Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore

Blanca & Roja by Anna-Marie McLemore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this book!!! I have loved all of Anna-Marie McLemore's books (Wild Beauty, When the Moon Was Ours, and The Weight of Feathers---all MUST READS) because of the rich characterization, lush magical realism and diversity. Latina Sisters Roja and Blanca couldn't be more different but they come from a family cursed to repeat losing one daughter to become a swan. Yet they are fiercely close and would never lie to one another -- unless each wants to protect the other. Based on fairy tales, McLemore weaves a dramatically beautiful story about becoming, believing, and surviving. To quote the author in her Author's Note: "My hope for you, reader, for all of us, is two sides of the same wish: that the world gives us each the space to write our own story, and that we leave room for each other's stories. They are where our hearts survive."

View all my reviews

Hillbilly Elegy: a Memoir of a family and culture in Crisis) by J.D. Vance

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this book; JD Vance's writing style about the hillbilly predicament (poor white Americans) was funny, sad, filled with honesty, facts, and the horror that was JD Vance's life (and other middle class Americans). Thank god for his grandparents, especially his Mamaw---yet she was one scary lady too. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

The Rosie Project (Don Tillman #1) by Graeme Simsion

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the May topic for #YearofYA---crossover books and I got the title from Goodreads as a crossover but I really do not see how this can be a crossover book! It is definitely adult in content, would YA readers like this book? I am not really sure...But I loved Don Tillman described as awkward, highly intellectual, geneticist who is looking for a wife. This book is very humorous because Don is so funny with his reactions, adherence to daily rituals, times, etc. The fact that he thinks he can get a wife by having candidates completing a 3 page questionnaire is hysterical! I loved this book, Don and Rosie and can't wait to read the other 2 in the series. Is Don a highly functioning autistic/Asperger and when is he going to find out?!?

View all my reviews

The Mystery of Alice by Lee Bacon

The Mystery of Alice by Lee Bacon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this Audible mystery; while it is an adult mystery and involves middle school kids, I view it as a crossover for middle school/adult. This unabridged audiobook involved lots of narrators Bryan Kennedy, Jessica Almasy, Josh Hurley, Cassandra Morris, Libby McKnight, Emily Bauer, Michael Crouch, contained a good story and an even better technology component with the apps tracking people's lives, etc. I liked Emily Poe's video diary of her life and was very surprised with the ending; a great whodunit thriller!

View all my reviews

Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Wendy Lamb Books for the advance reader copy of Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos, in exchange for an honest review. I could not put this book down, debut author, Nicole Panteleakos, nails Nova’s nonverbal autism, her daily frustrations being silent, missing her big sister, Bridget (who gets Nova and champions Nova’s vast knowledge of space and everything else!!!) excitement for the liftoff of the Challenger, a new school, and foster family. This is a must read for all middle school students and will benefit Young Adult and adult readers (school teachers, guidance counselors too) as a window into what it is like to be an autistic foster child. This book does a stellar job of creating empathy both for Nova and Bridget but the reader also learns more about the challenges and desperate hope and love of the foster family. I also found the Author’s Note and Acknowledgments invaluable for the information it provides on autism and the author’s own Asperger’s.


View all my reviews

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this APALA Honor Award Winner as part of the 2019 HUB Reading Challenge and oh was this an aching read but oh so very necessary as magical realism permeates to help teen Leigh (Asian/White heritage) deal with the suicide of her depressed mom. Leigh "sees" her mother become a bird that leads Leigh on a life changing journey to find her mother and in this search, she learns about her history, heritage, and how grief helps her comes to term with who she and wants to be. I had a really great review---BUT my computer seized and I lost it!!!
So short and sweet--the compelling, strong character of Leigh and her love of art power this tale of heartbreak and finding heritage, history and love in her search for answers. I could not put this book down; I rooted for Leigh and best friend Axel (best friend and lover of art and music). The trip to Taiwan opens Leigh to discovering her parents' past, meeting her grandparents, and forging a future without her mother. A powerful, astonishing journey; a must read!

View all my reviews

(Don't) Call me Crazy: 33 Voices Start the Conversation About Mental Health Edited by Kelly Jensen

(Don't) Call Me Crazy by Kelly Jensen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this collection of short stories which is a Schneider Honor Award Winner for the 2019 HUB Reading Challenge. What gripping, heartfelt stories from authors and others about dealing with mental illness. I could not stop reading and learned so many different aspects of individuals dealing with the many different kinds of mental illness, how it affects them, others close to them, diagnosis and handling the daily aspects of medicine, doctors, therapists, life, and also how the writer(s) of the stories are coping. Of course, being a retired librarian, I read all the author first (Shaun D. Hutchinson, S.E. Smith, Heidi Heiling, Libba Bray, Emery Lord, Victoria Schwab, Meredith Russo, Kelly Jensen and Adam Silvera) A must read for teens, and adults!

View all my reviews