The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maudie is an autistic middle schooler who looks forward to spending her summers with her Dad and the rest of the time with her mom and stepfather. This summer she has to keep a secret from her Dad & as soon as she arrives there are California wildfires that destroy his home. Her Dad decides to take them back to where he grew up, a beach town with waves and surfers beckoning to her. I loved Maudie, she was relatable as she tries to find strength to surf & tell the secret her mother warns her she must keep. I could not stop turning the pages; middle school kids will be turning those pages as they see & root for Maudie to succeed again and again.

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All the Broken Places by John Boyne

All the Broken Places by John Boyne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Milly Neff for recommending this awesome Holocaust book! Oh boy, I loved this novel, but I really tried to like Gretel Fernsby, but her life, her history, her personality kept me reading---but I did not really like her throughout her life from childhood to adulthood. I loved 91 year old Gretel though and this book moved back and forth in time, so chilling, haunting, and sad. Gretel's past has tormented her whole life but as the 91 year old now living in England, I loved these parts of the book most because Gretel has become a caring, forthright, dame who befriends a new family in her complex that calls upon her (demands) to question her own guilt, complicity, and all that she has spent her life running from and can she really help protect violence? A must read!

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If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen

If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, I could not put this true crime fiction story down! What those sisters suffered, and that mad, evil, awful mother, Shelly, was a BAD SEED! Gregg Olsen does a stellar job and tells a true story of an unbelievable childhood suffered by not one but three sisters and how their mother kept them as silent prisoners and made them watch and endure as their mother and then father beat, tortured, and verbally abused 3 others (brother figure Shane, Kathy, supposedly Shelly's best friend and Ron, another friend she hoodwinked with her pretended love and caring). A must read! I hope all three of those girls got counseling!

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Muted by Tami Charles

Muted by Tami Charles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great, compelling read---a novel in verse fiercely telling the story of three girls who love singing, harmonize together, and dream of escaping to the music world, singing, becoming famous and staying together----oh this does not happen! Denver and her friends Shak and Dali are 17 yrs old when they see their fave artist, Merc Ellis would be coming to their area, and decide they will make themselves heard, seen and astound Merc. As they get his eye and go back stage, all three are beguiled---what happens is that smooth Merc shows his true self and starts to isolate them---Dali and Denver if they do see it, allow themselves to be swooning over his attention and ignore the warning signals---but Shak does not and she is the first to go. Denver and Dali slip off and become Merc's proteges---but do they really? This is a must read, I could not stop turning the pages and I loved Charles' language in telling this cautionary tale. Going back and forth in time, my fear for Dali and Denver was heightened with each page I turned as they allowed themselves to go deeper and deepper into this den of horror. A must read!

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Unraveled (Steel Brothers Saga, #9) by Helen Hardt

Unraveled by Helen Hardt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great title in this series as Ryan and Ruby race against time, bondage, and fear for their families lives---Ruby has been imprisoned by her father and when she wakes she finds she has been taken and is now in the Caribbean on a mystery island and in the room with her is Juliet, one of the girls who was abducted and Ruby was trying to find where she was trafficked to--because now she and Ryan know the mastermind of the awful human trafficking is Ryan's mother and each time they try to overwhelm her, she is two steps ahead. Will they with the help of Jonah and Talon be able to stop the suffering of the abducted women and children? Another suspenseful book in this series!

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We'll Fly Away by Bryan Bliss

We'll Fly Away by Bryan Bliss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Jenn LaGarde for recommending this Purposeful Prose Summer Reading Exploring Inequity in the US Criminal Justice System. My heart continued to break as I read more and more about Luke and Toby, their friendship and yearning to break away from their miserable lives. Through Luke's letters to Toby from jail and interspersed with their past and present lives BEFORE, the reader is gripped with the harshness of their lives and their unwavering need to escape these lives. But it seems many things will keep presenting to Luke and Toby their senior year, testing their friendhsip and loyalty. I kind of did not like that 2 girls pit Toby and Luke against each other...yes there are many more things like family, abuse, violence, and bad choices that test their friendship but Annie and Lily pit the 2 best friends against each other resulting in chaos. A must read for teens giving an honest look at the juvenile justice system.

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Liar's Bench by Kim Michele Richardson

Liar's Bench by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this historical fiction debut and Muddy's fight for answers when her mother is found hanged and is then ruled suicide. Muddy can't believe it and searches for answers with her love interest friend, Bobby (who passes for white but is black and Indian) as they fight racism, bigotry, and secrets in small town and small minded Kentucky. What will happen to Muddy? A great mystery and thriller taking place in 1972 with flashes back to the history of Bobby's people.

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When We Were Infinite by Kelly Loy Gilbert

When We Were Infinite by Kelly Loy Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love all Kelly Loy Gilbert books because of what timely issues and themes they deal with, but this book was really tough to read... Beth as the protagonist goes through so much--her parents' divorce, her circle of friends that she loves so much that she really does not show them who she really is---she shows them what she thinks they want to see, and when an act of violence on her love interest Jason devastates her; the whole story shifts as Beth and her friends try to support Jason. I hated how all that happens to Beth changes her and molds her into another person (not one I really liked but can understand this was how she coped)who must mold herself into someone everyone will love and accept and the author shows how these teens really have no way of dealing with what happened to Jason and Jason makes it even more difficult by asking them to go back tot he way they were before. Beth's treatment of her mother was awful, mean and secretive while she loved her father--who was the one who left, stops coming to see her, and does not support her. As she and Jason begin to see each other it quickly becomes awkward with Beth telling herself she must accept everything and take it in stride. This book broke my heart but the friendships these teens have is so special and supportive. The author deals with many topics teen readers will want to read about - abuse, secrets, high school, the college aspect, divorce, lies, music, self destruction, suicide, dysfunctional families, racism, and authentic Asian American teen characters. A must read but it will be a tough read.

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The Sisters of Glass Ferry by Kim Michele Richardson

The Sisters of Glass Ferry by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by Marguerite Gavin, this was a hard hitting historical fiction novel juggling between the time periods 1952 and 1972 as sister's Patsy and Flannery set the stage for what happened prom night to Patsy and the 2 Butler Brothers, Hollis and Danny. Kentucky in the 50s was whiskey and HoneyBee and devoutly religious mother. But the twins once so close and best friends are now fighting, angry with Patsy keeping secrets. The plot was suspenseful, sinister, and psychologically damaging for Flannery and her mother. Marguerite Gavin was a good narrator but mispronounced many words, but her voices and inflections were pure Kentucky. I ached for the deceit, lies, and sexism that existed for the sisters but Flannery is able to rise above the abuse and become stronger as a result.

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Craving (Steel Brothers Saga, #1) by Helen Hardt

Craving by Helen Hardt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first Helen Hardt book, recommended by a friend (you know who you are) because she knows I like romances. Talon is a tortured adult because of what happened to him as a child. He is broken and has not been able to move on; his brothers (only know part of the story) and his sister, Marjorie, have lived with Talon's issues. It is when Jade, Marjorie's best friend, is jilted at the altar and Marj begs her to come live on their ranch that things get interesting. Talon is a puzzle, doesn't talk much, but when jade can't sleep her first night at the ranch and decides to visit the kitchen she finds Talon staring at a glass of water. What happens next is explosive and continues without any of the family knowing. Talon's all consuming kiss hooks both Jade and Talon. This begins the story of these two strangers finding solace in each other. There is also Talon's back story that is seen through flashbacks, tough to read and mysterious in many ways.

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Junk Boy by Tony Abbott

Junk Boy by Tony Abbott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, this book was gripping, intense, and so true. Teens will love so much about this book and be sharing with their friends!!! Tony Abbott's novel in verse about Bobby Lang who is called junk boy because he lives in a house that is definitely a hoarding situation to anyone who sees the cars, junk, thrown out items, strewn throughout and around the yard and house. Bobby's dad is a drinker, doesn't work and belittles his son daily. In school, Bobby tries to be invisible but one day, he is drawn into fighting going on in a classroom. What he finds changes his life; a mother is slapping and yelling at her daughter (because she is gay). Once she leaves, after angrily demeaning him, Bobby helps the girl hang up art posters---thus begins the weird relationship of Bobby and Rachel. Rachel becomes his friend, dragging him to art shows and telling him how much she hates her mother. But things are not always good between them, Rachel has anger issues, lashes out, and Bobby becomes her target too. As their friendship grows, Bobby begins to seek help for himself and Rachel. As both teens experience abuse, will they both be able to rise above and become better? Highly recommended!

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Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read and love all of Tiffany D. Jackson's books and Grown is a compelling, gripping and essential read! Enchanted loves to sing and attends a mic night (with Mom in tow) to hopefully break into the music scene. In this ripped from the headlines story, Enchanted becomes famous singer, Korey Fields' find and as she dreams of making an album, Korey makes promises to her family as he takes her on the road and they make a good singing duo. But pretty quickly, we all see what Enchanted does not, Korey is insecure, controlling with out of control anger and punishments. I could not stop turning the pages as Enchanted becomes of prisoner of her own thoughts and Korey's awful techniques to control her. Another highly recommended read from Tiffany D. Jackson!

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The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Spoilers will be in this review! I loved this book so much, as always with any V.E. Schwab book, this book was compulsive reading, and courageous in plot, theme and characters! Addie LaRue is a favorite character for me; she was strong yet vulnerable, passionate about music and art, determined to live life (learning languages and also more about her curse as time dragged on) while being doomed to never being remembered by anyone. What disappointed me about Addie was learning late in the book about her sexual relations with Luc. I thought Addie and I were on the same page with our hatred of Luc and his despicability. It bothered me to learn this after her relationship with Henry was threatened. I guess if I want to give her a pass I have to understand just how lonely she was all those years and she gave in to her insecurity and Luc's abusive dominance- because let's face it---he is the god of darkness and one she should have never made her bargain with...
There was so much beauty in the places Addie travels to throughout her life, even if she can't thrive always looking for lodging, food, money, books, etc I loved Schwab's worldbuilding and her characters---one of my favorites was Estele and her oneness with nature. I loved Henry and his band of friends.
I will be thinking about this awesome, compelling book---Addie and Henry and Luc (him unfortunately) for a long long time--highly recommended!

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Hot Lunch by Rex Ogle

Free Lunch by Rex Ogle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow this book is a tough but necessary read as Rex tells us his life during one semester in middle school. Too many kids are living under horrific conditions; abusive parents, racism, poverty, and feelings of loss, abandonment and anger as they and Rex try to live each day in a hell that is overwhelming. Teachers, guidance counselors, teens and middle school kids MUST read this book. It is honest and sad and gripping! Highly recommended!

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The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I heard so much about this book; but Jennifer Lagarde's recommendation on twitter made me jump up and get it at the library. Oh did my heart ache for Zoey's life; her mother's constant boyfriends meant moving a lot. With super neat Lenny as the latest boyfriend, Zoey goes from thinking the trailer they live in with him and his father is the best to being the worst. Lenny abuses Zoey's mom verbally, he plays with her mind (which makes her cry and shrink into herself) and then she begins to change too. But it is when Zoey becomes involved in debate club and her friend, Fuschia needs her help; Zoey must dig deep----be an octopus---using all eight of her arms to see she must take control of her life; her mom, her friend, and her brother and sisters in order to save them and while she is saving them, she becomes stronger, a better friend and daughter, and begins to believe in herself. I loved Zoey so much; I ached for her when she doubted herself (which was often) and I rooted for her to achieve a better life. Readers will be empathetic as they read about class, bullying, and guns and a heroine you won't soon forget. A must read for all middle schoolers, school counselors, parents---this unfortunately is a very disturbing but true reality for many kids. Highly recommended!

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The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher

The Silent Wife by Kerry Fisher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to Sharon and Sally for passing on this delicious mystery and awesome beach read. I could not stop turning the pages as 2 women marry into an Italian family with all kinds of secrets, lies, and dysfunction. I rooted for Maggie and Nico as they marry but after that life becomes very difficult indeed (haughty mother-in-law, step daughter who hates her, and a great mom- thank god for her normalcy) and could not wait to see what happened to Massimo, Lara and Sandro. Exciting read to pass on to all your friends.

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A Gentleman's Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this amazing audiobook narrated by Christian Coulson as part of the 2018 HUB Reading Challenge and this book also won Best Fiction & Stonewall awards! Oh did I love this book!!! Monty, Percy, and Felicity were the best and strong protagonists in this 18th century adventure that shines a light on sexism (poor Felicity) racism (Percy and the pirates) and violence and abuse (toward Monty). Monty can't wait to tour Europe for a year - lots of drinking, women and men and the time to think over and over again how much he loves his best friend, Percy. Having grown-up with each other they have spent all of their time together. But as Monty gets into trouble- kicked out of Eaton- his father makes sure this will not be their FUN TOUR and sends a guide along to babysit them and make them endure all the culture and none of the fun. I loved seeing spoiled, brash, self-centered Monty step up- he really does take risks for others, while I did not like to see him so thoroughly drunk all the time because then he would do and say things that got them all into trouble. But when Monty learns Percy has kept a secret from him, he does not give up in trying to keep Percy with him, trying to save him, and also in the process becoming a new, improved Monty. I loved his optimism and joy of life and his can do spirit. A roaring great read/audiobook. I am so looking forward to the next book in the series about Felicity!!!

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I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book flew! The mystery of a hit and run 6 year old boy is told from multiple view points; the mother, the detective, the driver of the car. People are not who they seem to be; Jenna Gray runs from Bristol to a seaside resort where no one knows her. She is skittish, dreaming and screaming her son's death each evening. Police Detective Ray, Kate and team work hard to find the driver but a year goes by, will they ever catch the killer?

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