The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book for my 2nd challenge of the #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge, Name in the Title for 20 points and there is so much GREATNESS in this book! Nestor is in middle school, he constantly moves around because his father is deployed (now in Afghanistan), he doesn't stay long enough to make friends, he can talk to animals (yes and they talk to him) and now living in New Haven, Texas (where his Dad grew up) with his Abuela and nurse Mom, Nestor's constant grief and fear for his Dad and missing him compounds his unease with what is going on in the neighborhood. This time, Nestor has two friends he really enjoys, Maria Carmen, and Talib, and together they investigate missing animals, a creature that terrorizes the woods as either a spider, snake or wolverine. How will Nestor and company solve the mystery and save the missing animals? It is a race against time and readers will not be able to put this book down! There is excitement, suspense, friendship and folklore that lure you in and what a wild ride, highly recommended!

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The Conviction (David Sloane, #5) by Robert Dugoni

The Conviction by Robert Dugoni
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love the David Sloane series and this book kept me riveted and so scared for Jake and TJ. Dugoni sets the stage perfectly with Jake's anger issues from his mother's death and trauma from seeing her murdered. Also he is a teenager who has been drinking and doing drugs while back with his real Dad. When Jake arrives for the summer, his attitude is awful toward everyone and Sloane despairs about the summer. A chance talk with his detective friend, Tom Molia has Sloane planning a hiking and fishing trip with their sons. Despite his misgivings and warnings about Jake, they set off for Truluck, CA. What happens after is from a horror show as TJ and Jake are arrested and prosecuted without a lawyer while their fathers sleep. Worse still, the boys are sentenced to a juvenile detention camp. What happens to these boys and their fathers as they try to reunite had me turning the pages late into the night, another spine tingling thriller from the master of suspense!

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Checked by Cynthia Kadohata

Checked by Cynthia Kadohata
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story of ice hockey expert, Conor and his father (divorced) and his beloved dog, Sinbad. Day in and day out, Conor is ferried by his father to ice hockey rinks from early morning to night; he loves ice hockey, is really good at it, takes special care of his pet, Sinbad and life is good. Until it is not, what will life hold for him as he worries about his father and his dog. Cynthia Kadohata has written an engrossing story middle grade students will love.

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