If I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold

I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Teens will love this time travel and romance of Evan and Shosh. As teens, they have lost ones they love and while Evan has panic attacks, Shosh is drinking in her grief. The stories captivated me, I could not stop turning the pages as I learned more about Evan & Shosh, even better the many periods and the people falling in love with each other. A must read, another great book by David Arnold

View all my reviews

People of the Sun (The Eye of Ra, #3) by Ben Gartner

People of the Sun by Ben Gartner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to Crescent Vista Press, Independent Book Publisher’s Association (IBPA), and the author, Ben Gartner, for the advance reader copy, People of the Sun (The Eye of Ra, #3) by Ben Gartner in exchange for an honest review. This is my 3rd Ben Gartner book in the Eye of Ra series and I just keep wanting to read more and more of this exciting middle grade series involving science fiction, fantasy, adventure, and mystery using time travel to many different ancient cultures. But this book contains many surprises for both the reader and John and Sarah as they travel to 1519 CE, Mexico. In this book, they learn more about their past quests and how this present mission is crucial; they must restore the past to restore history. This will involve learning and seeing things about themselves, their clones, their parents, and the Eye of Ra! I could not stop turning the pages; this book contained just as much adventure but oh so much more suspense! Will John and Sarah be able to stop an Aztec woman, Toci, from changing history? Readers will be riveted to the adventures and mystery even more so as John and Sarah grapple with how to save the day and restore history. I loved the growth of John and Sarah and their shifting roles as they are exposed to danger and intrigue. I want more John and Sarah adventures! Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

Sol Invictus (The Eye of Ra, #2) by Ben Gartner

Sol Invictus by Ben Gartner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I re-read this time travel adventure as part of the #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge for a book published in 2021 and readers will be so excited to dive into this 2nd book in awesome series by Ben Gartner, due out 2/2/21. A powerful continuation in a devouring series for those middle grade readers who love mysteries, adventures, and amazing characters!

Kudos to the awesomeness of this 2nd book in The Eye of Ra series, written by Ben Gartner. The pulse pounding momentum of John and Sarah's adventures continue with the siblings landing in ancient Rome given the daunting task of bringing enemies together and saving the world. Readers will love the Roman gladiators in the ring, fighting with swords and spears. John still wears the pendant of Ra around his neck but others want that pendant and try to steal it. Gartner's new characters comprise the many peoples of ancient Rome; slaves, gods, venatores, gladiators, soldiers, barbarians, kings and princesses. A young boy, Crocus, saves them from becoming slaves of the Emperor Constantius and then oh do the adventures begin! I loved this second book so much and will be waiting in suspense to see where Joan and Sarah's travels take them!

View all my reviews

Sol Invictus (The Eye of Ra, #2) by Ben Gartner

Sol Invictus by Ben Gartner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Kudos to the awesomeness of this 2nd book in The Eye of Ra series, written by Ben Gartner. The pulse pounding momentum of John and Sarah's adventures continue with the siblings landing in ancient Rome given the daunting task of bringing enemies together and saving the world. Readers will love the Roman gladiators in the ring, fighting with swords and spears. John still wears the pendant of Ra around his neck but others want that pendant and try to steal it. Gartner's new characters comprise the many peoples of ancient Rome; slaves, gods, venatores, gladiators, soldiers, barbarians, kings and princesses. A young boy, Crocus, saves them from becoming slaves of the Emperor Constantius and then oh do the adventures begin! I loved this second book so much and will be waiting in suspense to see where Joan and Sarah's travels take them!

View all my reviews

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I totally enjoyed this debut novel from Justin A. Reynolds and the time travel element and romance aspect kept me turning the pages! Jack King is a nerd who doesn't ever get what he wants (totally in love with his best friend who happens to be dating his other best friend) until he meets Kate at a party. I laughed, I ached, and totally enjoyed the time travel aspect as Jack tries to "keep" Kate. I loved the best friends, the families, and what we will do for love!

View all my reviews

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia Butler, illustrations Damian Duffy and adapted byJohn Jennings

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved reading this graphic novel as part of the 2018 HUB Reading Challenge. Octavia Butler's story, Kindred, is adapted into a totally scary, sad, time travel from 1970 back to pre-Civil War south. Dana is a young black woman newly married to Kevin (he is white) when she thrown into the South where a small white boy, Rufus, is drowning. The story is a horror of the indignity of slavery that Dana must endure and try to save Rufus (who is totally indoctrinated into the way the slave world works) the only way she can get back to 1970 is when she is almost threatened with death...I ached as I turned the pages for all the slaves on this plantation--the horrors they endured and what Dana and Kevin suffer as a result of trying to help. The oppression was bleak and frightening but the graphic novel format will grab teens and while reading they will be learning important aspects of history, slavery, women, science fiction and race; highly recommended!!!

View all my reviews

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

The Future of Us by Jay Asher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the time travel aspect of this book which I read as part of #yearofya twitter chat topic - books from 80s and 90s (written during this time period or about this time period) to be discussed Tuesday 8/29 at 8PM EST. Friends Emma and Josh (but Josh is in love with Emma & has been spurned by her) become involved with an AOL CDrom that takes them from their life in 1996 to Facebook (which is not even around yet) 15 years later. Emma goes through unhappy life and marriages while Josh marries hot girl and remains happily married. But as these teens struggle with 1996 high school, friendship and dating drama, the future causes them to evaluate what they hold dear, could it be each other? LOVED Josh, Emma was struggling with her HS hookups and future troubles - their characters were definitely true to teens and their daily lives. So enjoyed this book by Jay Asher (I don't really think Emma would notice the school librarian School Library Journal, but I loved the homage to school librarians!!!) and Carolyn Mackler- their collaboration was perfect!

View all my reviews

Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol.1 by Ichigo Takano

Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by Ichigo Takano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this as part of the 2017 HUB Reading Challenge and this award winning graphic novel which is really manga was so enjoyable to read but I still don't have the answers after Volume which consists of teens, specifically one girl, at first, who gets a letter from her future self telling her to change the way she is doing things/handling things with a new student, Kakeru. Ten years from now, Kakeru is no longer around and through a series of letters from someone in the future Naho and then everyone in their group is receiving these letters. I liked the premise, the teen insecurity, the friendships & relationships. I also loved the art, it told so much in black & white about these kids, their wants, desires & innermost fears. I will definitely be reading Volume 2 because I need answers!!!.

View all my reviews

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry

The Love That Split the World by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time travel, love, two different worlds are what senior Natalie Cleary deals with as she loses a boyfriend, gains a one true love, and struggles to make sense of her worlds colliding. I loved Natalie and Beau's story and you will too!

View all my reviews

The Here and Now by Ann Brasheres

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This ARC is from my visit to ALA Philadelphia. Boy am I glad I received this book (I never read the Sisterhood books...) Imagine you are a young boy fishing and sees a girl come from the river. So begins the story of Ethan Jarves who finds Prenna James, a girl who has traveled from the future. She lives in a strictly constricted world with her mother who used to be a doctor. Prenna and others came to the present because there was a series of plagues killing everyone. Some of the rules they live by: seek no medical attention, avoid places of worship, fit into society but don't get too close, and no falling in love. When Prenna's best friend is taken away and she is cautioned against her friendship with Ethan, things begin to get very scary. As the community leaders close in on her, Ethan helps Prenna try to figure out what is going on in her world and his. This book is able to go from the future to the present convinclingly, Prenna's fear and rigid brainwashing are so scary and believable. But her growing love for Ethan and his tentative, sincere love for Prenna power this book and romance, Highly recommended!!!

View all my reviews