Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens

Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney C. Stevens
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved Billie and her Hexagon friends- she loved her hometown, her friends, but boy did she have internal questions that kept her second guessing throughout most of the book. I really liked Davey and his side story (esp the one about Billie as a mask wearing girl). A great read about small towns, clergy families, and the power and love that friendship nurtures, heals, and grows. I read this for #2jennsbookclub to be discussed Thursday, Dec 13 at 8PM EDT- it is a quick read so jump into it and JOIN us for a twitter chat that is absorbing.

View all my reviews

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera

History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Soho Press and Soho Teen for the ARC, History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. I loved Silvera’s first book, More Happy Than Not, but his second is even better as this sad, sad book deals with a group of three guys who are best friends trying to make sense of the sudden devastating loss of one of their trio. Wade, Griffin, and Theo have been joined at the hip for many years and while Griffin & Theo become romantically involved, their threesome remains intact. When Theo ponders going to college early, things begin to change within the dynamics of their tight little group. Told from Griffin’s point of view in his monologues which he directs to Theo, he bounces back and forth from his time with Theo (what he refers to as history) to the present and his devastating grief. Griffin has ODC compulsions, was totally in love with Theo but even so, broke up with him when Theo attends college in California. As Griffin laments much of what he said and did while Theo was alive; he becomes more and more grief stricken without Theo. At the funeral, Theo’s boyfriend, Jackson, attends and even more hurtful gives a eulogy (just as Grif does) and stays with Theo’s family. Theo’s family and Griffin’s family are so real; they loved their kids, talked to them and supported them. One of my favorite parts was when Theo & Grif come out to their families and I just felt all the love and happiness the parents had for these two boys as a romantic couple. I felt the palpable grief Griffin, Wade, Jackson and the families and friends suffered as a result of losing this very special, kind, and likable teen. I was fully invested in Grif’s journey of love, loss, devastation, lies, issues and I rooted for Griffin to find answers, peace, and honesty in his “history” monologues with the now dead Theo. Silvera has crafted the kind of a story teens have been asking to read for some time now. It speaks to their inner uncertainties, their love of family and friends, need for adventure but at the same time their need to be understood and accepted for who they are. Silvera’s book accomplishes this and much, much more; highly recommended.

View all my reviews

The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry

The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group and Henry Holt and Co. for providing an advance copy of The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry. Mysteries by April Henry were always read and enjoyed by my students in my library. The Girl I Used To Be is a thriller and a winner for teens. Olivia/Ariel is the calm, smart, determined protagonist who has been in foster care for too many years after the death of her mother at the hands of her father. Fast forward fourteen years and Olivia has returned to her home town and learns her father’s jawbone has been discovered. Olivia needs justice for her parents’ murders and begins clandestine sleuthing with Duncan, her old friend and neighbor, for clues to the real murderer. With methodical attention to detail and building suspense, Olivia hopes to find the murderer before the murderer realizes Olivia/Ariel has returned. Teen readers will relate to Olivia as a vulnerable teen, as a foster child whose life was not easy, and root for her as she searches for clues while keeping her identity a secret. Recommended for those who love mysteries and suspense and for the reluctant reader as well!

View all my reviews