Give and Take by Elly Swartz

Give and Take by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It all begins with the day her grandmother does not remember her anymore, Maggie, fearful that she won't remember things anymore, begins at home and school, with "special" boxes containing items she wants to remember- a baby binky, milk cartons, that attract ants, gum wrappers, her grandmother's gecko necklace...). No one is allowed to know about them and when her little brother or mother do---Maggie responds with white hot anger and yelling. Even more upsetting to Maggie is that her beloved all female trapshooting team is broken up. I love Elly Swartz books, they really deal so well with tough subjects, while treating her readers to great chapters of the characters lives and how they deal with many issues. I highly recommend this book and loved the chapters at the end that include information on topics middle grade readers will want to know more about.

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People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to MaryAlice BD & Janet for recommending this read for my Albright College Zoom friends! After reading some heavy historical fiction and nonfiction history, they were ready for a lighter read and this book was good on many levels. Poppy and Alex meet on the first day of college and since this book is from Poppy's viewpoint, it was a fail (Alex was from her hometown, wears khaki pants and too tightly wound for Poppy's personality). After sharing a ride home things change and Poppy and Alex become the best of friends through college and after. Each year they vacation together and it is during this time, they begin to hide things and not be honest with one another. But that is not totally true because as the book goes from the present - This Summer- and each vacation year---the reader knows Poppy has major issues with her hometown, settling down, and Alex. Whereas the reader knows thruout the book that Alex is steady in his goals- fall in love, get married, have kids and teach in his hometown. It is how Emily Henry weaves this story that captured me; I could not stop turning the pages as I hoped they would both get it together and appreciate one another. Henry says that her books are about family and love and this reader so enjoyed the redemptive ending but also leaving open choices--now will those choices work or not, I am very very hopeful!

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The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah

The Oceanography of the Moon by Glendy Vanderah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This latest book by Glendy Vanderah effectively uses "magic" as the two main narrators/characters meet and their pasts are revealed/collide. I loved the narration by Brittany Pressley & Zachary Johnson as Riley and Vaughn meet at Riley's adoptive home where her brother, Kieran is a very special intuitive child where the all important magic resides. Since both Riley and Vaughn are hiding things, it will take trust, especially from Vaughn, if his past resurfaces. Once again, I loved the redemption in this book, the magic & beauty & healing of nature, and the strong characters who believe in forgiveness, family, and finding happiness in the future.

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Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this compelling middle grade book so much! Delsie and her grandmother live in a little nook of Cape Cod and the summer brings many changes Delsie has trouble working through. Her Grammy doesn't like to discuss Delsie's mom and she has so many questions, her best "summer" friend turns on her with fake friend, but Delsie begins a new friendship with Ronan, a boy just arrived to the Cape with this Dad. Delsie, Ronan, her grandmother and her neighbors are such strong, relatable characters and I fell in love with Delsie's personality, not wearing shoes all the time, her explorations and adventures with Ronan, and her summer of discovery. This is a MUST read, kids will GET Delsie and Ronan!

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The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah

The Light Through the Leaves by Glendy Vanderah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG did I love this 2nd book by Glendy Vanderah, I listened to the audiobook, awesonely narrated by Susannah Jones. I love Vanderah's writing so much---flawed but strong female characters and how they find their way- in this book Ellis is a hassled mom who is so disturbed to see her husband kiss another woman that she unwittingly leaves behind her infant, Viola, in her car seat which was next to the car. Her sons realize and warn her Viola is not in the car. So begins the horror that is Ellis' life and as she spirals from the guilt, her inlaws come in and ruin an already faltering marriage with their judgment, and religious zealotry. Ellis escapes her family, leaves behind her boys and tries to come to terms with her life of hiking. Along the way she meets a nonjudgmental ranger, suffers an injury by 2 men who want to harm her, and she decides to effectively disappear. This was such a spine tingling mystery, I could not put it down, but Vanderah is masterful as she weaves a tough but good story of redemption, finding the meaning of love and family. Highly recommended and I loved the power of nature throughout her book- it was haunting, beautiful and cleansing.

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We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! Awesomely narrated Kathleen Gati and Robert Fass, this historical fiction debut is taken from Georgia Hunter's Jewish family in the year leading up to & during the Holocaust! It was so tough but compelling to read about the Kurc family during WWII and the Holocaust---expansive and horror filled as I listened I kept telling myself---remember the title of the book---they were the lucky ones... as debut author Georgia Hunter wove a heart warming family saga beginning in Poland through the gut wrenching Holocaust and what happens to the many family members. A must read, highly recommended!

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House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2) by Sarah J. Maas

House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I will begin by saying I LOVE all Sarah J Maas books and I pre-order the series books so I can get to turning those pages and reading all about the romance, adventure, suspense, bullying her characters try to rise above. That said, I hate this ending and I will beseech Ms Maas to end her books with some kind of great redemptive cliffhanger or resolution that puts a smile on the readers face. This ending was none of that! In the times we live in, fraught with all kinds of angst, this reader goes to books for GREAT endings, and this book was so not that. I fell in love with the plot, characters and all they had to fight through because there was so much mystery, lies, etc. But I still could not stop reading this awesome book, just couldn't you have found a better way to keep me hanging on?

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