Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe by Neal Shusterman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you so much to Laurie Hnatiuk's rave review of this totally awesome new series from Neal Shusterman!!! As a result, I pushed it to the front of my very long TBR shelf, got it on ILL from a neighboring library and flew threw it in 2 days. I have to admit the reason I gave it a horror rating is because of the violence of the Goddard Scythe (and the way apprentices are trained, dealt with & questioned during the conclaves) and his Goddard's underlings truly made my heart very heavy. But as with any great book, Shusterman's masterful world-building did not disappoint and had me rooting for Citra & Rowan to battle back & rise victorious from the awful world Scythe Faraday doomed them to as his apprentices. I am looking forward to learning more about loopholes (HeHe) about the all powerful Thunderhead and the moral battles that are mounting within the Scythe community. I like the utopia Shusterman crafts along with all the pitfalls and consequences that a utopia can present. Could not put this book down, even though I wanted to- the bullying gripped me vise-like but I was also thrilled to read on and find out how characters dealt with it. A must read!!!

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Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had to read this before Big Little Lies comes to HBO and I am so going to miss Celeste, Madeline, & Jane so much- I could not wait to listen to Caroline Lee's stellar narration of these Australian housewives, their friendship, their families, and the mad goings on at the Trivia Night!!! I really am going to miss them, I was in their world, their minds, and their hearts- what a great narration, great book! Hurry up TV series:)

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Kids of Appetite by David Arnold

Kids of Appetite by David Arnold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read this wonderful book of quirky kids banding together, loved it just as much as Arnold's first book, Mosquitoland. Arnold's Kids of Appetite brings together sad teen Vic, who lost his father two years ago to cancer, lives with a facial paralysis disease that earns him daily jeers, pity, and alienation, and a mom who seems to be moving on with her life. As Vic takes off with his father's urn, he comes face to face with a group of kids (Kids of Appetite) who become his lifeline while falling in love with Madeleine, who may just may need more help than them all. I loved the tight bonds Vic forms with Mad, Baz and his brother, Zus and foul-mouthed Coco as they unite to find the meaning of the contents found in the urn as well as their time spent being interviewed by the police (great way to present this story - police interrogation, deciphering clues in urn, living together at the florist shop). I adored the perfect life & love Vic's parents instilled in him, while crafting all of the Kids of Appetited (loved the KOA bracelets!!!) as heroes in their many multiple aching, truthful, painful selves. Highly recommended must read; teens will enjoy the intense bonds between these 5 kids who show resilience, care, & loyalty in their saga.

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Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner

Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Random Houses Children’s and Crown Books for Young Readers for the ARC, Goodbye Days by Jeff Zentner. I was compelled to read The Serpent King three times and with Zentner’s 2nd book, Goodbye Days, I will certainly be reading this book multiple times. Carver Briggs loses his 3 best friends with just one text, Where are you guys, text me back. With this ripped from the headlines story, a teen loses everything he loved - his best friends known as The Sauce Crew. Teen readers will deeply feel Carver’s palpable grief, his tremendous loss, and also the anger, rage, and unforgiving nature of some of his best friend’s family members. When Nana Betsy asks Carver to help her celebrate her grandson, Blake, in a Goodbye Day, both Nana and Carver learn things they did not know about Blake. It is a deeply moving day but one that Carver needed to deal with the loss of his best friend. Even though we never “meet” Blake, Mars and Eli; Carver’s memories of how they each met, each of their goodbye days, and Carver’s celebrations of their Sauce Crew antics, made these guys real and very exceptional to me. I knew them and loved them like Carver did. Carver navigated his grief and self-hatred by leaning on strong characters: Blake’s sister, Georgia was remarkable and supportive while Jesmyn (dated Eli) was such a new, special friend along with honest psychiatrist, Dr. Mendes. Teens will be passing this book around; there is so much they will relate to with Carver’s loneliness, despair, and turmoil but he is also someone they will root for, love, and hold tight in their hearts. Highly recommended for teens and adults.

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The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bahni Turpin won the Audible Narrator of the Year Award 2016 for her heartfelt, authentic voice in this deeply disturbing historical fiction concerning the many atrocities of slavery, bondage, misery and murder as resilient Cora grows up on a Georgia plantation, then escapes through the Underground Railroad (which runs like an underground system of railroad cars) and flees from slave catchers through the Carolinas. Cora is not the only voice - there are many slaves, family members, and abolitionists Colson Whitehead peopled in this history of racism, violence, and tragedy. A must read and I highly recommend the narration by Ms Turpin!!!

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Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a great book! I loved everything about Julie; she desperately misses her mom who has died. Her Dad meets someone in an internet grief support group and marries her one weekend while he is on a business trip (supposedly) and up and moves her to California. She leaves behind her best friend Scar and her new stepfamily is a total nightmare. But someone emails her after here first miserable day at the new school and calling himself Somebody Nobody begins to help her navigate the treachery of high school with emails and IMs. Who is this person??? As her life unfolds (this unknown friend encourages her to become friends with a nice girl and navigate the nasty girls. Julie gets a job at a cute little bookstore and tentatively begins to develop a life in her new world. Buxbaum does a great job with the characters, the highs and lows of friendship, and a secret admirer. I totally rooted for Julie - she does not know she is comfortable in her own skin and that she is strong. Buxbaum has crafted a book teens will love; there is humor, drama and so much more in this awesome book!!!

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Three Dark Crown by Kendare Blake

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It is not often that I don't give 4 or 5 stars to a book (because I love so so many) and while I will continue with this series, I really did not like MOST of the characters. Yes, it is a large female cast but there was no redeeming qualities to the three queens and I suppose it was because of the people in charge of raising them (they were unkind, evil, lying and conniving) - the queens are stripped from their families, sequestered with women who will nurture their powers (woo to any queen if you don't seem to have powers) and as they move toward the big day when only one will win and the winner kills the losers, I really hoped for redemption. So I will wait for #2 but I really did not like the total darkness, evil intent, and malice throughout this book.

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