Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt

Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this Gary D. Schmidt book so so much! The writing, the characters, and the 1968 setting were optimal for an authentic middle grade read! Meryl Lee Kowalski's life has been turned upside down with the death of her best friend and her parents decide to start her fresh at a prep school, away from the grief and possibly problems at home. But it is at St. Elene's Preparatory Academy for Girls where Meryl Lee tries to find out who she is by participating in sports (a hoot!), writing, and artwork. As lonely and despondent as she is, she runs into a kindred soul in Matt Coffin (who acts like her dead best friend) who has a horrid past he is running from. And each time he runs, those he has come to care for are in danger. I could not put this book down!!! The beauty in Schmidt's writing was present in nature with both Meryl Lee and Matt reveling in the sea, the shore and skipping stones. Many of the teachers were authentic and sympathetic with changes abounding as time goes by. I loved the characters of Dr. MacKnockater and the sea captain, the servants Betty and Althea and the Vietnam War was woven seamlessly throughout this wonderful novel that burns with warmth and humanity. Highly recommended and I loved seeing the characters from his other novel, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy in this book too!

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In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was such an achingly beautiful, sorrowful book with two protagonists, who are each other’s best friends and support group and their first year at a prep school. Jeff Zentner’s writing is always so full of soul, deep yearning, and powerful messages. Through Cash, the beauty of Sawyer, Tennessee is found in the water, the land, Papaw and Mamaw. With parents addicted to drugs, Delaney and Cash met each other at a meeting and a forever friendship begins and is cemented over the years. Cash despairs as his beloved Papaw is struggling with emphysema, and he must decide if he will attend Middleton Academy with Delaney. Cash is such a good, good person and his love for his grandparents, Delaney, and his Middleton friends is deep, devoted, and courageous. Readers will love Cash’s sincerity, fear of failure, despair, grief, and his whole persona as he looks back on his life with a drug addicted mother, his deep insecurities, his profound love of Mamaw and Papaw, and struggles daily in his new life at Middleton Prep with his crush, his friendship with Alex Pak, taking up crew and writing poetry, and always worrying about Delaney. This is a must read and the mentions that harken back to each of Zentner’s other books made my heart pound with so much love. Highly recommended!

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The Long Game (The Fixer Book2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Long Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Long Game, Book # 2 in The Fixer series did not disappoint; if anything, I could not stop reading because each chapter just pulled you in more with Tess's intrigue (she has so many secrets she can't tell anyone) and like her mother, Ivy (she deals at the highest levels fixing things in Washington, D.C.) In this book so much is going on and talk about tense moments and then the thrills when the good happens. But also there were tense moments where horrendous things happened, Ivy & Tess, had no control, they were at the mercy of twisted hateful people. I really can't wait for Book #3 but I will end with "Why, Henry???" and also "Why, Tess???" It will be interesting to see how Tess' group continues to FIX in Book 3.

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The Raven B oys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you are looking for another seductively written book by Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys, is it! I fell in love with Blue’s world of fortune tellers living in Henrietta, VA. Blue Sargent is a prickly strong female protagonist in this adventure into psychics (Blue’s family), the prep school world of Aglionby Academy (Blue hates these privileged boys, calling them the Raven Boys) and family (all the good and the bad). Blue is sixteen and has been told her whole life by her mother, she will kiss the boy she loves and he will die, and it is at an annual spirit hunt, she meets the ghost called Gansey. What a wonder that Gansey and his strange crew of Aglionby friends arrives at her home for a tarot reading. Gansey and his friends, Adam, Ronan, and Noah believe in the power of ley lines and have traversed the world in a frenzied belief that they can locate the Ancient Welsh King Glendower, raise him up and be granted a wish of unprecedented worth. I could not put this book down, I was sucked into Blue’s world as she becomes friends with these boys she grew up loathing; accompanying them on searches for ley lines and spirits. You learn about the boys, their behavior at school, their family dysfunctions and their total commitment to each other and it is these characters and their personalities (annoying and troubled) that keep the pages turning, especially the runes, séances, ghosts, all providing a thrilling, mesmerizing read. I can’t wait for the next book!

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Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard

Paper Covers Rock by Jenny Hubbard
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book does a great job of swith the challenges of being a boy in an all boys' boarding school in the 1980s. Alex Stromm is tortured about the drowning death of his friend. He and his friends decide to cover it up since they were drinking at the time but did their new English teacher who happened upon them afterward see anything? The Plan is something Alex struggles with throughout the whole book; at times hating himself (did he do enough to save his friend, did he run fast enough)and then he alternates with wanting to continue at the Birches Prep School in order to become a writer and that might mean ruining some lives. Miss Dovecott is a young female teacher around all these boys and she works very hard to help Alex in writng and creating poems but also tries to get information from him about the drowning. Alex fantasizes about her; yet he really cares about her. It was definitely a struggle for Alex each and every day after the drowning. It was a little unnerving with all the details about Moby Dick (I really can't remember the story) and jumping back and forth in time. This book will appeal to the male student who likes to read about friendships, sports and all boys schools.

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