Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

Beetle & the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great graphic novel; appealing to children, middle grade and YA! Beetle is best friends with a ghost imprisoned at a mall. She lives with her grandmother who practices goblin magic and is her home school teacher, kind, honest, motherly and nice. When an old childhood friend, Kat, returns to Hollowbones, she is now an apprentice to her scary aunt. As Kat and Beetle rekindle their friendship, forces are at work to tear down the mall where her ghost friend is and create havoc with the old friends. This graphic novel has it all witches, magic, horror, ghosts, zombies, in a colorful backdrop with suspense, humor and friendship. Highly recommended, all readers will enjoy this graphic novel!

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The Steel Prince #2 (Shades of Magic Graphic Novels #2) by V.E. Schwab

The Steel Prince #2 by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love all Victoria Schwab books and this book, now a graphic novel, is perfect!

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Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Raina has always wanted a sister, until she got one. Amira is not easy to get along with and a road trip with Mom and baby brother Will during the summer really stretches the familial bonds. I laughed out loud with the authentic family scenes of fighting, arguing, one-upping, and drama all around. Raina's childhood rings true with her bright illustrations; this is a cross over book as well since Raina is entering high school. A book one and all will enjoy.

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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book for the May topic of crossover books for the twitter chat with #yearofya. I love Patrick Ness and also his author friend, Siobhan Dowd, who shared this idea with him before she died of cancer. Connor is 13 years old and his mother has been battling cancer---he has a recurring dream with a monster in it---but one night a different monster (the yew tree in the yard) comes calling (he tells Connor he called him to come) and has 3 tales to tell Connor and then Connor must tell him 1. Boy are those tales tough for Connor----no easy answers and impossible tasks---who needs this when he is suffering in school (a bully and his crew pick on him and everyone else treats him like he is invisible) and now his grandmother is taking care of him, and worse still--his father (now with a new family in the US) comes to visit him, why? This story broke my heart.

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I Am J by Cris Beam

I am J by Cris Beam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book for #yearofYA and the May topic of Crossovers---this book was recommended by Book Browse as an Adult/YA Crossover. J is a teen who has known for a long time she is not a girl but a boy. Now as a teen, J makes a concerted effort to show everyone who he truly is---and it is not easy at all. Many subjects are explored in this transgender book; taking testosterone, binding breasts, haircuts, deep voice, feeling alienated from family and friends. As J explores and obsesses over girls, girlfriends, he makes a choice to move out of his house, get into a shelter, see a therapist while exploring future options with his life. He was so brave yet so conflicted and it was through friends (old and new) accepting J that helps propel this book to a hopeful ending.

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The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the May topic for #YearofYA---crossover books and I got the title from Goodreads as a crossover but I really do not see how this can be a crossover book! It is definitely adult in content, would YA readers like this book? I am not really sure...But I loved Don Tillman described as awkward, highly intellectual, geneticist who is looking for a wife. This book is very humorous because Don is so funny with his reactions, adherence to daily rituals, times, etc. The fact that he thinks he can get a wife by having candidates completing a 3 page questionnaire is hysterical! I loved this book, Don and Rosie and can't wait to read the other 2 in the series. Is Don a highly functioning autistic/Asperger and when is he going to find out?!?

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The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this book as part of the 2019 HUB Reading Challenge; the narration by Gildart Jackson was so good it won an Amazing Audiobook Award as well as the M. T. Anderson winning the Edwards Award. I just continued to laugh and chuckle as Gildart Jackson seemed to have so much fun with the voices of historian Brangwain Spurge (also known as The Weed), himself an elf who has been asked/ordered to spy on the goblins and bring a gift to their King. He is staying with archivist Werfel and since neither one really understands the customs of each other; there is much bumbling, miscommunication, lots of blunders, but oh so many laughs on the reader's part! I especially enjoyed the authors in their afterword as they perfectly mimic their main characters in friendship and hilarity.

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Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I just loved this graphic novel & memoir as the author describes his life being raised by his grandparents, never seeing his mother and never knowing his father---sounds bleak doesn't it? Add the argumentative, harsh grandparents and life must be pretty tough for Jarrett---but it isn't ---this memoir is a love song to his devoted grandparents who raised him with love, support, and deep pride. When Jarrett is given art lessons as a gift by his grandparents---he wants to make them proud too. This book is heartbreaking but it is also uplifting---Jarrett has a loving family without his mother (he misses her desperately as a child) ---he has cousins, aunts and uncles. As he grows up---he is told more about his mother (she is a drug addict and in jail---but she loves him deeply) and later in the book, meets his father and 1/2 sister and brother and builds and adds to his meaning of family. I especially loved the Author's Note---it made me cry (a happy cry) because Jarrett has learned through his wife, therapy, his children and the backdrop of his loving grandparents how necessary a stable family is for love, laughter and memories. A raw, honest must read YA readers will identify with, talk about and pass around to their friends!

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Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) by Sarah J Maas

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Maas' story of Chaol & Nesryn working to stop a war, their story of beseeching the Sultan of Khagan to join Aelin and Dorian's side. This 6th novel grabbed me and took me only 3 days to finish; I loved her plot, the many characters, but especially Chaol's healer, prince & princes of Kagan, the scary spiders, the ruks, the Vlag demons and always her pacing was excellent, thrilling, and so emotionally charged. Chaol was my favorite before- honorable, serious but so deep in his love for his soldiers & conflicted with his many mistakes. His journey in this book was incredible! I can't wait for #7; Maas' books are my favorites- she combines thrilling world building, deep characters, swoony romance, Fae history and just all around compulsive reading-hihgly recommended.

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The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read/listened to this audiobook as part of the Hub Challenge (Amelia Bllomer YA, Top 10 List) and oh was it good. I could not stop listening to actress, Linda Lavin's beautiful retelling of her life as Addie Baum to her granddaughter. I learned so much about the 1900's in Boston as Addie was born and raised by immigrant parents from Russia who argue incessantly, the turbulence of the times with illness, death & war and the strong personality of Addie and her sister while her oldest sister has a very sensitive constitution. Addie's view of the world is humorous, honest, and forward thinking. I so enjoyed this vibrant novel; highly recommended!

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Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the Hub Challenge and it is a finalist for the Michael Printz Award. All is have to say is WOW; it was gut wrenching; I had to keep putting it down because it was so sad and rife with racism, but I also had to keep picking it back up to read and find out what was going to happen to Naomi, Wash and twins Beto and Cari. The story begins with the shocking but true story of a school explosion in 1937 in New London, Texas. But the author then weaves back in time and pieces together the story of Naomi, a Mexican girl who has moved with her very light colored siblings (their mother is dead) and her stepfather, Henry who is the most evil man- he gave me the creeps throughout the book to this oil town. In a town where racism is ripe, Naomi and the twins meet and become friends with African American, Wash. That is the only GOOD part of this story. The rest made me cringe, ache, sob and wish for redemption. All I can say is "it is a must read" but it is not an easy read. Perez's characters, the town, and the times are all too REAL and I agonized as I read every word.

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Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic audiobook!!! I loved the narration by Jessica Almasy, Suzanne Toren; their voices were mesmerizing, honest, and their emotion (guarded and euphoric) made me root for Molly and Vivienne as characters, women, and down trodden individuals. What they do with their horrific lives is uplifting, made me cry, and want to rail at all those who treated them so deplorably. If you like historical fiction, multicultural fiction, a great study of women and friendship, listen to Orphan Train! You won't be able to stop listening!!!

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Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor

Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved, loved Kristine Hvam's narration in this 2nd Daughter of Smoke & Bone book!!! The narration, the voices, the drama kept me hooked in...Karou wasn't my favorite in this book- I did not like her hatred of Akiva for killing her family and then Karou throws in with Thiago and becomes a resurrectionist, creating horrible chimaera to fight against the angels. I loved the human friends, Zuzana & Mik and the fact that they continue to be in Karou's confidence. The reader will be enthralled with all the betrayal by angels & chimaera, Karou and friends. But beneath this aching terrible time, I was so impressed by Akiva's steadfast love and hope for a future maybe including Karou. Another must read by Laini Taylor & I have already begun the final book, Dreams of Gods & Monsters!!!

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to and LOVED this amazing audiobook; narrator Khristine Hvam did a stellar job with each and every character; her voices did not disappoint especially Zuzana- Karou's bestie. The world building, storytelling, characterization, and drama clearly made this a book I could not stop listening to; I already have the following 2 books FROM aUDIBLE on my Ipad for my listening pleasure, can't wait! Readers will love the character of Karou with her blue hair, art books filled with characters resembling chimaerae (monstrous half human/animalS)and her weird relationship as Brimstone's teeth messenger (how does she get from Prague to Marrakesh???). I am enthralled with finding out much more about Karou, her world of humans, her world of chimaerae, Brimstone & who is this scary, beautiful angel, Akiva? It seems Karou knows nothing about herself as she is asked countless times in this audiobook, "who are you?" which she really can't answer; a sweeping mystery, powerful and filled with worlds of magic, evil, and the lore of much more. Highly recommended.

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Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter by Marissa Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, I LOVED Winter and Meyer's whole Lunar Chronicle series!!! I am so sad it is over BUT I have so many great memories to continue to replay over and over again about the awesome cast of characters! This final 4th book features characters we have come to know and love-Cinder, Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Winter, Jacin, and Iko. There was also a cast of characters to abhor and wish very bad ends to as well- Levana, Aimory, and those nasty thermatauges controlling and contorting people to Levana's evil wiles. Cinder's fight to be Queen was a valiant one with many new characters helping her attain her goal of helping all of those down trodden subjects on Luna, the shells, the wolves (bioengineered to fight)and the diseased people on Earth battling a deathly. I read this in a week- I could have sat and read it in one sitting but can you believe it? Life got in the way, so I snatched as much time as I could and savored/devoured this fairytale mix of rebellion, rising up against evil and falling in love. I highly recommend this series and this 4th book was satisfying in so many ways- you just have to read it!!!

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Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG!!! Loved this first book by Sarah J. Maas! I was rooted to my kindle and the drama that ensued as assassin Celaena Sardothien fights to win her freedom as the King's Champion Assassin is gripping. I hated the King, loved Chaol, Prince Dorian, and the visiting Princess Nehemia. There is magic, supernatural beings, evil, lying, romance---all the elements put together PERFECTLY by Sarah J. Maas. Celaena is a strong female protagonist who is confident of her assassin abilities but she also must hide her true identity from all but a few in the castle. Her few meetings with the king were torture for me because Celaena is truly terrified of the King and when she is around him, she is not the hero we know she is. The king has evil intentions and I can't wait to see his demise...hopefully in Book 2! I would definitely call this a crossover book/series- adults will love the action, suspense and adventure, just like teens.

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Drowned City by Don Brown

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With beautiful, haunting comic book images (somber, brownish illustrations) Brown's Drowned City depicts the natural disaster that was Hurricane Katrina and the death, despair and havoc wreaked upon New Orleans. With spare prose, each page & image covers the many elements that continued to unfold as the world looked on in horror at the suffering and death of the residents of Buras, Louisiana are wiped out. There are tales of valor , tales of looting, people drowning, police fleeing, the Superdome debacle, the water grows stagnant, and the total mismanagement by the government to aid New Orleans (pets included) is all to real and deadly. This graphic novel should be read by adults and kids alike...the words and pictures work together to deliver a MUST READ nonfiction graphic novel.

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Whippoorwill by Josph Monninger

Whippoorwill by Joseph Monninger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a dog lover and I love to read any kind of book about dogs and as much as I loved this book, this book just really makes me sad. Clair lives next door to a very dysfunctional family (now only father and son) whom she characterizes as whippoorwills- they have lots of junk in their yard. But far more harsh is Wally, a black lab tied to a pole, left outside, and mistreated. As Clair tries to ignore his circumstances and pitiful whining, she becomes Wally's hero and with the help of Danny Stewart next door, begins to train Wally according to a book written by a dog whisperer, Father Jasper. But life gets in the way with Danny's sadistic father (who made his wife go crazy)and Clair is also confused about her feelings for Danny. I rooted for Clair, Danny and Wally. Their happy moments in training Wally were so important in defining the kind of caring pet owners they were but things will not be so easy in life for Danny and Wally. The harsh realities in this book reminded me of Gary D. Schmidt's Orbiting Jupiter - life can be so darned hard, you ache for Clair, Danny and Wally and hope against hope for a redemptive ending. Once again, I have to call this book a crossover book - all adults should read this too. Highly recommended.

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