Squished: A Graphic Novel by Megan Wagner Lloyd Illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter

Squished: A Graphic Novel by Megan Wagner Lloyd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great follow-up to Allergic---M W Lloyd's debut graphic novel! I loved the Lee family and there is always something going on with a family of 7 children and 2 parents. Avery is a responsible older sister, but this summer she wants her own room due to her sisters and brothers always needing her. But will Avery be happy with the outcome? A laugh a page!!!

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The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this thriller as part of my Albright College Zoom Book Club and oh did I love it! Zig zagging between 3rd person description and Rose's journal entries, the reader learns about twins, Rose and Fern, as they grow up and present day. I think Fern is on the spectrum--- she does not like to be touched, going into public like swim meets, restaurants, bowling, all assault her vision and auditory processes (so she does not go) and she is a librarian with such an awesome love for books and the library (yay!) although she does not like to deal with the many questions about printers and computer problems:)
Rose can't have a baby, her husband left her and is away on a job, and Fern thinks she would love to help her sister and will try to have a baby for her. When Wally (Rocco Ryan) enters Fern's life while Rose is away trying to rekindle her marriage, things Fern did not like begin to change as her friendship grows with Wally.
I enjoyed the way Hepworth told this story weaving in and out about the sisters, their relationship with their mother, and their very entwined relationship. Suspenseful, a must read, and I will be reading other Sally Hepworth books!

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Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani

Tony's Wife by Adriana Trigiani
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is my first Adriana Trigiani book I read after hearing this full of life author speak in Avalon, NJ this summer with my reading buddy and Drexel Lacrosse mom, Becky Avato. I loved this book and will read more---ChiChi was such a great, conflicted character, I loved her family, The Donatelli's. Tony was complex but not a man I admired. I loved the Sea Isle shore and the travels across and around the country. I did not like so much Tony and his "life" and what it did to so many. There were certain parts of the story I wanted to know more about but I realized we were covering the life of these two "famous" singers, songwriters. I just finished listening to Chemistry Lessons by Bonnie Garmus about a strong misunderstood woman during the 50s and 60s...ChiChi was like Elizabeth Zott but ChiChi was not able to fulfill herself---she had a family and a husband to take care of and she outdid herself with her mind for business, songwriting, and family stability. ChiChi has so much important introspection unlike Elizabeth Zott, and she has a family who loves and supports her. I loved this Italian extended family and want to read more of Trigiani's books but I want to read more "successful" female, family stories---I will try her latest and see what happens:)

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Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Narrated by: Miranda Raison with a great question and answer by Bonnie Garmus and Pandora Sykes, this was a great book about societal expectations of women in the 50s and 60s and how Elizabeth Zott with her "different" personality represents ALL women of that time that had hopes and dreams and the low expectations of society stopped them from achieving anything but headaches, gossip, unwanted negative attention, and lies. This story help me captive, there were a few pronunciation errors but that did not stop me from being totally enthralled by Elizabeth's world and her life with Calvin Evans and their time together resulting in a dog, a daughter, and much grief. I loved Harriet Sloane and really detested many of the Hastings employees with their evil, mean-spirited gossip which continued to follow Elizabeth Zott with her jobs and her life. But a satisfying resolution and the author chat at the end were really welcome. A must read!

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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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Troubles in Paradise (Paradise, #3) by Elin Hilderbrand

Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this whole series and Troubles in Paradise raced along exposing mystery, murder, romance, and drama. Irene and Huck are the perfect couple but they have their problems in this book and oh did I love the way Huck resisted all his natural instincts (because of his previous 2 wives---independent!) and just waited (and hoped and pined) for Irene. There was much going on with Ayers, Baker, Maia, and Cash and I enjoyed FBI agent Vasco too! I finished this book in a day and will now be passing this along as a must read and totally enjoyable series to my daughter-in-law, Alicia.

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This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I had a very difficult time listening to this book; the narration was stellar by Scott Brick, I was haunted by the treatment (through the whole book) of the 4 vagabonds---hated that they suffered so much at the hands of the Brickmans and MANY others. I always rooted for the 4 kids but time and time again, harsh reality dampened my positive outlook; yes the Depression and all it entailed (racism, brutality, suffering) took over the whole tenor of this book...my first and probably my last William Kent Krueger book. I did not find any hope or inspiration in this book, plot, characters. Even the Epilogue dampened my spirits; as I mentioned to my friend who LOVED this book and recommended it- There is nothing TENDER about This Tender Land!

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Stay by Deb Caletti

Stay by Deb Caletti

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Caletti, Deb. Stay. New York: Simon Pulse, 2011. 978-1-4424-0373-4. 313p. $16.99. Gr. 10-12.
Clara’s story about an obsessive boyfriend is scary, suspenseful and heartbreakingly real. Clara falls hard for a guy and he falls hard for her too, but what Clara tells you now as she relates her love story with Christian is that the tell-tale signs were there from the beginning about Christian’s insecurities. Clara alternates the chapters with her life now; she and her father have had to flee their home and go to a secret beach location because Christian has become obsessive and a stalker since she broke up with him. Caletti does a great job of showing how this relationship has made Clara so insecure about who she is. Fleeing to Washington State with her father provides a much needed time and place where they both confront secrets about themselves and their lives. A must read for teen girls about the dangers of obsessive relationships.






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