City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson

City of Saints & Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I listened to and loved narrator, Pascale Armand's many voices in Anderson's oh so compelling thriller of lies, murder, gangs, African mining, and family ties. Tina has been nursing her hatred for Mr Greyhill for over 5 years; he killed her mother and she was going to ruin him. With best friend & tech wizard Boy-Boy Tina is determined to infiltrate Mr Greyhill's home, access his computer and finding the truth- destroy him financially & personally. But in his office at his computer she is startled to find a gun aimed at her and Michael Greyhill, her long time friend (who is supposed to be at boarding school) is aiming a gun at her. As she tries to figure out how to fool Michael, he proposes how he will help her find her mother's murderer (of course he does not think it is his father). Tina was so filled with hatred, anger, and the urge for revenge, you can't help but want this solitary girl to triumph in every way possible. But as the odds mount against her, Tina will find out who her true friends are, but will she be able to accept, survive the truth? Such a spine tingling story about family, the awfulness that is Congo, horrid business practices, militias goondas, killing and survival. Highly recommended, teens will love the spine tingling, break neck speed of this book!!!

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Love by Matt de la Pena

Love by Matt de la Pena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I saw Matt de la Pena speak this August at the Ocean City Public Library; not only did he read this perfectly wonderful book, but he talked about his life, past and present; his parents and how they influenced him to become a writer. I have read Matt's children's books and his YA books and they are all must reads. His heritage is compelling and now I see it in all his books. This book, Love can be read and enjoyed by all age groups and the illustrations by Loren Long are beautiful, sad, happy and truly a joy.

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The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was really in the mood for this light, perfect romance! Abby is a nanny to 5 year old Hayden but she is also a teacher of languages (French, Spanish, German, etc) and very very attracted to her Dad, Simon (he is also into Abby too). What I liked about both characters is that they were strong, real about what they wanted in life and love, but also no drama. The build-up of their attraction was a slow burn and once they began kissing, they were both honest that they wanted each other---just how to make it work. A great, quick read--I will be reading the next book about Simon's friend, Tyler too!

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Break Me Like a Promise (Once Upon a Crime Family #2) by Tiffany Schmidt

Break Me Like a Promise: Once Upon a Crime Family by Tiffany Schmidt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this Once Upon a Crime series (#2 book) and totally rooted for Magnolia Grace as she struggled first with Carter's sudden death and then her father's crime family demands to give a patient a kidney (remain with Alex through his journey to a new kidney). Maggie was one tough girl; going against everything to be a part of her father's crime family business of black market organs. This book kept me riveted because Maggie was difficult, grieving, insensitive, and against the new Organ Bill, which her father now seems to endorse. As Maggie comes to know Alex, she learns more about the patient side of the business, and decides to live again. Against all odds Maggie tries to return to the world of the living, fighting for the organ law and the patients. Awesome read!!!

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Rescued by Eliot Schrefer

Rescued by Eliot Schrefer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as pat of the #yearofya twitter chat featuring middle school books taking place Tues 10/9 at 8PM EST. I have read Schrefer's previous two books in this compelling heartbreaking series and this book was so sad as it covers the loneliness of a child/teen and his pet/brother, orangutan Raja which his father brings back to the US as a pet for his young son, John. Both John and Raja are very sympathetic characters as life (his parents' divorce) and the horrors of endangered animals become the driving force as teen John breaks out of his shell to rescue and try to give Raja his life back in the rain forest.

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Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Debut author hits a homerun with her disturbing, humorous, delightful book flawlessly narrated by Cathleen McCarron. I was alternately embarrassed for and by Eleanor, I disliked her but wished her well---OMG, as the book unfolds Eleanor is a solitary soul who has opinions on everything, no friends, long time worker at a PR firm. It is when she sees a rock star and begins to imagine meeting him, falling in love, etc that Eleanor begins to make some changes (big, big, big) to her life and her appearance. It is her childhood and her weekly chats with Mummy that are particularly difficult to read but all the while tech assistant, Raymond, proves his worth as her first and ONLY friend. I loved Raymond, his mother, and the old guy both Raymond and Eleanor saved as he fell to the ground unconscious. It was so gratifying to see Eleanor's re-birth as a human being with feelings, insight and compassion. I could not stop laughing at her judgments, criticisms, and bizarre beliefs. I can't wait to see this as a movie----I will be excitedly looking forward to her next book---I would love even another Eleanor book, too!

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Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this totally awesome middle grade book for the #yearofya twitter chat being held 10/9 at 8PM EST. Meg Medina takes plucky 11 year old Merci Suarez and her close-knit family and treats the reader to the highs and lows of middle school (friends, sports & school clubs) through Merci's eyes (she and her brother are scholarship students at a private school and the dynamics of a close-knit family (3 families live side by side in little houses called Las Casitas). As Merci dreams of a new bike, trying out for the soccer team and joining the family painting business---troubling things are happening with her revered grandfather, Lolo, but no one in the family will answer her constant questions. I loved Merci, I loved her family, and rooted for her in school fraught with mean girls. This is a must read and Meg Medina's plot and her notes from the author about Alzheimer's disease broke my heart. I especially loved her quote in the Acknowledgments section, "Books happen in my life as the result of the time, talent and love of so many people."

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