I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG, could not put this book down; on my TBR & I decided to read it as part of June #YearofYA twitter chat topic, Monday 6/27 at 8PM EST. Skylar and Josh Mitchell have a few things in common. They both live in dead-end Creek View and want to leave ASAP. They both have worked at the Paradise Motel for a few years. But that is where it ends... but the Paradise is the place where Skylar, just graduated and looking forward to going to art college in San Francisco in 3 months & Josh, a Marine, home from the war and wracked by nightmares, anger, insecurity - work side by side. They discuss, kid around and ultimately begin to become really good friends depending on each other when life collapses around them. I LOVED THESE 2 TEENS! Skylar does not drink, does not really go out much and has few friends (and she likes it that way) Josh is good looking, blue eyes that melt, and a great maintenance worker who can do just about anything to repair things at the Paradise Motel (and it seems be there for Skylar when her mom loses her job). I learned so much about PTSD from author Heather Demetrios with her depictions of Josh's dreams and leg problems since he walked on an IED device in Afghanistan. But even better and VERY IMPORTANT to read were the author's notes and acknowledgments at the end of the book. She had family in wars and she did extensive research and interviews with Marines to realistically depict Josh as a wounded warrior. I will end this review with words from the author but this is a must read for teens and adults...very important... From Heather Demetrios at the end of her acknowledgments, "Finally to the Josh's out there: I wish you sleep without nightmares, laughter every day, cold beer on warm summer nights, and love -so much love.


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The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Book One) by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great series I found on my Goodreads TBR shelf & decided to use it for my twitter chat with June #YearofYA discussion at 8pm EST Monday 6/27. Rae Carson's world building from main character's view, Elisa, who is 16 years old and being married off to a King from a neighboring region. Elisa's point of view is one of honesty and uncertainty- she knows she is special because she bears a Godstone that has powers, but unlike her sister, Elisa is fat, like a sausage and useless. But as her life unfolds, the reader finds, along with Elisa, that she is anything but useless. I can't wait to jump into the other two books in this series to see how she continues to grow, help others, plan war strategies, and who becomes a leader (head of the Malficio) who is feared & beloved. Readers will be treated to a irresistible fantasy with a strong heroine who deals with war, romance, and fighting for those you love.

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An Ember in the Ashes by Tahir Sabaa

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this first in the series and have already pre-ordered the 2nd book due out in August- hurry up August!!! Laia and Elias were my favorite characters but author Tahir had so many well-drawn characters to love (Izzi, Cook, Helene, Cook) and hate (Marcus and the Commandant) plus the otherworldly beings, the Augurs are truly creepy- reading minds, talking in circles, never giving solid answers. Elias is a prize fighter at Blackcliff who hates his life of killing and yearns for a life of freedom. Laia is a Slowly girl whose family has been killed with her only brother imprisoned and she strikes a bargain to pose as a slave for the dreaded Commandant while finding out any kind of information for The Resistance. Laia and Elias fight to survive (one through Trials and another through spying). For a heart stopping read with terror, alliances, deceit, and brutality this book fills the bill AND MORE!!!

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Wired Mand and Other Freaks of Nature by Sashi Kaufman

Wired Man and Other Freaks of Nature by Sashi Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, CarolRhoda Lab and Lerner Publishing for the amazing ARC, Wired Man and Other Freaks of Nature by Sashi Kaufman. The friendship of Ben and Tyler will speak to teens, students and YA readers. Best friends since fourth grade, soccer players and now seniors, Ben sees/feels things changing with Tyler and doesn’t know why. Very insecure due to his hearing aids, Ben does so much internal thinking, worrying, and agonizing about what is going on with Tyler, going to college (he doesn’t like change) and just about everything else. But Ben is Tyler’s steadfast friend and continues to outwardly support Tyler even as he fears asking Tyler questions. Ben is assigned a partner, Ilona, in a group project and as he gets to know her, Ben finds he can talk and laugh and not feel uncomfortable at all with blue haired, trash mouthed, freak of nature, Ilona. What will happen as Ben, Tyler & Ilona begin to hang out? Sashi Kaufman gets teens; Ben, Tyler, and Ilona are teens readers will relate to, want to know more about, and Wired Man delivers! This is the perfect book on friendship, family, teens navigating high school and life. Run out and get this book at a library, bookstore or e-reader September 2016.

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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This 4th book in the Throne of Glass series DID NOT disappoint. Aelin, Rowan, and Aedion band together to fight the barbaric creatures the king has created to kill rebels, sympathizers, ANYONE. I loved Manan, Elide and her 13 witches- WOW!!! Chaol really changed throughout this book as he gave up the king and became a rebel after Dorian's love was beheaded and the king ensnared Dorian in the black collar (have to read the book). I always love the way Aelin thinks, plots, plans and her interactions with her others just keeps getting more and more deep, magical, and desperate as she strives to save her kingdom. I have already pre-ordered the 5th book, Empire of Storms on my kindle- look for it in September!

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Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First I read and loved this book, read it again for a Twitter Book Chat and just finished listening to the audiobook which won an award for top 10 Amazing Audiobooks from YALSA! I listened to this audiobook as part of the 2016 Hub Reading Challenge. I was a little unsure about how this book would convert to audio BUT it was fantastic! All of the narrators were unbelievably awesome in delivering this thriller! The sounds of AIDAN, pilots, battles, hackers, and of course, Kady & Ezra make this one of my favorite books and I am most definitely looking forward to the 2nd book! There will be a great Twitter chat with #2jennsbookclub at 8pm Thursday 6/9- join in the discussion!

Here is my review from reading the book:) https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit...
What a fantastic rip roaring good read! As Kady & Ezra break up (this is a big thing) little do they know by afternoon their planet, Kerenza, has been attacked and the ex-lovers (barely speaking & angry with each other) are fleeing for their lives. What I loved about this sci-fi action drama was the high octane super charged way the authors accomplished this first in a series- using Memos, hacked documents (IMs, texts, emails), interviews, pictures, graphics all pull this story into a hold your breath drama where 1 girl (great with technology, doesn't work well with others & super bad ass) and 1 guy (team player, fighter pilot and still in love with Kady) fight together & separately to save those on The Alexander, Lincoln & Hypatia from a mutating disease, AIDAN's insanity, and still stay alive. I could not stop following the Kady & Ezra communications (OMG!!!) I am so looking forward to the 2nd book in the series! Kaufman and Kristoff create a thriller where everything is crazy and Kady & Ezra are very strong protagonists the reader just keeps rooting for! Highly recommended!

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Symphony For the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Seige of Leningrad by MT Anderson

Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this nonfiction book as part of The 2016 Hub Reading Challenge. MT Anderson did a thorough job researching this brutal time in history and like a novel, he wove a story of brutality and beauty. Dmitri Shostakovich was a brilliant composer who loved Leningrad but hated the way the Stalin regime choked the people of Leningrad. On top of that, WWII and Hitler invade Russia and considering Russians "subhuman" he set out to destroy them. But Hitler did not know how much of a force Dmitri and the people of Leningrad would prove to be. A rousing book that I could not put down (but wanted to because I was sickened by Stalin & Hitler) and highly recommend!

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