What About Will by Ellen Hopkins

What About Will by Ellen Hopkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book tore me up: I ached for 12 yr old Trace and the life he once enjoyed with his 17 yr old brother, Will, before he suffers a brain injury during a football game which drastically changes Will. Trace's mom ends up leaving, his father is seeing someone new, and Will is scaring Trace--he steals his baseball glove signed by Victor Sanchez, is hanging out with truly scar people, and he is taking drugs and maybe selling too. As Trace tries to be true to Will, he alerts his mother and father and even a neighbor and they all chalk it up to being a teenager---but Trace is really worried. Ellen Hopkins' novels in verse are real, aching, raw and deal with timely issues. This book is no different--the football injury in essence ends Will's life-a traumatic brain injury giving him awful headaches, he can't smile right, and he has uncontrollable rage. This is a must read for kids and adults! Young adults will enjoy this Hopkins book too!

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Cloud Hopper by Beth Kephart

Cloud Hopper by Beth Kephart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Beth Kephart's books like Small Damages and Going Over and this gem is so so good. Three misfits living in a small town that lives hot air balloons sees and rescues a girl, cloud hopper who falls from the sky. Talking amongst themselves they try to find out more about this silent girl, where she is from, who she is and why no one is looking for her. I fell in love with K, Sophie and Wyatt, their friends and Sophie's grandmother. This is a must read that will be cherished by middle grade and YA readers. I read this book as part of the #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge.

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The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this compelling must read about search and rescue dogs, a missing girl (plus Kira was found as a child in a ravine), keeping secrets, protecting family and a thrilling plot that kept me turning the pages. I was riveted to Kira's story, how she has come from wildness under Cady's loving hands and her vast knowledge of search and rescue dogs saved Kira. Kira's family of Jude and Free, teens close in age to Kira and their dogs, NATO, Silver, and Saskia were smart, fierce and knew their jobs, in addition to loving their human masters. It is when a little girl goes missing that the mystery deepens and secrets begin to spill. A must read for animal lovers!

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