Two Bobbies: a True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival by Kirby Larson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much I purchased three- one for me to share, one for my daughter who is a K teacher and one for my daughter-in-law who is a K teacher (and of course Kylie, my granddaughter has read it many times, what a beautiful story of the Katrina Hurricane and its effect on a cat and a dog - and of course, on the readers who will just be so happy these two Bobbies stay together to survive. The illustrations are gorgeous and I appreciated the "real" photographs of the two pets too! Children and adults will learn so much about Hurricane Katrina, the lapse of time people and animals endured before help arrived. The Author's note at the end was very helpful and added even more important information about these two very special pets. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can't remember who recommended this book to me, but this is a book all teens should read! Jo Knowles takes something that happened to her in real life as a child ad uses one incident in each chapter of the book to perfection. Teens at a school are just trying to make it one day at a time, surviving bullies and mean girls, parents, teachers and even next door neighbors. Each character spoke to me (my favorite was Claire) and I think teens will see themselves or others on these pages. Even better is Jo Knowles' plea to "tell it true, even if it means, read between the lines."

View all my reviews

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid

Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Teens will see a bit of themselves in Dave, Julia, Gretchen and Brett. In this book, Adi Alsaid really gets teens (their highs and lows, their quirks, their isms) and for the teens that pine for others and do not do anything about it, Dave and Julia's friendship throughout high school with their Nevers list is reading they will love. Dave is such a nice guy, nice, genuine, caring. I wanted to love Julia but Adi Alsaid did such a great job showing how much Julia said and did was predicated on her very absent mom. It was so sad (Dave sees this) every time Julia's mom disappoints her and yet Julia yearns for a mom but gets a lukewarm long distance relationship from a selfish mom. So this broken connection made Julia self-centered, snarky, out there and unrealistic about many things. I couldn't put this book down; the romance, the wanting, the ache, the yearning make for a novel teens with be reading and sharing with each other. Make sure you read this book and join our twitter discussion with #yabookchat 10/4 at 9pm EST!

View all my reviews

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The dark magic was so scary in the many Englands (Red, Gray, Black and White) and the characters of Kell and Lilah were so complex and likable while Holland and Astrid and Athos made me cringe with their cruelty. I loved the narrator Steven Crossley; he did a masterful job in his delivery and because of his voice---I kept finding many more ways to listen to this murderous world of magic and travelers.

View all my reviews

Hold Tight Don't Let Go by Laura Rose Wagner

Hold Tight, Don't Let Go: A Novel of Haiti by Laura Rose Wagner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This novel of Haiti was oh so good- from a simple life, to total destruction with the 1/12/2010 earthquake. Laura Rose Wagner does a masterful job with characters, plot, and words (sweet, harsh, the whole gamut of expression) describing the close relationship between Magdalie and Nadine before and as their world ends. I learned so much about Haitian customs, beliefs and language as I was immersed in Magdalie's life (with and after Nadine goes to Miami)in the Port au Prince camp. Life becomes very hard for Magdalie but through hope, honesty, new friends, she shows the resilience of the Haitian people to rise above destruction and survive. Highly recommended! Please feel free to join the twitter chat Thursday 10/1 at 8pm EST with #2jennsbookclub.

View all my reviews

Enclave by Ann Aguirre

Enclave by Ann Aguirre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I know it took me long enough to get to this awesome read!!! Deuce has always lived underneath and been raised by the enclaves rules. As a Huntress she was very successful and it is when she is paired with Fade and banished to Above that she sees a whole new world and life. I loved the characters, the world of the enclave, and hated the freaks (zombies), Silk, and Stalker. I can't wait for the 2nd book, Outpost! A great dystopian read, I still love these dystopian series.

View all my reviews

Endangered by Lamar Giles

Endangered by Lamar Giles
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Endangered was a real cat and mouse game between the main character, Lauren Daniels, who is also known as Panda (in a not nice way) and an unknown admirer who is going all out to show Panda how much she likes her style of exposing the secrets of her classmates in a blog, Gray Scales. As the stakes rise, the mystery and scariness reach torturous levels. Once Lauren thought she was a Robin Hood helping others, now she is not so sure. I bit off all my nails as I plunged headlong into this drama filled, exciting read. If you like thrillers, Endangered will not disappoint!

View all my reviews