If I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold

I Loved You in Another Life by David Arnold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Teens will love this time travel and romance of Evan and Shosh. As teens, they have lost ones they love and while Evan has panic attacks, Shosh is drinking in her grief. The stories captivated me, I could not stop turning the pages as I learned more about Evan & Shosh, even better the many periods and the people falling in love with each other. A must read, another great book by David Arnold

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The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore

The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book because it received a Nerdy Book Club 2021 YA Fiction award. But I have read and loved all of Anna-Marie McLemore's books and been moved by the magical realism and their worlds of diverse Latinx characters. This book is different (read the Author Note after you have read the book) and though many tough topics are discussed, YA readers will relate to Ciela and Lock in their worlds of color and privilege. Both are struggling with what happened to them at a party (two rooms next to one another) by awful privileged white students whose parents names appear on school buildings. Ceila and Lock do not know one another at the beginning of the book, but become friends when he is a new student at her high school. Ciela has magic that has been passed down by her family and when she is assaulted that ability stops. How Ciela reclaims her life and becomes Lock's friend show what a strong brown girl feels for what is right, even as it shatters her life like a shard of glass nestling in her body. I could not stop turning the pages, and many times it was a difficult read because of what was perpetrated on these teens by classmates. Highly recommended!

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The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to my friend, Michelle for recommending this a few times. Awesomely narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, this was a spell binding, gripping, lyrical, and mesmerizing romance of two people in Burma, who end up saving each 0ther. I loved the way Sendker told this awesome historical fiction story---his writing was beautiful, the way Tin Win views the world as a blind man and his romance with Mimi (how he details their lovemaking, his comfort and solace with carrying her on his back, the beauty of MiMi and Kalaw. I loved how this story unfolded and have not been able to stop thinking about the series of events in U Ba's story to Julia about Tin Win and MiMi's life and how affecting it was to Julia and her thinking and her outlook on her life and her father's life in Kalaw. A must read!!!

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Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore

Dark and Deepest Red by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another winner by the awesome Anna-Marie McLemore with magical realism, switching from 1507 to five centuries later. Lala and her family live in Strasbourg, France, make shoes and watch as a hysteria latches onto women in the village. As they dance uncontrollably, some die, and everyone wants answers. Five hundred years later, Rosella Oliva's family makes these red shoes too and these shoes have sealed themselves to Rosella. I could not put this gorgeous book down as Lala and Alifair (the boy who lives and works with her family) become special to one another -- the same way Rosella and Emil become special to one another. But there is a rich history involving the women and the men looking for answers, trying to save one another, and defying the times. A must read if you have loved ALL of McLemore's books; there is beauty, mystery and wonder on every page.

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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 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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Swamp Thing: Twin Branches by Maggie Stiefvator and illustrated by Morgan Beem

Swamp Thing: Twin Branches by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Maggie Stiefvater along with brilliant illustrator, Morgan Beem has crafted a gripping graphic novel about opposite twin brothers visiting down south before college. I particularly liked shy but steady Walker who loves plants and has ideas for experimenting. It has all the feels, magical realism, mystery, creepy woods, and complex. I am hoping the brothers' adventures will be continued in a 2nd book!

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Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this book!!! I have loved all of Anna-Marie McLemore's books (Wild Beauty, When the Moon Was Ours, and The Weight of Feathers---all MUST READS) because of the rich characterization, lush magical realism and diversity. Latina Sisters Roja and Blanca couldn't be more different but they come from a family cursed to repeat losing one daughter to become a swan. Yet they are fiercely close and would never lie to one another -- unless each wants to protect the other. Based on fairy tales, McLemore weaves a dramatically beautiful story about becoming, believing, and surviving. To quote the author in her Author's Note: "My hope for you, reader, for all of us, is two sides of the same wish: that the world gives us each the space to write our own story, and that we leave room for each other's stories. They are where our hearts survive."

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Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends Candlewick for the ARC, Wild Beauty by Anna-Marie McLemore. I just love the way Anna-Marie McLemore writes, the title for this third novel is perfect! There is such gorgeous worldbuilding with the gardens of the Nomeolvides women consisting of grandmothers, mothers, and cousins who are bound to the land of La Pradera where to leave is to die. The flowers, their colors, their beauty (and magic) Estrella and her cousins nurture was also a restrictive world where generations of Nomeolvides women have been cursed and their lovers (male or female) were punished by disappearing forever. Estrella and her cousins, Azalea, Gloria, Calla, and Dalia are all fiercely in love with Bay Briar, whose grandmother owned the lands and gardens of LaPradera. Would their gifts to LaPradera spare Bay from their venomous hearts? Estrella finds a boy who has no memory of who he is or where he comes from. Together, the Nomeolvides women decide this boy, Fel, is a gift - maybe he is going to save LaPredera and hopefully bring back their lovers. They all decide to love him as a brother. So begins McLemore’s stunning novel with her special kind of magical realism in plot, setting, imagery, dialogue, and language. This book was lush, full of confusion, lies, secrets and the drama of families, loss, and love. I could not put down this mesmerizing world of flowers, willful Nomeolvides women, Fel’s grasping for memories and loving the Nomeolvides women. Highly recommended!

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When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book s part of The 2017 Hub Reading Challenge receiving The Stonewall & Rainbow Awards. This book was lush, full of confusion, lies, secrets and the drama of families. I loved Miel, the girl who fell out of the water tower after her mother tried to cure her of the roses growing out of her wrists. Even more, I loved the story of Samir, the boy (the only person) who helps her throughout her life; is her best friend and her love. But life is not easy for these 2 as the author weaves mysticism, Pakistani and Latina beliefs, fairytales integral with their daily lives. Also Sam has protecting his mom and also hiding a big secret Sam (born Samira) protecting his mom in the practice of bacha posh - binding his breasts, wearing large pants, not taking gym, and deepening his voice. None of this matters to Miel, best friend in love with Sam. As the Bonner sisters (EVIL, EVIL, EVIL) bully their way into Miel's secrets, her fears, her love for Sam I was truly afraid. I rooted for Sam and his mom, Sam and Miel and lastly Miel and her sister. The character development was epic but I did have a heard time following some of the aspects of the character's lives but I could not put the book down, I just could not stop reading about Miel and Sam! I loved the moons, the pumpkins, the roses- and the many other symbols that pulsed with questions was just fantastic.

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The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie Mclemore

The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this audiobook, one of my favorites; the magical realism reminded me of Bone Gap by Laura Ruby but the carnival traveling shows reminded me of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! This is also part of the Hub Challenge, Morris Award winner I am involved in completing. There are 2 rival shows - the acts of the Paloma's are mermaids and the Corbeau's are birds and along with this is a long history of hatred, lies, secrets, taboos & suspicions. Enter Lace (a Paloma) and Cluck (a Corbeau) who happen to save each other on separate occasions. From this meeting, all of the sick family history and taboos sever Lace from her family but luckily she secretly works for the Corbeau family as a make-up artist. And it is here that Lace & Cluck fall in love and the long standing myths are tested, revealed, and overflow in a magnificent scene where Lace & Cluck take on both families. McLemore's plot, setting, imagery, dialogue and language (French & Spanish) drew me in and had me rooting for Lace & Cluck. Especially beguiling were the narrators, Kirby Heyborne and Cynthia Farrell, they brought this magical world to life and continued the fantasy as each chapter unfolded and the reader was plunged into this world of urban fantasy. Highly recommended!!!

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Teresa of the New World by Sharman Apt Russell

Teresa of the New World by Sharman Apt Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a gem of a novel! I enjoy historical fiction and even more, I loved learning about the time of the Spanish Conquistadors in America in Teresa of the New World. Sharman Apt Russell’s writing is beautiful and simple detailing the world of the slaves, villagers, shaman, storytellers, and traders through Teresa’s young eyes, mind, and heart. Teresa and her father travel in search of his long lost friends from Spain. The reader aches with the sorrow, pain, and suffering of those who are stricken with a disease, sarampion, that wipes out villages, killing many children and elderly. As a child, Teresa was able to communicate with the Earth and animals. It is this ability that serves her well during this horrifying time of death and isolation. After she survives the disease herself, Teresa travels many miles and experiences many perils to seek the wise woman who will help her find her place in the world. Teresa’s dealings with Horse, a boy/jaguar, and Plague are suspenseful yet spiritual. I could not put this book down as I feared for Teresa and her future. This slim novel holds many treasures of storytelling, magic, and finding one’s way in a hostile, ever changing world. I would highly recommend this book to young adult and adult readers of historical fiction infused with mystery and magic.

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The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Aca Lavender by Leslye Walton

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is another finalist I am reading for The 2015 Hub Morris Challenge. This first novel by Leslye Walton is sweeping in its coverage of family history, trials and tribulations of the family members and their enthralling romances. Ava and Henry Lavender are the final members in Beauregard Roux's family tree and oh how I enjoyed Walton's descriptions of her characters, their homes, the climate, their food (OMG, I salivated while reading about all of bakery pastries and breads!!!) and the tragedies of love that permeate this family. The magical realism that is Ava's wings and the many ghosts that follow Emilienne are just a few reasons this book must be read, savored, and luxuriated in...Read this work of art to find out what the strange and beautiful sorrows really are of Ava Lavender, Viviane, and Emilienn. You will not be disappointed!

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