of indigenous people, fractured families, ice hockey, and violence in this harshly, real illustrated graphic novel really moved me. Derek and his sister's plight- a violent father and sweet mother taken from them too quickly is just one thread in this must read graphic novel that takes place in Pimatamon but also explores their lives- Derek's with ice hockey and the violence afterward and drug addicted, Mary with an abusive boyfriend. The secondary characters were so authentic and really fleshed out the plot. Highly recommended. If you like to read about ice hocky and it's grip- Bear Town by Fredrik Backman is good also.

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Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia

Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I read this graphic novel for The Hub Alex Award and I was disappointed with the storyline. I needed more interaction with the many plot lines and their characters. This graphic novel got high praise but I finished the book wanting MORE that the illustrations and story line did not deliver.

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Girl at War by Sara Novic

Girl at War by Sara Nović
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this awesome book narrated by the mesmerizing, Julia Whalen, as part of The Hub Challenge. This historical fiction tale tells the harrowing effects of war on individuals, family, the world at large. Ana is a 10 year old living in Zagreb, Croatia when the Serbo Croatian War decimates her world and family. As Ana and her parents, ferry her very ill little sister to doctors who will get her to the US for the proper medical attention, Serbs at a blockade stop everyone on the road, march them to an isolated area, and destroy Ana's world. What I really liked about this book was the way the chapters were set up. First the reader sees Ana's carefree world become one of suspicion, violence and genocide. The next chapter, Somnambulist, finds Ana in college in New York and it is 10 years later. Ana has found her sister and been adopted by the foster family who cared for Rachel (Rahella is her Croat name). In school Ana tells everyone she was born in the US, never speaking about her life during the war. The next chapter, Safe House, is when she is asked to speak at the United Nations and Ana speaks about the war and being a child soldier. The final chapter, Echoed by the Trees, has Ana returning to Zagreb to find out about remaining friends & family and making peace with what happened to her family those many horrific years previously. What a powerful story told through the eyes of an innocent child who is devastated by the war but lives to tell about its effects on her and everyone else around her, highly recommended!

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Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book about the wide ranging effects of grief that the death of a favorite daughter causes in a mixed-race family in a 1970s small town. James Lee is Chinese, born and raised in the US, but that has not stopped him from hearing the racial slurs, having few friends, and being embarrassed by his parents. As a college professor, he meets, falls in love and marries Marilyn, blond hair, blue eyes and not Chinese. They have 3 children and it is the middle child, Lydia, who is raised with many expectations. The author does a superb job of exploring the depths of each family members' misunderstandings and secrets in light of Lydia's death. Ng also lays bare the Lee's ignoring their other children while Lydia's aspirations take precedence. I ached for the Lee family -James, Marilyn, Nath, Hannah, and Lydia as their lives are laid bare, but I loved them as tragically flawed individuals as they struggle for love, absolution and answers. Highly recommended.

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