American Squire (American Queen, #3.6) by Sierra Simone

American Squire by Sierra Simone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A new series in the American Queen series continues presidential aide Ryan Belvedere (his president has been murdered) in his pursuit of a book for Merlin.

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My Time Will Come : Amemoir of Crime, Punishment, Hope and Redemption by Ian Manuel

My Time Will Come: A Memoir of Crime, Punishment, Hope, and Redemption by Ian Manuel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As Just Mercy floored me, so did Ian Manuel's gripping biography about his young life in Florida in the slums and with no guidance. Beloved by his grandmother, a father not around and a drug addicted mother, Ian suffers at home, in school and in his neighborhood. With a group of boys at age 14, he holds up a white man and woman in a parking lot, shooting the woman in the face and continuing to shoot as she runs away. Given life without parole, he spends the next 20 years in many jails and many of those years in solitary confinement (enduring unimaginable abuse). Ian's words are harrowing, powerful, beseeching, powerful and he loses hope many times but through reading a bible, writing poetry, he dreams of a day he will go home. I could not put this book down, everyone must read this and they will be changed. Highly reocmmended!

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Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique W. Morris

Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique W. Morris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to this hard-hitting nonfiction book detailing how black girls are judged, misunderstood, reacted to, and rejected through research, interviews, and stories and in person interviews, Author Monique Morris has written a must read book. Awesomely narrated by Kristyl Dawn Tift, I could not stop listening to these girls, their lives at home and in school and in jail. We have so much work to do to change the mind set of schools, detention centers, and jails marginalizing black girls. Highlu recommend!

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House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another winner and beginning of what looks to be another awesome series!!! I loved fierce Bryce, half Fae and human and her friends Danika and the Wolf Pack. I could not put this book down and read it in 2 days, falling in love with Bryce's world, friends and family and the tumultuous journey she and Hunt embark on to find answers and reek justice. The suspense and romance tingle, but the horror of what these characters fight for is sometimes tough against powers that will crush them; but Bryce, Hunt, her cousin, her mother and Randall create the even tougher backbone Bryce needs to vindicate her friend Danika to the world of the Fae, vampires, wolves, shifters, Angels, Wraiths, and so many other creatures making up Crescent City. A must read.

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Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I read this awesome book for the August twitter chat to be held Sept 6 at 8PM EST with #yearofYA, come join us, in so many ways this book featured empowered females Sasha and her best friend support one another) and Sasha overcame overcame many challenges young girls face - she survives and returns HOME strong. Such a great thriller and lots of twists in this mystery from one of my fave authors!!! Sasha was one of the Groom's captives who got away. She was so traumatized she leaves her home for 10 years, abandons her friends and boyfriend, goes into therapy, has a great job that her travelling. But Sasha returns to help her mom run their inn and almost immediately she is a target BECAUSE she got away - but she doesn't know...but we sure do. What I liked about Sasha was that the 10 years away made her into a strong empowered female fighting back. If you love romance, suspense, mystery and serial killers - this book is a must read!

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Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many, many thanks to Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, Philomel Books and Net Galley for ARC of Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. I just can’t stop gushing out this book! This masterful work of historical fiction is another excellent title BOTH adult and YA readers will want to read and not be able to put down!!! The young adult characters alternating their stories at the end of World War II all have secrets to hide yet they strive to survive and return to their homelands. My heart broke as I followed Joana, Florian, and Emilia with the masses of refugees who board the Wilhelm Gustloff ship. Joana is a Lithuanian nurse tortured by guilt. Florian is a Prussian with secrets and regrets but also an unwilling hunter and a reluctant hero. Emilia in her bright pink woolen cap, is a Polish girl fierce in loyalty and bravery. As their stories blend together, the reader lives their harsh reality of war, regret, and dreams. Ruta Sepetys takes a little known horrendous incident and crafts a mighty story you can’t put down; many times you will want to turn away from the horrors that are visited on poor innocents but the reader is engulfed in a story about war, it’s brutality, inhumanity and ultimately hope. Please read the Author Note for Ruta Sepetys’ insight and research on this little known incident in WW II history; it is essential to understanding the story. This is my new favorite book of hers, but I still love Between Shades of Gray and Out of the Easy!!! Ruta Sepetys is such a great historical fiction author who intricately weaves family, politics, war, love, and friendship into a sweeping story that will change the reader; it changed me. Look for this book February 2016, highly recommended.

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Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took this book out of the library because it was new and written by Neal Shusterman. His books, Bruiser and The Unwind Dystology are favorites of mine. It really helped me continue to read this book that Laurie Halse Anderson gave it a great review. With that mindset, it was totally scary to plunge into mental illness with Caden Bosch. As the reader, it was a seesaw ride to be Caden in school with family and friends and then to be Caden who is going on a deep sea dive to the Challenger Deep with a captain and parrot who both have one eye and many other bizarre ship mates. I think teens need to read this book (adults too) since it does a very realistic job of portraying a teen's descent into mental illness. Early on, I realized what was going on with Caden, and this story quickly became very meaningful. It is during their teen and young adult years that many begin to struggle with mental illness. As Caden (and Shusterman)realistically (and scarily)portray; mental illness is something one deals and lives with forever and medical treatment, care, and prescription drugs are essential. Caden's journey is not one you wish on anyone, but as a fictional piece delving into mental illness; teens will most definitely benefit from reading this book, and talking about it afterward.

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The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book! Clary and Jace are still my favorites, even though I loved Jem and Will from but Cassandra Clare is the author of this wonderful Infernal Devices so she won't mind me paying homage to her protagonists in both books.
There was so much adventure, drama, secrets, lies and I just wanted to keep reading the book and not work!!!
I really detested Sebastian and I hated when he tried to reach Clary by working on the "sister" angle. It really irked me to see Sebastian and Jace getting along, ew! It was so good to see more of Simon and Isabella, Alec and Magnus, Jordan and Maya. Clare does such a superb job with her characters, their worlds and all of the action going on, I really hated to see it end, but I am so happy to just wait for another one of Cassandra Clare's books. Love, love, love this book.

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The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacugalupi

The Drowned Cities by Paolo Bacigalupi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This companion novel to is totally gripping and as much as I totally loved it, the torture many of the characters went through was beyond what any child or adult during a time of war should have to endure!!! I disliked thoroughly what Mahlia, Mouse and any of the child soldiers were put through minute by minute, never knowing if they could be killed even by their own friends, war maggots and/or leaders. Seeing Tool back in this book was awesome, he is so unbelievable and there were many times you just were not sure he would survive this time. The characters of the doctor, Mahlia, Mouse, Tool and Ocho were very well drawn and author Bacigalupi did a terrifyingly good job with the evil characters and there was never a short supply of them. I lost hope alot, can you imagine what it was like for the characters in the Drowned Cities. Mahlia's hope was always being buoyed by recalling her Chinese mother and her teachings about survival because if she didn't constantly think about a better way; she could just abandon hope with all the violence she sees surrounding her. Mahlia is now one of my favorite heroes and so is Tool (I loved him in Ship Breaker too!) with his augment status and his allegiance to no one but himself. Two of my favorite quotes, Dr mahfouz is explaining why the troops keep fighting, "Whe people fight for ideals, no price is too high, and no fight can be surrendered. They aren't fighting for money, or power, or control. Not really. They fight to destroy their enemies. Soeven if they destroy everyhting around them, it is worth it, because they know that they'll have destroyed the traitors."
The boat man they took captive on being forced to take Mahlia, Mouse and Tool down river. "Children with guns, We aren't even people to you."

Highly recommended, just know it is very difficult to read...you will keep thinking about this book again and again and cringing again and again. Unfortunately the author did his research on the child soldiers and what they are forced to endure...


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Dead to You by Lisa McMann

Dead to You by Lisa McMann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OMG I am not really sure about the ending, I can't stop thinking about it, so that makes it all the more compelling. Ethan was abducted when he was 6 years old and 9 years later is reunited with his family; mom, dad, Blake and litle siter, Gracie (who was so cute with her lisp- Efon for Ethan and momsters for monsters- SO CUTE!) He has no memory of his early life and it is not easy going from his life with Eleanor...to a normal family and lots of rules (that resulted after Ethan was abducted) This is a thin book with short chapters, I was succked in and reluctant readers will love this book, but I am still reeling about the ending. You have to read it yourself and decide!

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Exposed by Kimberly Marcus

Exposed by Kimberly Marcus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Liz is a great photographer, a senior with a loyal boyfriend, and best friend forever in Kate since they were six years old. But all of this changes when their once a month slumber party is marred with a fight. Liz accuses Kate of being too comfortable and never taking a chance, their argument ends in Liz angry and stomping up to her room, leaving Kate in the basement. What happens next is open to interpretation. This novel in verse reminded me of the Alex Flinn book, Fade to Black where the reader is not sure who is telling the truth...this is what happens in Exposed and Liz's lens of the world changes, and she begins to lose her moral compass. A great read for girls, reluctant readers, and anyone who likes novels in verse.

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Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well I think I enjoyed this just as much as Divergent! I was hanging on to every word, I wanted to just grab any free moment to read what was going to happen next, each chapter a thrilling adventure in Tris' divergent world. There were so many surprises (Caleb and Peter)and I really loved the Four/Tobias and Beatrice/Tris relationship as it continued and Tris' awareness of her surroundings was very visual and she seemed to like the smell of "wet pavement". I have some favorite quotes- this one sums up Tris "Sometimes I feel like I am collecting the lessons each faction has to give me, and storing them in my mind like a guidebook for moving through the world. There is always something to learn, always something that is important to understand." And the definition of Insurgent; "A person who acts in opposition to the established authority, who is not necessarily regarded as belligerent." Finally, this book was all about choices and how those choices could define you, destroy you and free you. I found Tris and Tobias to be so brave in the face of such an uncertain world; but they were forging ahead for a good world. Soooo good, I highly recommend this book!

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