The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie Mclemore

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this audiobook, one of my favorites; the magical realism reminded me of Bone Gap by Laura Ruby but the carnival traveling shows reminded me of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! This is also part of the Hub Challenge, Morris Award winner I am involved in completing. There are 2 rival shows - the acts of the Paloma's are mermaids and the Corbeau's are birds and along with this is a long history of hatred, lies, secrets, taboos & suspicions. Enter Lace (a Paloma) and Cluck (a Corbeau) who happen to save each other on separate occasions. From this meeting, all of the sick family history and taboos sever Lace from her family but luckily she secretly works for the Corbeau family as a make-up artist. And it is here that Lace & Cluck fall in love and the long standing myths are tested, revealed, and overflow in a magnificent scene where Lace & Cluck take on both families. McLemore's plot, setting, imagery, dialogue and language (French & Spanish) drew me in and had me rooting for Lace & Cluck. Especially beguiling were the narrators, Kirby Heyborne and Cynthia Farrell, they brought this magical world to life and continued the fantasy as each chapter unfolded and the reader was plunged into this world of urban fantasy. Highly recommended!!!

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The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes

The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh boy, this was such a tough, but amazingly awesome read! One of the honor books for The Morris Award, I am reading this as part of The 2016 Hub Challenge. I could not put it down. Minnow Bly has a normal life until her father becomes enamored of The Prophet, Kevin, and her family becomes a part of The Community Cult that takes off for the wilderness and indoctrination begins-listen to the Prophet and do whatever he says. But the book does not begin with this; Minnow is in juvie, and Dr. Wilson, a forensic psychologist is trying to find out what happened the night The Community caught fire. As the reader wades into Minnow's life, we see she is inquisitive and her many questions are hated by those in the cult, especially The Prophet. Her father is a right hand man to the Prophet; he has 4-5 wives and 20 some children. Her mother is distant, bearing many children, and not stable at all. Minnow is very protective of her younger sister, Constance. As life continues in the cult, Minnow begins to see/understand the craziness and her growing friendship with an outsider (Rymanite), Jude, also adds another dimension to the tumult in confined Minnow's life. Author Stephanie Oakes does a superb job of blending Minnow's life in The Community, in prison and with Jude, creating a kalidescope of torture, hurt, and eventual release toward rediscovery. A must read!

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The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was my final read in the Morrison finalist award of The Hub Challenge and oh was it so, so GOOD! I rooted for Maggie as she traversed the many ups and downs of her sixteenth year. Uprooted from Chicago and jettisoned to Ireland, due to yet another one of her mother's marriages (failed relationship, results in another union), Maggie mourns leaving her grandmother, Ei, and her beloved godfather-uncle musician, Kevin. But life in Ireland holds surprises for Maggie-a constant friendship with nonagenarian, Dan Sean, falling deeply and truly in love with Eoin, questioning her relationship with her mother, and ultimately dealing with unbearable loss, all the while questioning who she really is. Maggie's voice was honest and full of contradictions. While she yearns for peace, a normal family, and acceptance--Maggie can't forget what her Uncle Kevin wrote: "Live and then Live some more." With Kurt Cobain tickets in hand from Uncle Kevin, Maggie embarks on a life changing adventure. I recommend this book for adults (adults will really get what Maggie (teens) wrestles with) and young adults will love the drama, angst, and romance of first love. Maggie is one rockin' protagonist, I will not forget!

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The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Aca Lavender by Leslye Walton

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another finalist I am reading for The 2015 Hub Morris Challenge. This first novel by Leslye Walton is sweeping in its coverage of family history, trials and tribulations of the family members and their enthralling romances. Ava and Henry Lavender are the final members in Beauregard Roux's family tree and oh how I enjoyed Walton's descriptions of her characters, their homes, the climate, their food (OMG, I salivated while reading about all of bakery pastries and breads!!!) and the tragedies of love that permeate this family. The magical realism that is Ava's wings and the many ghosts that follow Emilienne are just a few reasons this book must be read, savored, and luxuriated in...Read this work of art to find out what the strange and beautiful sorrows really are of Ava Lavender, Viviane, and Emilienn. You will not be disappointed!

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The Story of Owen by E. K. Johnston

The Story of Owen by E.K. Johnston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub Morris Challenge and what wonderful writing, storytelling, and dragons and their history seamlessly interwoven into a story that features so many strong protagonists! Siobhan McQuaid becomes Owen Trondheim's bard- she is a little nerdy, loves composing and playing music and once she and Owen are late for the first day of school- it is in detention that they become friends and partners in Owen's job as dragon slayer. Both Owen and Siobhan's parents are strong characters too with Owen's aunts (married to each other) who raised him while his father roams the countryside killing dragons. His very famous Aunt Lottie (her wife, Hannah does other kind of training but is not famous) trains him. Together they all decide to change the way dragon slayers are chosen (family lines) and re-write the dragon charter and begin enlisting volunteers to help guard against the ever increasing dragon onslaught. A ripping good read and I am looking forward to more dragon and Owen stories from E.K. Johnston!

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Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub (YALSA) Morris/Nonfiction challenge. We need more books like this! Gabi is a Mexican American BUT since she is so light skinned, even Mexicans don't think she is part Mexican. What I love about Gabi's voice and character is that she is so authentic; she is hilarious in her thoughts and words (she is a wonderful writer and poet- she is compassionate- she is confused) she is just a teen looking for answers. She loves her family but knows they are very dysfunctional in so many ways. Her mother judges her, yells at her, and constantly harps on Gabi to diet and doesn't really see the need for her daughter to go to college or date boys. Her father is a meth addict and Gabi's poem about him on p. 117-122 titled "In Light of the Fear of my Father's Death I Write This Down" is sad, loving, despondent, and honestly to the point. Her best friends, Cindy and Sebastian have their own baggage, but they stick together through thick and thin. Gabi has a good self image about herself but she knows she is not thin and she LOVES TO EAT Mexican food whether it is her mother's, aunt's, or the restaurant- Pep's House of Wings or hidden away in her room. As Gabi tells us in diary format about her senior year and college admission drama, we find a teen who is so so so many things- shy, self-confident, honest, humorous, genuine, hopeful, boy crazy, reluctant to talk back to her parents and elders, and most of all a girl that the reader meets in many different Pieces - A Gordita/A Fatgirl (I loved the cover of this book!!!). I particularly enjoyed the zine she created for a class assignment (with a wonderful teacher, Ms Abernard) beginning on page 193, titled "The Female Body" (her artwork, illustrations and diagrams must be seen and read!!!) It is through her diary, letters to her father, poetry, that Gabi tries to find her way in the world. I love this girl! Highly recommended!

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