en-US Sat, 28 Sep 2024 15:16:48 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 8886579
The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.]]> 384 Ally Condie 1101445440 Liz 3 3.56 2010
author: Ally Condie
name: Liz
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2010
rating: 3
read at: 2013/02/03
date added: 2024/09/28
shelves:
review:
I think I'm just burnt out of this genre. I liked some of this book very much - especially the concentration on how the Society treats material goods, technology and culture. That was a very interesting point of view. Much more interesting than the romance. I could have been affected by the audiobook performance, however, which felt majorly lacking.
]]> 21981650
From "The Frog King" to "The Golden Key," wondrous worlds unfold--heroes and heroines are rewarded, weaker animals triumph over the strong, and simple bumpkins prove themselves not so simple after all. Esteemed fairy tale scholar Jack Zipes offers accessible translations that retain the spare description and engaging storytelling style of the originals. Indeed, this is what makes the tales from the 1812 and 1815 editions unique--they reflect diverse voices, rooted in oral traditions, that are absent from the Grimms' later, more embellished collections of tales. Zipes's introduction gives important historical context, and the book includes the Grimms' prefaces and notes.

A delight to read, "The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm" presents these peerless stories to a whole new generation of readers."]]> 568 Jacob Grimm 0691160597 Liz 5 My go-to volume! 4.23 1812
author: Jacob Grimm
name: Liz
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1812
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2023/08/24
shelves:
review:
My go-to volume!
]]> 13528705
COLLECTING: ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) 1-5]]> 136 Brian Michael Bendis 0785157131 Liz 4 4.27 2011
author: Brian Michael Bendis
name: Liz
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2011
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2023/04/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 36914528
On the night of October 30, 1938, thousands of Americans panicked when they believed that Martians had invaded Earth. What appeared to be breaking news about an alien invasion was, in fact, a radio drama based on H. G. Wells� War of the Worlds, performed by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre players. Some listeners became angry once they realized they had been tricked, and the reaction to the broadcast sparked a national discussion about fake news, propaganda, and the role of radio.]]> 144 Gail Jarrow 1629797766 Liz 5 3.99 2018
author: Gail Jarrow
name: Liz
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/11/28
date added: 2022/09/14
shelves:
review:
Very clever account of the War of the Worlds broadcast. It hooks you in thinking it is a story of the "mass hysteria" and reveals itself to be a thoughtful exploration of misinformation and gullibility of the public.
]]> 33224061 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781524740955.

From the founding member of We Need Diverse Books comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender. While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light. With prose that is witty, insightful, and at times heartbreaking, Stacey Lee masterfully crafts an extraordinary social drama set in the New South.]]> 374 Stacey Lee Liz 5 3.92 2019
author: Stacey Lee
name: Liz
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/24
date added: 2022/03/01
shelves:
review:
Always a joy to visit another pocket of Chinese-American history through a master storyteller.
]]> 38506832
Now Harleen is mad. In turning her anger into action, she is faced with two choices: join activist Ivy, who’s campaigning to make the neighborhood a better place to live, or team up with her anarchist friend Joker, who plans to take down Gotham one corporation at a time.

From Eisner Award and Caldecott Honor-winning author Mariko Tamaki (This One Summer) and Eisner Award-nominated artist Steve Pugh comes a coming-of-age story about choices, consequences, and how a weird kid from Gotham goes about defining her world for herself.]]> 208 Mariko Tamaki 1401283292 Liz 5 favorites
I love the character design in this, and the drag-setting is such a fun world for Harley to find her persona. I also love the Joker design (it seemed creative to me, but I haven't really read much Joker). Ivy was revamped into a young woman of color and her activism goes beyond environmentalism (though it was very clear that she has strong ties to nature). I really, really hope Tamaki and Pugh get to write the Poison Ivy title.

The secret identities were not particularly surprising, but to me that doesn't matter in these established comics. The most important thing is that Tamaki and Pugh managed to capture Harley's essence, her relationship with the Joker, and her bombastic lifestyle while also rescuing her from her abusive origin.Ěý This title leans more into YA than the others, with appropriate but mature language. That may be another reason I've enjoyed it the most so far. I highly recommend this one, and hope the imprint does well enough to continue this series.]]> 3.95 2019
author: Mariko Tamaki
name: Liz
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/06/14
date added: 2022/02/15
shelves: favorites
review:
This is the first book in the new young DC line that I really loved! The artwork is GORGEOUS -- Steve Pugh's work has the polish of Adam Hughes but is very age-appropriate and fun. Tamaki has nailed Harley's voice and it definitely works for a teen-version of her (maybe even better than the adult version). And since she is an established comics writer, she didn't run into the issues her fellow DC Ink/DC Zoom writers have of translating poorly to the graphic format.

I love the character design in this, and the drag-setting is such a fun world for Harley to find her persona. I also love the Joker design (it seemed creative to me, but I haven't really read much Joker). Ivy was revamped into a young woman of color and her activism goes beyond environmentalism (though it was very clear that she has strong ties to nature). I really, really hope Tamaki and Pugh get to write the Poison Ivy title.

The secret identities were not particularly surprising, but to me that doesn't matter in these established comics. The most important thing is that Tamaki and Pugh managed to capture Harley's essence, her relationship with the Joker, and her bombastic lifestyle while also rescuing her from her abusive origin.Ěý This title leans more into YA than the others, with appropriate but mature language. That may be another reason I've enjoyed it the most so far. I highly recommend this one, and hope the imprint does well enough to continue this series.
]]> 44280883
Both a primer for teens eager to be allies as well as a reassuring testimony for young queer men of color, All Boys Aren't Blue covers topics such as gender identity, toxic masculinity, brotherhood, family, structural marginalization, consent, and Black joy. Johnson's emotionally frank style of writing will appeal directly to young adults.]]> 304 George M. Johnson 0374312710 Liz 0 to-read 4.19 2020
author: George M. Johnson
name: Liz
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/08/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 46196010
And these are the sons
Of good Jack and good Jane
The eldest is Jack
And the next one is Jack
And the third one’s called Jack
And the fourth’s known as Jack
And the fifth says he’s Jack
And they call the sixth Jack
But the seventh’s not Jack
The seventh is Robyn

And this is his story

When Robyn and his brothers are turned into ravens through the work of an unlucky curse, a sister is their only hope to become human again. Though she’s never met her brothers, April will stop at nothing to restore their humanity. But what about Robyn, who always felt a greater affinity to the air than to the earth-bound lives of his family?

David Elliott’s latest novel in verse explores the unintended consequences of our actions, no matter our intentions, and is filled with powerful messages teased from a Grimms� fairy tale. Stunning black-and-white illustrations throughout by Rovina Cai.]]> 192 David Elliott Liz 5
I loved this. I love books written in verse, and I love fairy tales, and I think this was a great adaptation of a fascinating folktale. Elliot leans into the grief of the parents which lends the curse more weight. He does some interesting things with the creepy sun and moon characters from the original tale, and I think the poetic forms are chosen thoughtfully for each character.]]> 3.45 2021
author: David Elliott
name: Liz
average rating: 3.45
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at: 2021/07/06
date added: 2021/07/06
shelves:
review:
It seems like a lot of people downgraded this for being written in poetry, which is a shitty reason to downgrade a book. If you don't like poetry, sure, you won't like it - but is that a reflection on the author for choosing that medium?

I loved this. I love books written in verse, and I love fairy tales, and I think this was a great adaptation of a fascinating folktale. Elliot leans into the grief of the parents which lends the curse more weight. He does some interesting things with the creepy sun and moon characters from the original tale, and I think the poetic forms are chosen thoughtfully for each character.
]]> 43822752 A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2019

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.� He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus. In the halls. During band practice—the one place Mila could always escape.

It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself.

From the author of Everything I Know About You , Halfway Normal , and Star-Crossed comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.”]]> 304 Barbara Dee 153443237X Liz 5 favorites A must-read! 4.21 2019
author: Barbara Dee
name: Liz
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/01
date added: 2021/06/14
shelves: favorites
review:
A must-read!
]]> 45320365
Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book wagon in an attempt to escape the marriage her father has arranged for her—a marriage to the man who was previously engaged to her best friend. Her best friend who she was in love with. Her best friend who was just executed for possession of resistance propaganda.

The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing. They'll bring the fight to you.

In Upright Women Wanted, award-winning author Sarah Gailey reinvents the pulp Western with an explicitly antifascist, near-future story of queer identity.]]> 176 Sarah Gailey 1250213584 Liz 0 to-read 3.59 2020
author: Sarah Gailey
name: Liz
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43925876 From the author of Me Before You, set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond.

Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically.

The leader, and soon Alice’s greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who’s never asked a man’s permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky.

What happens to them–and to the men they love–becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives.

Based on a true story rooted in America’s past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope and epic in its storytelling. Funny, heartbreaking, enthralling, it is destined to become a modern classic–a richly rewarding novel of women’s friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond.]]> 390 Jojo Moyes 0399562486 Liz 0 to-read 4.27 2019
author: Jojo Moyes
name: Liz
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 42394599 Tiến loves his family and his friends…but Tiến has a secret he's been keeping from them, and it might change everything. An amazing YA graphic novel that deals with the complexity of family and how stories can bring us together.

Real life isn't a fairytale.

But Tiáşżn still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiáşżn, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through?

Is there a way to tell them he's gay?

A beautifully illustrated story by Trung Le Nguyen that follows a young boy as he tries to navigate life through fairytales, an instant classic that shows us how we are all connected. The Magic Fish tackles tough subjects in a way that accessible with readers of all ages, and teaches us that no matter what—we can all have our own happy endings.]]> 256 Trung Le Nguyen Liz 5 favorites 4.50 2020
author: Trung Le Nguyen
name: Liz
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2021/04/21
date added: 2021/04/21
shelves: favorites
review:
Absolutely breathtaking! For those who love their fairy tales dark and their family stories full.
]]> 43900612
Sophia knows the story though, off by heart. Because every girl has to recite it daily, from when she's tiny until the night she's sent to the royal ball for choosing. And every girl knows that she has only one chance. For the lives of those not chosen by a man at the ball . are forfeit.

But Sophia doesn't want to be chosen - she's in love with her best friend, Erin, and hates the idea of being traded like cattle. And when Sophia's night at the ball goes horribly wrong, she must run for her life. Alone and terrified, she finds herself hiding in Cinderella's tomb. And there she meets someone who will show her that she has the power to remake her world.]]> 400 Kalynn Bayron 1547603887 Liz 0 to-read 3.68 2020
author: Kalynn Bayron
name: Liz
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 17412780 303 Linda RodrĂ­guez McRobbie 1594746443 Liz 0 to-read 3.62 2013
author: Linda RodrĂ­guez McRobbie
name: Liz
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 18943
Set against the backdrop of seventeenth-century Holland, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister tells the story of Iris, an unlikely heroine who finds herself swept from the lowly streets of Haarlem to a strange world of wealth, artifice, and ambition. Iris's path quickly becomes intertwined with that of Clara, the mysterious and unnaturally beautiful girl destined to become her sister. While Clara retreats to the cinders of the family hearth, Iris seeks out the shadowy secrets of her new household -- and the treacherous truth of her former life.]]> 372 Gregory Maguire 0060987529 Liz 4 3.54 1999
author: Gregory Maguire
name: Liz
average rating: 3.54
book published: 1999
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves:
review:
I read this when I was a teenager, would I hate it now?
]]> 179064 She was born with her eyes closed and a word on her tongue, a word she could not taste.

Her name was Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, and she spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt’s stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. And when she was older, she watched as a colt was born, and she heard the first word on his tongue, his name, Falada.

From the Grimm’s fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original, and magical tale of a girl who must find her own unusual talents before she can lead the people she has made her own.]]> 383 Shannon Hale 1582349908 Liz 5 4.14 2003
author: Shannon Hale
name: Liz
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2003
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves:
review:
an old favorite, very true to the tale
]]> 13554713
From much-loved stories like “Cinderella� and “Rumpelstiltskin,� “Rapunzel� and “Hansel and Gretel� to lesser-known treasures like “Briar-Rose,� “Thousandfurs,� and “The Girl with No Hands,� Pullman retells his fifty favorites, paying homage to the tales that inspired his unique creative vision—and that continue to cast their spell on the Western imagination.]]> 405 Philip Pullman 067002497X Liz 3 bailed 4.10 2012
author: Philip Pullman
name: Liz
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2012
rating: 3
read at: 2014/02/11
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves: bailed
review:
I actually haven't finished this book, because it's one of those that you can pick up from time to time. I didn't realize the fairy tale retellings would be so close to the originals (in many ways). The most interesting parts to me were Pullman's notes on them, and what I would have really liked to read was his extended version of "Donkeyskin" which is my favorited f'ed up fairy tale of all time.
]]> 7514925
Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under his spell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.]]> 292 Jodi Lynn Anderson 0062114611 Liz 5 favorites
This book is an awesome read, particularly fans of the Peter Pan canon. Told from the point of view of Tinker Bell (who, as a fairy, has a quality of extreme empathy and thought-reading, providing an omniscient, but not unbiased narrator), it follows the role of Tiger Lily in this famous tale - both acting as a prequel and revitalized version of the old tale. Actually, the Peter Pan story we know takes place only in the last 50 pages or so, and it's well-worth the wait.

The characters were very compelling and multi-layered. Tiger Lily was both sympathetic and intimidating. So far, this is my favorite interpretation of the famous Peter Pan, as he managed to have a balance of the adolescent care-free attitude he's famous for, but an undercurrent of neediness, moodiness and ruthlessness that was very compelling. It was also the first time I actually got why all the girls in Neverland fall for him. Other awesome characters include Tik Tok (Tiger Lily's adopted father) and a violent yet pathetic Hook accompanied by a creepy Smee.

The world of Neverland is very interesting. The author provides new interpretations of some of the island's "magic" and reveals some of what we know to be rumors - always with likeable explanations of the "true story." We get to know Tiger Lily's tribe very well, and there's an interesting element of British missionary work with the arrival of an Englishman named Phillip. Some readers might be disappointed in having some of the popular tokens of the canon dispelled, but I thought it built an interesting, down-to-earth fantasy.

The ending was happy and satisfactory for some characters, and extraordinarily devastating for others. Satisfying all around for me.

But Wendy, man. I always hate that b!tch. (But then, I've always been a Tink girl.) (And she's actually not bitchy at all. She's just privileged and ignorant - but as always, maternal and lovely.)]]> 3.96 2012
author: Jodi Lynn Anderson
name: Liz
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2012/08/05
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves: favorites
review:
(EDIT: Now I know this book is problematic AF)

This book is an awesome read, particularly fans of the Peter Pan canon. Told from the point of view of Tinker Bell (who, as a fairy, has a quality of extreme empathy and thought-reading, providing an omniscient, but not unbiased narrator), it follows the role of Tiger Lily in this famous tale - both acting as a prequel and revitalized version of the old tale. Actually, the Peter Pan story we know takes place only in the last 50 pages or so, and it's well-worth the wait.

The characters were very compelling and multi-layered. Tiger Lily was both sympathetic and intimidating. So far, this is my favorite interpretation of the famous Peter Pan, as he managed to have a balance of the adolescent care-free attitude he's famous for, but an undercurrent of neediness, moodiness and ruthlessness that was very compelling. It was also the first time I actually got why all the girls in Neverland fall for him. Other awesome characters include Tik Tok (Tiger Lily's adopted father) and a violent yet pathetic Hook accompanied by a creepy Smee.

The world of Neverland is very interesting. The author provides new interpretations of some of the island's "magic" and reveals some of what we know to be rumors - always with likeable explanations of the "true story." We get to know Tiger Lily's tribe very well, and there's an interesting element of British missionary work with the arrival of an Englishman named Phillip. Some readers might be disappointed in having some of the popular tokens of the canon dispelled, but I thought it built an interesting, down-to-earth fantasy.

The ending was happy and satisfactory for some characters, and extraordinarily devastating for others. Satisfying all around for me.

But Wendy, man. I always hate that b!tch. (But then, I've always been a Tink girl.) (And she's actually not bitchy at all. She's just privileged and ignorant - but as always, maternal and lovely.)
]]> 17465447 344 Adam Gidwitz 0525426159 Liz 4 4.21 2013
author: Adam Gidwitz
name: Liz
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2021/04/20
shelves:
review:
I liked it a lot, gets super meta!
]]> 30744712
But they’ve barely left the island when Lintang discovers that Bayani has risked his life to stow away. Worse, he won’t tell her why. Lintang must choose whether to be loyal to Captain Shafira and continue with her adventures, or be loyal to her best friend and lose everything she’s ever wanted.]]> 336 Tamara Moss 0143783432 Liz 4 4.13 2017
author: Tamara Moss
name: Liz
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2020/11/01
date added: 2020/11/02
shelves:
review:

]]> 82192 494 Mary Stewart 0060548258 Liz 0 to-read 4.14 1970
author: Mary Stewart
name: Liz
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1970
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 52220686 Stamped from the Beginning for ages 12 and up.

A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism--and antiracism--in America.

This is NOT a history book.
This is a book about the here and now.
A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This is a remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning, winner of a National Book Award. It reveals the history of racist ideas in America and inspires hope for an antiracist future.

Stamped takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative, Jason Reynolds shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.]]> 294 Jason Reynolds 0316453692 Liz 5 4.46 2020
author: Jason Reynolds
name: Liz
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/11/02
date added: 2020/11/02
shelves:
review:

]]> 49952514
Company policy allows only guys to be knights. So when Kit takes her brother’s place and reveals her identity at the end of the show, she rockets into internet fame and a whole lot of trouble with the management. But the Girl Knight won’t go down without a fight. As other wenches join her quest, a protest forms. In a joust before Castle executives, they’ll prove that gender restrictions should stay medieval―if they don’t get fired first.

Moxie meets A Knight’s Tale as Kit Sweetly slays sexism, bad bosses, and bad luck to become a knight at a medieval-themed restaurant.]]> 378 Jamie Pacton 1624149529 Liz 0 to-read 3.54 2020
author: Jamie Pacton
name: Liz
average rating: 3.54
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 44603554 Five royal houses will hear the call to compete in the Trial for the dragon throne. A liar, a soldier, a servant, a thief, and a murderer will answer it. Who will win?

When the Emperor dies, the five royal houses of Etrusia attend the Call, where one of their own will be selected to compete for the throne. It is always the oldest child, the one who has been preparing for years to compete in the Trial. But this year is different. This year, these five outcasts will answer the call....

THE LIAR: Emilia must hide her dark magic or be put to death.

THE SOLDIER: Lucian is a warrior who has sworn to never lift a sword again.

THE SERVANT: Vespir is a dragon trainer whose skills alone will keep her in the game.

THE THIEF: Ajax knows that nothing is free--he must take what he wants.

THE MURDERER: Hyperia was born to rule and will stop at nothing to take her throne.]]> 448 Jessica Cluess 0525648151 Liz 0 to-read 3.85 2020
author: Jessica Cluess
name: Liz
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 49029055
And finally, lucky to be chosen by a prestigious family to live at their remote country estate.

But it wasn't luck that made the Suttons rescue Margot from her bleak existence at the group home. Margot was hand-picked to be a companion to their silent, mysterious daughter, Agatha. At first, helping with Agatha - and getting to know her handsome older brother - seems much better than the group home. But soon, the isolated, gothic house begins playing tricks on Margot’s mind, making her question everything she believes about the Suttons... and herself.

Margot’s bad dreams may have stopped when she came to live with Agatha � but the real nightmare has just begun.]]> 448 Katie Alender 0399545913 Liz 0 to-read 3.82 2020
author: Katie Alender
name: Liz
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 50358128 A novel in verse about a young girl's struggle for survival after a climbing trip with her father goes terribly wrong.

One year after a random shooting changed their family forever, Nora and her father are exploring a slot canyon deep in the Arizona desert, hoping it will help them find peace. Nora longs for things to go back to normal, like they were when her mother was still alive, while her father keeps them isolated in fear of other people. But when they reach the bottom of the canyon, the unthinkable happens: A flash flood rips across their path, sweeping away Nora's father and all of their supplies.

Suddenly, Nora finds herself lost and alone in the desert, facing dehydration, venomous scorpions, deadly snakes, and, worst of all, the Beast who has terrorized her dreams for the past year. If Nora is going to save herself and her father, she must conquer her fears, defeat the Beast, and find the courage to live her new life.

]]> 320 Dusti Bowling 0316494690 Liz 0 to-read 4.21 2020
author: Dusti Bowling
name: Liz
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/10/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43744298 From the author of the New York Times bestseller Dear Martin-comes a pitch-perfect romance that examines class, privilege, and how a stroke of good luck can change an entire life.

Meet Rico: high school senior and afternoon-shift cashier at the Gas 'n' Go, who after school and work races home to take care of her younger brother. Every. Single. Day. When Rico sells a jackpot-winning lotto ticket, she thinks maybe her luck will finally change, but only if she--with some assistance from her popular and wildly rich classmate Zan--can find the ticket holder who hasn't claimed the prize. But what happens when have and have-nots collide? Will this investigative duo unite...or divide?

Nic Stone, the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out, creates two unforgettable characters in one hard-hitting story about class, money--both too little and too much--and how you make your own luck in the world.]]> 345 Nic Stone 1984829629 Liz 0 to-read 3.98 2019
author: Nic Stone
name: Liz
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/07/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40770969
Throwing her hard-working Liberian parents for a loop, Retta abandons her plan to attend med school after graduating Duke University to move to Hollywood to star in her own sitcom―like her comedy heroes Lucille Ball and Roseanne.

Say what? Word. Turns out Retta might actually be on to something. After winning Comedy Central’s stand-up competition, she should be ready for prime time―but a fear of success derails her biggest dream.

Whether reminiscing about her days as a contract chemist at GlaxoSmithKline, telling “dirty� jokes to Mormons, feeling like the odd man out on Parks, fending off racist trolls on Twitter, flirting with Michael Fassbender, or expertly stalking the cast of "Hamilton," Retta’s unique voice and refreshing honesty will make you laugh, cry, and laugh so hard you’ll cry.

Her eponymous sitcom might not have happened yet, but by the end of So Close to Being the Sh*t, you’ll be rooting for Retta to be the next one-named wonder to take over your television. And she just might inspire you to reach for the stars, too.]]> 6 Retta Liz 0 to-read 3.84 2018
author: Retta
name: Liz
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36008996

When you think of serial killers throughout history, the names that come to mind are ones like Jack the Ripper, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy. But what about Tillie Klimek, Moulay Hassan, Kate Bender? The narrative we’re comfortable with is the one where women are the victims of violent crime, not the perpetrators. In fact, serial killers are thought to be so universally, overwhelmingly male that in 1998, FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood infamously declared in a homicide conference, “There are no female serial killers.�

Lady Killers, based on the popular online series that appeared on Jezebel and The Hairpin, disputes that claim and offers fourteen gruesome examples as evidence. Though largely forgotten by history, female serial killers such as Erzsébet Báthory, Nannie Doss, Mary Ann Cotton, and Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova rival their male counterparts in cunning, cruelty, and appetite for destruction.

Each chapter explores the crimes and history of a different subject, and then proceeds to unpack her legacy and her portrayal in the media, as well as the stereotypes and sexist clichés that inevitably surround her. The first book to examine female serial killers through a feminist lens with a witty and dryly humorous tone, Lady Killers dismisses easy explanations (she was hormonal, she did it for love, a man made her do it) and tired tropes (she was a femme fatale, a black widow, a witch), delving into the complex reality of female aggression and predation. Featuring 14 illustrations from Dame Darcy, Lady Killers is a bloodcurdling, insightful, and irresistible journey into the heart of darkness.

Ěý

Ěý]]> 327 Tori Telfer 0062433741 Liz 0 to-read 3.74 2017
author: Tori Telfer
name: Liz
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/06/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 39847584
Frank Li has two names. There's Frank Li, his American name. Then there's Sung-Min Li, his Korean name. No one uses his Korean name, not even his parents. Frank barely speaks any Korean. He was born and raised in Southern California.

Even so, his parents still expect him to end up with a nice Korean girl--which is a problem, since Frank is finally dating the girl of his dreams: Brit Means. Brit, who is funny and nerdy just like him. Brit, who makes him laugh like no one else. Brit . . . who is white.

As Frank falls in love for the very first time, he's forced to confront the fact that while his parents sacrificed everything to raise him in the land of opportunity, their traditional expectations don't leave a lot of room for him to be a regular American teen. Desperate to be with Brit without his parents finding out, Frank turns to family friend Joy Song, who is in a similar bind. Together, they come up with a plan to help each other and keep their parents off their backs. Frank thinks he's found the solution to all his problems, but when life throws him a curveball, he's left wondering whether he ever really knew anything about love—or himself—at all.]]> 432 David Yoon 1984812203 Liz 5 3.72 2019
author: David Yoon
name: Liz
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/05/16
shelves:
review:

]]> 35887524 A New York Times bestseller from the beloved author of the action-packed Animorphs series and the award-winning The One and Only Ivan. In this first book of an epic middle grade series, Katherine Applegate takes us on an unforgettable journey.

Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra.

After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true.

Along the way, she meets new allies—both animals and humans alike—who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family—one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world.

Building on the success of her critically acclaimed novels The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree, while also returning to her action-packed fantasy roots of Animorphs, the Endling series is Katherine Applegate at her finest. With its enthralling characters, unique setting, and gripping adventure, this series is the perfect next read for fans of Rick Riordan, Brian Jacques, and Tui T. Sutherland.]]> 383 Katherine Applegate 0062335529 Liz 4 audio 4.18 2018
author: Katherine Applegate
name: Liz
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/12/07
date added: 2020/04/30
shelves: audio
review:
Great for budding fans of high fantasy or lovers of Erin Hunters The Warriors series, or the Wings of Fire series.
]]> 25985242 The finale to The Diviners from author, Libba Bray.

After the horrifying explosion that claimed one of their own, the Diviners find themselves wanted by the US government, and on the brink of war with the King of Crows.

While Memphis and Isaiah run for their lives from the mysterious Shadow Men, Isaiah receives a startling vision of a girl, Sarah Beth Olson, who could shift the balance in their struggle for peace. Sarah Beth says she knows how to stop the King of Crows-but, she will need the Diviners' help to do it.

Elsewhere, Jericho has returned after his escape from Jake Marlowe's estate, where he has learned the shocking truth behind the King of Crow's plans. Now, the Diviners must travel to Bountiful, Nebraska, in hopes of joining forces with Sarah Beth and to stop the King of Crows and his army of the dead forever.

But as rumors of towns becoming ghost towns and the dead developing unprecedented powers begin to surface, all hope seems to be lost.

In this sweeping finale, The Diviners will be forced to confront their greatest fears and learn to rely on one another if they hope to save the nation, and world from catastrophe...]]> 560 Libba Bray 0316126098 Liz 5 3.94 2020
author: Libba Bray
name: Liz
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/04/02
date added: 2020/04/02
shelves:
review:
Great finale to am awesome series. An allegory of America's brutal history disguised as a historical supernatural thriller. Fantastic audio performance too.
]]> 43721070 You are alone in the woods, seen only by the unblinking yellow moon. Your hands are empty. You are nearly naked.

And the wolf is angry.

Since her grandmother became her caretaker when she was four years old, Bisou Martel has lived a quiet life in a little house in Seattle. She’s kept mostly to herself. She’s been good. But then comes the night of homecoming, when she finds herself running for her life over roots and between trees, a fury of claws and teeth behind her. A wolf attacks. Bisou fights back. A new moon rises. And with it, questions. About the blood in Bisou’s past and on her hands as she stumbles home. About broken boys and vicious wolves. About girls lost in the woods—frightened, but not alone.]]> 361 Elana K. Arnold 006274237X Liz 5 3.43 2020
author: Elana K. Arnold
name: Liz
average rating: 3.43
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/25
date added: 2020/03/25
shelves:
review:
Fantastic, ferocious, and a unique take on the fairy tale.
]]> 51135826 The #1 New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp (This Is Where It Ends) and artist Manuel Preitano unveil a graphic novel that explores the dark corridors of Barbara Gordon's first mystery: herself.

After a gunshot leaves her paralyzed, Barbara Gordon enters the Arkham Center for Independence, where Gotham's teens undergo physical and mental rehabilitation. Now using a wheelchair, Barbara must adapt to a new normal, but she cannot shake the feeling that something is dangerously amiss. Within these walls, strange sounds escape at night; patients go missing; and Barbara begins to put together pieces of what she believes to be a larger puzzle.

But is this suspicion simply a result of her trauma? Fellow patients try to connect with Barbara, but she pushes them away, and she'd rather spend time with ghost stories than participate in her daily exercises. Even Barbara's own judgment is in question.

In The Oracle Code, universal truths cannot be escaped, and Barbara Gordon must battle the phantoms of her past before they swarm her future.]]> 208 Marieke Nijkamp 1401290663 Liz 0 to-read 3.78 2020
author: Marieke Nijkamp
name: Liz
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 38097294
Dove "Birdie" Randolph works hard to be the perfect daughter and follow the path her parents have laid out for her: She quit playing her beloved soccer, she keeps her nose buried in textbooks, and she's on track to finish high school at the top of her class. But then Birdie falls hard for Booker, a sweet boy with a troubled past...whom she knows her parents will never approve of.

When her estranged aunt Carlene returns to Chicago and moves into the family's apartment above their hair salon, Birdie notices the tension building at home. Carlene is sweet, friendly, and open-minded--she's also spent decades in and out of treatment facilities for addiction. As Birdie becomes closer to both Booker and Carlene, she yearns to spread her wings. But when long-buried secrets rise to the surface, everything she's known to be true is turned upside down.]]> 336 Brandy Colbert 0316448567 Liz 5 4.00 2019
author: Brandy Colbert
name: Liz
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/21
date added: 2020/03/21
shelves:
review:

]]> 36285129 InĚýthis striking new novel by the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly and Monday’s Not Coming, Tiffany D. Jackson tells the story of three Brooklyn teens who plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he's still alive.

Brooklyn, 1998. Biggie Smalls was Things done changed. But that doesn’t mean that Quadir and Jarrell are cool letting their best friend Steph’s music lie forgotten under his bed after he’s murdered—not when his rhymes could turn any Bed Stuy corner into a party.

With the help of Steph’s younger sister Jasmine, they come up with a plan to promote Steph’s music under a new rap the Architect. Soon, everyone wants a piece of him. When his demo catches the attention of a hotheaded music label rep, the trio must prove Steph’s talent from beyond the grave.

As the pressure of keeping their secret grows, Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine are forced to confront the truth about what happened to Steph. Only, each has something to hide. And with everything riding on Steph’s fame, they need to decide what they stand for or lose all that they’ve worked so hard to hold on to—including each other.

"Jackson scores a bullseye with her passionate homage to Black city life in the late â€�90s."Ěý(Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")
]]> 384 Tiffany D. Jackson 0062840347 Liz 4 4.13 2019
author: Tiffany D. Jackson
name: Liz
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/19
date added: 2020/03/19
shelves:
review:
This was great! I missed some of the super shocking twists that I have come to expect of Jackson's novels, but what I missed in the mystery was balanced out by a great ensemble cast, a new aspect in her YA that she handles nicely.
]]> 703292
Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!]]> 256 Elizabeth George Speare Liz 0 4.01 1958
author: Elizabeth George Speare
name: Liz
average rating: 4.01
book published: 1958
rating: 0
read at: 1994/01/01
date added: 2020/03/18
shelves:
review:
My favorite of the "witch" novels (extra-nice because it removes itself from the well-walked Salem stories) and I am not ashamed to say it's because Kat is a strong motivating character who also enjoys one of my favorite classic romances of all time. She learns a lot but also teaches many. I've reread it a dozen times at least!
]]> 43545 639 T.H. White 0441627404 Liz 2 4.07 1958
author: T.H. White
name: Liz
average rating: 4.07
book published: 1958
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2020/03/18
shelves:
review:
DNF my reread at 75 pages when a bird drops the n-word, amongst an abundance of insensitive native imagery too. A sexist, racist, overwritten walnut of a book. Never reread the classics
]]> 40864829
The plan is to follow the river on their bikes for as long as it takes to learn the truth, but it isn't long before the pact is broken by all except for Ben and (much to Ben's disappointment) Nathaniel, the one kid who just doesn't seem to fit in.

Together, Nathaniel and Ben will travel farther than anyone has ever gone, down a winding road full of magic, wonder, and unexpected friendship*.

*And a talking bear.]]> 330 Ryan Andrews 1626720533 Liz 3 to-read 4.07 2013
author: Ryan Andrews
name: Liz
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 3
read at: 2019/11/16
date added: 2020/03/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 38251243
But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. Wait, what?

Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum.

Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fear, she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real.]]> 384 Lisa Moore Ramée 0062836706 Liz 4 4.22 2019
author: Lisa Moore Ramée
name: Liz
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/16
date added: 2020/03/16
shelves:
review:

]]> 11308 180 Susan Cooper 0020421907 Liz 3
Things I observed on my reread: Westerly and Cally are cute together, though maybe underwritten considering they are our protagonists. They are very funny (West’s brand of sarcasm is particularly fun to read), but because we meet them just launched into this world, we don’t get to know them much outside of their survival and growing love for each other (and even that isn’t investigated much beyond two teens stuck in dramatic circumstances). The book is definitely for those who prefer their literature heavy on theme and setting rather than character.

I am glad I reread it, it was a nice comfort read after a long year of demanding work-related book needs. But I don’t know that I’d need to visit it again. It majorly pales in comparison to TDIR. Cooper’s work shines when she can really dig into the characters she creates (Lugan cannot compare to Merriman, the best of the old wizardly mentors IMHO) and the circumstances that Cally and West encounter feel like flashes in a pan compared to the rich adventures Will Stanton and the Drew children engage in.

Top marks for the sexy bits, though.]]> 3.97 1983
author: Susan Cooper
name: Liz
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1983
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/13
date added: 2020/03/13
shelves:
review:
I originally read this as a middle schooler after loving Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series, and reread it a million times after that. The story didn’t have the staying power for me that TDIR has, so I anticipate that it was the romance and some surprisingly sexy parts that made this an adolescent favorite. The book definitely has echoes of TDIR � Tyrannis and Lugan mirror The Rider and Merriman in some ways, and young strangers navigating a larger than life quest is also a familiar theme, as well as some roots in Celtic mythos (selkies!). But Seaward is definitely for an older crowd (did I mention the sexy bits?!) and is much broader in its symbolism.

Things I observed on my reread: Westerly and Cally are cute together, though maybe underwritten considering they are our protagonists. They are very funny (West’s brand of sarcasm is particularly fun to read), but because we meet them just launched into this world, we don’t get to know them much outside of their survival and growing love for each other (and even that isn’t investigated much beyond two teens stuck in dramatic circumstances). The book is definitely for those who prefer their literature heavy on theme and setting rather than character.

I am glad I reread it, it was a nice comfort read after a long year of demanding work-related book needs. But I don’t know that I’d need to visit it again. It majorly pales in comparison to TDIR. Cooper’s work shines when she can really dig into the characters she creates (Lugan cannot compare to Merriman, the best of the old wizardly mentors IMHO) and the circumstances that Cally and West encounter feel like flashes in a pan compared to the rich adventures Will Stanton and the Drew children engage in.

Top marks for the sexy bits, though.
]]> 3861788 167 Susan Cooper 0689502753 Liz 3
Things I observed on my reread:Ěý Westerly and Cally are cute together, though maybe underwritten considering they are our protagonists. They are very funny (West's brand of sarcasm is particularly fun to read), but because we meet them just launched into this world, we don't get to know them much outside of their survival and growing love for each other (and even that isn't investigated much beyond two teens stuck in dramatic circumstances). The book is definitely for those who prefer their literature heavy on theme and setting rather than character.

I am glad I reread it, it was a nice comfort read after a long year of demanding work-related book needs.Ěý But I don't know that I'd need to visit it again. It majorly pales in comparison to TDIR. Cooper's work shines when she can really dig into the characters she creates (Lugan cannot compare to Merriman, the best of the old wizardly mentors IMHO) and the circumstances that Cally and West encounter feel like flashes in a pan compared to the rich adventures Will Stanton and the Drew children engage in.

Top marks for the sexy bits, though.]]> 3.79 1983
author: Susan Cooper
name: Liz
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1983
rating: 3
read at: 1995/03/12
date added: 2020/03/13
shelves:
review:
I originally read this as a middle schooler after loving Cooper's The Dark is Rising series, and reread it a million times after that. The story didn't have the staying power for me that TDIR has, so I anticipate that it was the romance and some surprisingly sexy parts that made this an adolescent favorite. The book definitely has echoes of TDIR - Tyrannis and Lugan mirror The Rider and Merriman in some ways, and young strangers navigating a larger than life quest is also a familiar theme, as well as some roots in Celtic mythos (selkies!). But Seaward is definitely for an older crowd (did I mention the sexy bits?!) and is much broader in its symbolism.Ěý

Things I observed on my reread:Ěý Westerly and Cally are cute together, though maybe underwritten considering they are our protagonists. They are very funny (West's brand of sarcasm is particularly fun to read), but because we meet them just launched into this world, we don't get to know them much outside of their survival and growing love for each other (and even that isn't investigated much beyond two teens stuck in dramatic circumstances). The book is definitely for those who prefer their literature heavy on theme and setting rather than character.

I am glad I reread it, it was a nice comfort read after a long year of demanding work-related book needs.Ěý But I don't know that I'd need to visit it again. It majorly pales in comparison to TDIR. Cooper's work shines when she can really dig into the characters she creates (Lugan cannot compare to Merriman, the best of the old wizardly mentors IMHO) and the circumstances that Cally and West encounter feel like flashes in a pan compared to the rich adventures Will Stanton and the Drew children engage in.

Top marks for the sexy bits, though.
]]> 20649206
August 4, 1892: Lizzie Borden calls out frantically for help. When the maid and the neighbors come running, they find Lizzie's father, Andrew Borden, lying murdered in the sitting room of the Borden home at 92 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts. Soon after, the body of Lizzie's stepmother, Abby, is discovered upstairs.

As the minutes give way to hours, one person rises to the top of the list of suspects: Lizzie herself. But how could a mild-mannered young woman from a prominent family be an axe murderer?

In a compelling narrative, Sarah Miller investigates the chilling crime - from the gruesome details of that fateful August day to Lizzie's dramatic court battles to the role sensational newspaper headlines played in swaying public opinion. Enhanced by period photos, newspaper clippings, and, yes, even an image of the crime scene, this is middle-grade nonfiction that races like a true-crime novel. Prepare to devour it and to grapple with the same questions a nation asked itself over a century ago: Did Lizzie do it? And if not, who did?]]> 288 Sarah Miller 0553498088 Liz 0 to-read 3.65 2016
author: Sarah Miller
name: Liz
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34810320 A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial-like podcast following the clues she's left behind. And an ending you won't be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

Courtney Summers has written the breakout book of her career. Sadie is propulsive and harrowing and will keep you riveted until the last page.]]> 308 Courtney Summers 1250105714 Liz 5 audio
This book has staying power � at least as long as people are obsessed with Serial-type podcasting. Summers flips us back and forth between two narratives: McCray’s podcast version of Sadie's story, presented to us mostly episodically (sometimes she splits singular episodes into two chapters for dramatic benefit) � and Sadie’s own narrative as she seeks revenge for her sister's death and their family abuse. So you see why this needs to be read on audio! Macmillan dug in and went full-cast for this one, with music and audio production to honor the podcast format of McCray’s story. But Sadie’s side of the story is also heightened in the audio format: Sadie stutters, and Rebecca Soler does a wonderful job conveying Sadie’s emotional narrative as well as her vocalizations.

This was my first read of Courtney Summers! She has a knack for clever and effective turns of phrase. She also builds the suspense very well � when you get the audio of this, plan to find nine hours of listening time when no one will bother you � you won’t want to stop listening.

The audio is almost perfect � I will say a couple of the actors were less than great. Maybe this was an expense thing? (Get the heavies for the leads and bring in some interns for the lesser parts?) Or maybe not everyone got the direction they needed? Even then, that's just a blip. Dan Bittner has the perfect NPR tone for the podcaster. And they made the wise choice of including the “full cast� element in Sadie’s narrative too, not just the podcast itself. That gives it immediacy vital to the narrative.

A must listen!]]> 4.04 2018
author: Courtney Summers
name: Liz
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/09
date added: 2020/03/09
shelves: audio
review:
First off, you MUST read the audiobook version of this, put that print edition down, the audio is where it’s at!

This book has staying power � at least as long as people are obsessed with Serial-type podcasting. Summers flips us back and forth between two narratives: McCray’s podcast version of Sadie's story, presented to us mostly episodically (sometimes she splits singular episodes into two chapters for dramatic benefit) � and Sadie’s own narrative as she seeks revenge for her sister's death and their family abuse. So you see why this needs to be read on audio! Macmillan dug in and went full-cast for this one, with music and audio production to honor the podcast format of McCray’s story. But Sadie’s side of the story is also heightened in the audio format: Sadie stutters, and Rebecca Soler does a wonderful job conveying Sadie’s emotional narrative as well as her vocalizations.

This was my first read of Courtney Summers! She has a knack for clever and effective turns of phrase. She also builds the suspense very well � when you get the audio of this, plan to find nine hours of listening time when no one will bother you � you won’t want to stop listening.

The audio is almost perfect � I will say a couple of the actors were less than great. Maybe this was an expense thing? (Get the heavies for the leads and bring in some interns for the lesser parts?) Or maybe not everyone got the direction they needed? Even then, that's just a blip. Dan Bittner has the perfect NPR tone for the podcaster. And they made the wise choice of including the “full cast� element in Sadie’s narrative too, not just the podcast itself. That gives it immediacy vital to the narrative.

A must listen!
]]> 46138193 After a storm has killed off all the island's men, two women in a 1600s Norwegian coastal village struggle to survive against both natural forces and the men who have been sent to rid the community of alleged witchcraft.

Finnmark, Norway, 1617. Twenty-year-old Maren Magnusdatter stands on the craggy coast, watching the sea break into a sudden and reckless storm. Forty fishermen, including her brother and father, are drowned and left broken on the rocks below. With the menfolk wiped out, the women of the tiny Northern town of Vardø must fend for themselves.

Three years later, a sinister figure arrives. Absalom Cornet comes from Scotland, where he burned witches in the northern isles. He brings with him his young Norwegian wife, Ursa, who is both heady with her husband's authority and terrified by it. In Vardø, and in Maren, Ursa sees something she has never seen before: independent women. But Absalom sees only a place untouched by God and flooded with a mighty evil.

As Maren and Ursa are pushed together and are drawn to one another in ways that surprise them both, the island begins to close in on them with Absalom's iron rule threatening Vardø's very existence.

Inspired by the real events of the Vardø storm and the 1620 witch trials, The Mercies is a feminist story of love, evil, and obsession, set at the edge of civilization.]]> 345 Kiran Millwood Hargrave 0316529257 Liz 0 to-read 3.99 2020
author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave
name: Liz
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 43520622 Two-time Edgar Award finalist Lamar Giles delivers his first contemporary YA—an eye-opening novel that spotlights societal pressures, confronts toxic masculinity, and asks the What does it mean to be a “real man�?

Del has had a crush on Kiera Westing since kindergarten. And now, during their junior year, she’s finally available. So when Kiera volunteers for an opportunity at their church, Del’s right behind her. Though he quickly realizes he’s inadvertently signed himself up for a Purity Pledge. His best friend, Qwan, doesn’t believe anyone is worth this long of a long game. But Del’s not about to lose his dream girl.

And that’s where fellow pledger Jameer comes in. He can put in the good word, but with other boys circling Kiera like sharks, Del needs to make his move now. However, with all his plotting and scheming, Del never really stops to What does Kiera want? No matter, though—once he gets the girl, he’s sure all will sort itself out. Right?]]> 398 Lamar Giles 006234921X Liz 5 audio, favorites
The best gift of all from Giles's latest is the subtle sexism it tackles.Ěý Through Del's love interest Kiera, his coworker Maya, his collegiate sister Cress, and classmate Cheyanne, we get bits and pieces of the stories Del is missing in his quest to land Kiera.Ěý Del's journey is simple-sounding, but immensely challenging: what do we do in a world where even nice guys like Del are brought up to value women only in the context of their own stories? What is it that makes them realize that they aren't really listening to women's narratives? And how do men move forward when they are challenged on those faults?

A thoroughly entertaining story that opens rich conversations for young men.]]> 4.05 2020
author: Lamar Giles
name: Liz
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2020/03/07
date added: 2020/03/07
shelves: audio, favorites
review:
I've enjoyed Giles's teen thrillers before, but this is his first step into contemporary YA fiction.Ěý He's gifted us with a nuanced look at sexism and the ignorance of "good guys" that is also chock full of humor and characters you root for.Ěý Del is a likable guy - very funny, smart, and well-intentioned, but faltering where a lot of teens do. Who can blame kids for screwing up when adults send them such mixed messages on complicated matters like sex?Ěý Del's peers are also complicated, rich characters. The male friendships are lovingly written, and the girls and women in Del's life are strong but not infallible.Ěý

The best gift of all from Giles's latest is the subtle sexism it tackles.Ěý Through Del's love interest Kiera, his coworker Maya, his collegiate sister Cress, and classmate Cheyanne, we get bits and pieces of the stories Del is missing in his quest to land Kiera.Ěý Del's journey is simple-sounding, but immensely challenging: what do we do in a world where even nice guys like Del are brought up to value women only in the context of their own stories? What is it that makes them realize that they aren't really listening to women's narratives? And how do men move forward when they are challenged on those faults?

A thoroughly entertaining story that opens rich conversations for young men.
]]> 38462700
After the death of her parents, Angel has a lot to get used to: a new home, a new family, a new school. The last thing she’s interested in is making new friends. Until she meets Bavar, a strange boy who slips through the shadows, a boy who might understand her nightmares.

But Bavar doesn’t want to let anyone in. Everyone—and everything—in his enchanted house is already urging him to step up and protect the world from a magical rift and the fearsome monsters traveling through it, a responsibility he wishes he could ignore.

Then Bavar discovers that the monsters are the same ones that killed Angel’s parents. Determined to stop the creatures for good, he reluctantly accepts Angel’s help. Together, Angel and Bavar must find the courage to stand up for each other and themselves to repair the rift between worlds…before it’s too late.]]> 320 Amy Wilson 0062671510 Liz 3 3.74 2018
author: Amy Wilson
name: Liz
average rating: 3.74
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2020/03/01
date added: 2020/03/02
shelves:
review:
I liked this a lot going into it, very cool premise and unique magic! but it was a little too vague for me at parts and ultimately kinda unsatisfying.
]]> 2084084
First published in 1980, Treat Your Own Back has sold over 4 million copies around the world and has been translated into 18 different languages. The world-renowned McKenzie Method detailed in this book is a simple process that is proven to work.

This publication contains easily understood exercises and vital information to enable you to self-manage your back pain and gives you an insight into the cause and effect relationship which helps to prevent recurrence of back pain.

You can become independent of spinal manipulation or drugs that only treat the symptoms of your back pain, and not the cause. Just check out the research or the testimonials from readers who have found enormous relief from the "world's best-selling back book of all time".

This book on back pain treatment is right for you if you suffer from recurrent low back pain, including Slipped Disc, Fibrosis, Lumbago, Arthritis in the back, Rheumatism and Sciatica.

Now completely revised and in its 7th Edition, Treat Your Own Back has helped more people achieve freedom from back pain than any other publication.]]> 80 Robin McKenzie 0959774661 Liz 0 to-read 4.13 1980
author: Robin McKenzie
name: Liz
average rating: 4.13
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36447149
Ironically, royals terrified of poison were unknowingly poisoning themselves daily with their cosmetics, medications, and filthy living conditions. Women wore makeup made with mercury and lead. Men rubbed turds on their bald spots. Physicians prescribed mercury enemas, arsenic skin cream, drinks of lead filings, and potions of human fat and skull, fresh from the executioner. The most gorgeous palaces were little better than filthy latrines. Gazing at gorgeous portraits of centuries past, we don’t see what lies beneath the royal robes and the stench of unwashed bodies; the lice feasting on private parts; and worms nesting in the intestines.

In The Royal Art of Poison, Eleanor Herman combines her unique access to royal archives with cutting-edge forensic discoveries to tell the true story of Europe’s glittering palaces: one of medical bafflement, poisonous cosmetics, ever-present excrement, festering natural illness, and, sometimes, murder.]]> 304 Eleanor Herman 1250140862 Liz 0 to-read 3.96 2018
author: Eleanor Herman
name: Liz
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40645658 The story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.

From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be.

When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him?]]> 303 Lynne Kelly 152477023X Liz 5
I also found Iris’s passion for fixing radios to be very endearing, and a particular plot point around one of her radios, a 1930s Philco, was very moving, which I never expected to write! The reader learns a lot about radio technology, deaf culture, and whales, all woven in seamlessly with the story. Blue-55 is based on an actual whale named 52-Hertz, though Kelly created a unique fictional life and circumstances for her whale (including some chapters told from his point of view, which are lovely).

Must read for middle schoolers and anyone who likes reading in a unique set of shoes.]]> 4.22 2019
author: Lynne Kelly
name: Liz
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/02/26
date added: 2020/02/26
shelves:
review:
I’m on a “great book� spree, and this one is another huge hit! Ocean life, music, deaf culture, and technology all blend into a beautiful story of belonging and connection. The story truly focuses on Iris which is nice (as there’s a lot of friendship drama in this age group’s literature that I have gotten a little exhausted of reading), and we also get an expansive view on the life of a deaf person. The author brings her own experience as an interpreter as well as viewpoints from deaf people she’s met to introduce readers who are unfamiliar to both the frustrations and joys of the deaf community. I especially loved reading about American Sign Language and its variations. Iris and her grandfather (also deaf) liked to create stories and poems, riffing off a particular hand shape in ASL and only using terms that include that shape. What a lovely thing to read. (And I’d love to actually see this in practice. I’ll update this review if I find any videos.)

I also found Iris’s passion for fixing radios to be very endearing, and a particular plot point around one of her radios, a 1930s Philco, was very moving, which I never expected to write! The reader learns a lot about radio technology, deaf culture, and whales, all woven in seamlessly with the story. Blue-55 is based on an actual whale named 52-Hertz, though Kelly created a unique fictional life and circumstances for her whale (including some chapters told from his point of view, which are lovely).

Must read for middle schoolers and anyone who likes reading in a unique set of shoes.
]]> 37767551
Then something strange happens on a camping trip, and Simon begins to suspect he’s been abducted. But is it real, or just the overactive imagination of a kid who loves fantasy and role-playing games and is the target of bullies and his father’s scorn?

Even readers who don’t believe in UFOs will relate to the universal kid feeling of not being taken seriously by adults that deepens this deliciously scary tale.]]> 272 Ronald L. Smith Liz 0 bailed DNF 3.34 2019
author: Ronald L. Smith
name: Liz
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/24
shelves: bailed
review:
DNF
]]> 25753113
There are ninety-six things Genesis hates about herself. She knows the exact number because she keeps a list. Like #95: Because her skin is so dark, people call her charcoal and eggplant—even her own family. And #61: Because her family is always being put out of their house, belongings laid out on the sidewalk for the world to see. When Genesis reaches #100 on the list of things she hates about herself, will she continue on, or can she find the strength to begin again?]]> 400 Alicia D. Williams Liz 5 4.33 2019
author: Alicia D. Williams
name: Liz
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/02/24
date added: 2020/02/24
shelves:
review:
Lovely and on the oft-unwritten subject of colorism (at least . . not very often and not often are those books honored to such a high degree). Perfect middle school book!
]]> 43352267
Which is why when she's asked one day to babysit after school, she thinks it's no big deal. Zoe and Oscar are her next-door neighbors, and Hannah just took a babysitting class that she's pretty sure makes her an expert. She isn't even worried that she left her inhaler at home.

Then the shaking begins.

The terrifying earthquake only lasts four minutes but it changes everything, damaging the house, knocking out the power, and making cell service nonexistent. Even worse, the ferry and the bridge connecting the kids to help―and their parents―are both blocked. Which means they're stranded and alone... With Hannah in charge, as things go from bad to dangerous.]]> 296 Rebecca Behrens 1492673315 Liz 4 4.08 2019
author: Rebecca Behrens
name: Liz
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/02/21
date added: 2020/02/20
shelves:
review:
Good survival fiction for kids. Made me a little anxious though, ha!
]]> 45493566 From National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds comes a novel told in ten blocks, showing all the different directions a walk home can take.

This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy�

Talking about boogers.
Stealing pocket change.
Skateboarding.
Wiping out.
Braving up.
Executing complicated handshakes.
Planning an escape.
Making jokes.
Lotioning up.
Finding comfort.
But mostly, too busy walking home.

Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.]]> 204 Jason Reynolds Liz 3 3.93 2019
author: Jason Reynolds
name: Liz
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2020/02/03
date added: 2020/02/14
shelves:
review:
Didn't love as much as some of his others, but I appreciate the unique concept.
]]> 44552711
Every day in middle school can feel like the end of the world.

Eleanor Dross knows a thing or two about the end of the world, thanks to a survivalist grandfather who stockpiles freeze-dried food and supplies--just in case. So when she reads about a Harvard scientist's prediction that an asteroid will strike Earth in April, Eleanor knows her family will be prepared. Her classmates? They're on their own!

Eleanor has just one friend she wants to keep Mack. They've been best friends since kindergarten, even though he's more of a smiley emoji and she's more of an eye-roll emoji. They'll survive the end of the world together . . . if Mack doesn't go away to a special school for the blind.

But it's hard to keep quiet about a life-destroying asteroid--especially at a crowded lunch table--and soon Eleanor is the president of the (secret) End of the World Club. It turns out that prepping for TEOTWAWKI (the End of the World as We Know It) is actually kind of fun. But you can't really prepare for everything life drops on you. And one way or another, Eleanor's world is about to change.]]> 368 Stacy McAnulty 1524767611 Liz 4 3.77 2019
author: Stacy McAnulty
name: Liz
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/30
date added: 2020/02/11
shelves:
review:
I find this to be the perfect middle school book!Ěý The plotline of an upcoming doomsday weaves perfectly in with the feeling you have when you're nearing high school and everything is changing. The characters in the book are all delightful, from Mack's predilection for funny accents and keeping positive, to Londyn's athlete-meets-rock-star vibes, to Grandpa Joe's eagerness to connect with his grandkids on an apocalyptic level, to Eleanor, who is just trying to survive in more ways than one. I love the conflict between Eleanor's dad and grandfather - it seems like a very realistic struggle that could happen with a single dad and his own interfering father.Ěý It would be a great book for a school curriculum, with its plot points around asteroids, reliable information sources, and survivalism - but it wouldn't be a drag for kids to read. It's light enough for younger middle schoolers, but juicy enough for older ones. I highly recommend it for tween readers or anyone who enjoys a potential-end-of-the-world drama.
]]> 35209599 The Line Tender is the story of Lucy, the daughter of a marine biologist and a rescue diver, and the summer that changes her life. If she ever wants to lift the cloud of grief over her family and community, she must complete the research her late mother began. She must follow the sharks.

Wherever the sharks led, Lucy Everhart’s marine-biologist mother was sure to follow. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, preparing to swim with a Great White, when she died suddenly. Lucy was eight. Since then Lucy and her father have done OK—thanks in large part to her best friend, Fred, and a few close friends and neighbors. But June of her twelfth summer brings more than the end of school and a heat wave to sleepy Rockport. On one steamy day, the tide brings a Great White—and then another tragedy, cutting short a friendship everyone insists was “meaningful� but no one can tell Lucy what it all meant. To survive the fresh wave of grief, Lucy must grab the line that connects her depressed father, a stubborn fisherman, and a curious old widower to her mother’s unfinished research. If Lucy can find a way to help this unlikely quartet follow the sharks her mother loved, she’ll finally be able to look beyond what she’s lost and toward what’s left to be discovered.]]> 384 Kate Allen 0735231605 Liz 5 4.21 2019
author: Kate Allen
name: Liz
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/02/09
date added: 2020/02/10
shelves:
review:
This was VERY good, but also VERY sad (uplifting ending though). If you like to read books that make you cry, read this. Also, if you like sharks, read this. Hand to middle schoolers who love to FEEL THINGS.
]]> 51125405 here.

The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.]]> 341 Silvia Moreno-Garcia 0525620753 Liz 0 to-read 3.94 2019
author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
name: Liz
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/02/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 29540876 An enchanting urban fantasy middle-grade debut―the first book in a trilogy―set in a magical hotel full of secrets.

Orphan Elizabeth Somers’s malevolent aunt and uncle ship her off to the ominous Winterhouse Hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. Upon arrival, Elizabeth quickly discovers that Winterhouse has many charms―most notably its massive library. It’s not long before she locates a magical book of puzzles that will unlock a mystery involving Norbridge and his sinister family. But the deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse. As fate would have it, Elizabeth is the only person who can break the hotel’s curse and solve the mystery. But will it be at the cost of losing the people she has come to care for, and even Winterhouse itself?

Mystery, adventure, and beautiful writing combine in this exciting debut richly set in a hotel full of secrets.]]> 384 Ben Guterson 1250123895 Liz 4 3.94 2018
author: Ben Guterson
name: Liz
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/30
date added: 2020/01/30
shelves:
review:
This was pretty cute! I generally don't like puzzle books, but since this was word-puzzles, I could follow along better than usual. Some parts were a bit predictable, but I think it's a good series opener and it's refreshing to have a girl "chosen one" type character in middle grade.
]]> 39087436 Inspired by her family’s history—Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family’s secrets—and finds her own Native American identity.

All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers.

Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,� and photos of a woman who looks just like her.

Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?]]> 272 Christine Day Liz 5 4.15 2019
author: Christine Day
name: Liz
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/25
date added: 2020/01/25
shelves:
review:
Authentic friendship story, a great adoption narrative with a unique point of view, based on the Native experience prior to the Indian Child Welfare Act. A must-read for all kids.
]]> 43319671 325 Alan Gratz 1338245724 Liz 4 4.25 2019
author: Alan Gratz
name: Liz
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/25
date added: 2020/01/25
shelves:
review:
Exciting drama, as well as shared stories of those touched by the war experience who we don't often read about in this era (Algerian-French experience, soldiers of color, girls trying to be on the war front).
]]> 43131603 So Done, Paula Chase follows best friends Simp and Rollie as their friendship is threatened by the pressures of basketball, upcoming auditions, middle school, and their growing involvement in the local drug ring.

Dough Boys is a memorably vivid story about the complex friendship between two African American boys whose lives are heading down very different paths. For fans of Jason Reynolds’s Ghost and Rebecca Stead’s Goodbye Stranger.

Deontae “Simp� Wright has big plans for his future. Plans that involve basketball, his best friend, Rollie, and making enough money to get his mom and four younger brothers out of the Cove, their low-income housing project.

Long term, this means the NBA. Short term, it means being a dough boy—getting paid to play lookout and eventually moving up the rungs of the neighborhood drug operation with Rollie as his partner.

Roland “Rollie� Matthews used to love playing basketball. He loved the rhythm of the game, how he came up with his best drumbeats after running up and down the court. But playing with the elite team comes with extra, illegal responsibilities, and Rollie isn't sure he's down for that life. The new talented-and-gifted program, where Rollie has a chance to audition for a real-life go-go band, seems like the perfect excuse to stop being a dough boy. But how can he abandon his best friend?

Paula Chase explores universal themes of friendship and budding romance, while also exploring complex issues that affect many young teens. Full of basketball, friendship, and daily life in a housing project, this universal story is perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds’s Track series, Jewell Parker Rhodes’sĚýGhost Boys, and Chris Crutcher.]]> 336 Paula Chase 0062691813 Liz 4 3.93 2019
author: Paula Chase
name: Liz
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/25
date added: 2020/01/25
shelves:
review:
Great for Jason Reynolds and Nikki Grimes fans, hell - anyone who likes school-days stories with big stakes and great dialogue.
]]> 45726037 Two teens, one stuck atoning for her sins and one destined for heaven, fall in love in purgatory in this darkly hilarious and heartfelt rom-com, perfect for fans of The Good Place.

Beatrice Fox deserves to go straight to hell. At least, that's what she thinks. On her last day on Earth, she ruined the life of the person she loves most--her little sister, Emmy. So when Bea awakens from a fatal car accident to find herself on an airplane headed for a mysterious destination, she's confused, to say the least. Once on the ground, Bea receives some truly harrowing news: not only is she in purgatory, but she has been chosen to join the Memory Experience team. If she wants another shot at heaven, she'll have to use her master manipulation skills to help 5,000 souls suss out what's keeping them from moving on.

There's just one slight problem. Bea's first assigned soul is Caleb, the boy who caused her accident, and the last person Bea would ever want to send to the pearly gates. But as much as Bea would love to see Caleb suffer for dooming her to a seemingly endless future of listening to other people's problems, she can't help but notice that he's kind of cute, and sort of sweet, and that maybe, despite her best efforts, she's totally falling for him. And to make matters worse, he's definitely falling for her. Now, determined to make the most of her time in purgatory, Bea must decide what is truly worth dying for--romance or revenge.]]> 304 Gabby Noone 1984836129 Liz 0 to-read 3.69 2020
author: Gabby Noone
name: Liz
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35068585 ice wolves and scorch dragons are sworn enemies who live deeply separate lives.

So when twelve-year-old orphan Anders takes one elemental form and his twin sister, Rayna, takes another, he wonders whether they are even related. Still, whether or not they’re family, Rayna is Anders’s only true friend. She’s nothing like the brutal, cruel dragons who claimed her as one of their own and stole her away.

In order to rescue her, Anders must enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves that values loyalty to the pack above all else. But for Anders, loyalty is more complicated than obedience, and friendship is the most powerful shapeshifting force of all.]]> 348 Amie Kaufman 0062458000 Liz 5 3.99 2018
author: Amie Kaufman
name: Liz
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/21
date added: 2020/01/21
shelves:
review:
Can't go wrong with Amie Kaufman, it seems. A slam dunk for Wings of Fire fans.
]]> 35615208
The first time I heard about Planet Choom, we'd been on Mars for almost a year. But life on the Mars station was grim, and since Earth was no longer an option (we may have blown it up), it was time to find a new home.

That's how we ended up on Choom with the Zhuri. They're very smart. They also look like giant mosquitos. But that's not why it's so hard to live here. There's a lot that the Zhuri don't like: singing (just ask my sister, Ila), comedy (one joke got me sent to the principal's office), or any kind of emotion. The biggest problem, though? The Zhuri don't like us. And if humankind is going to survive, it's up to my family to change their minds. No pressure.]]> 256 Geoff Rodkey Liz 4 4.06 2019
author: Geoff Rodkey
name: Liz
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/17
date added: 2020/01/17
shelves:
review:
This is super-cute science fiction with some interesting aliens. I'd have liked it if it delved a little deeper in the "are humans violent" idea (and how the aliens who are pushing back also have violent tendencies). It also could have gone a little deeper into the importance of art and music, and Ila's depression. But it's a lot of fun with action and humor.
]]> 42898923 Wonder story

In R. J. Palacio's bestselling collection of stories, Auggie & Me, which expands on characters in Wonder, readers were introduced to Julian's grandmother, Grandmère. Here, Palacio makes her graphic novel debut with Grandmère's heartrending how she, a young Jewish girl, was hidden by a family in a Nazi-occupied French village during World War II; how the boy she and her classmates once shunned became her savior and best friend.

Grandmère's harrowing experience movingly demonstrates the power of kindness to change hearts, build bridges, and even save lives. As Grandmère tells Julian, "It always takes courage to be kind, but in those days, such kindness could cost you everything." With poignant symbolism and gorgeous artwork that brings Grandmère's story out of the past and cements it firmly in this moment in history, White Bird is sure to captivate anyone who was moved by Wonder.]]> 220 R.J. Palacio 0525645551 Liz 4
That being said, this is a beautifully written novel. I love that the setting is in the French countryside, and that it sheds light and knowledge on lesser-known parts of the Resistance. The illustrations are generally beautiful, though I do find Palacio’s characters� expressions to be overly-subtle to the point of boring. Her landscapes are lovely and she's very skilled, and my critique is fairly picky. This would be enjoyed by all ages. It’s appropriate for children, but has lots of appeal for older readers.

I also really hated the omniscient bird motif, but the relationships and dialogue and setting are top notch and make this worth reading (whether or not you read or enjoyed Wonder).]]> 4.50 2019
author: R.J. Palacio
name: Liz
average rating: 4.50
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/15
date added: 2020/01/15
shelves:
review:
I have a love/hate relationship with this book. There is NO reason that this graphic novel needs to be a Wonder tie-in. Seems like a more-money grab, or is Palacio too nervous to move outside of that world? You can do it, lady!

That being said, this is a beautifully written novel. I love that the setting is in the French countryside, and that it sheds light and knowledge on lesser-known parts of the Resistance. The illustrations are generally beautiful, though I do find Palacio’s characters� expressions to be overly-subtle to the point of boring. Her landscapes are lovely and she's very skilled, and my critique is fairly picky. This would be enjoyed by all ages. It’s appropriate for children, but has lots of appeal for older readers.

I also really hated the omniscient bird motif, but the relationships and dialogue and setting are top notch and make this worth reading (whether or not you read or enjoyed Wonder).
]]> 38167114
Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the internment camp's Director and his guards.

Heart-racing and emotional, Internment challenges readers to fight complicit silence that exists in our society today.]]> 386 Samira Ahmed 0349003343 Liz 0 to-read 3.85 2019
author: Samira Ahmed
name: Liz
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/14
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40206380
Viji starts working with the boys scavenging in trash heaps while Rukku makes bead necklaces, and they buy food with what little money they earn. They are often hungry and scared but they have each other--and Kutti, the best dog ever. When the kids are forced from their safe haven on the bridge, they take shelter in a graveyard.

But it is now the rainy season and they are plagued by mosquitos, and Rukku and Muthu fall ill. As their symptoms worsen, Viji and Arul must decide whether to risk going for help--when most adults in their lives have proven themselves untrustworthy--or to continue holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.]]> 208 Padma Venkatraman 1524738115 Liz 5 4.25 2019
author: Padma Venkatraman
name: Liz
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/13
date added: 2020/01/13
shelves:
review:
Compelling, heartbreaking, a quick read that packs a punch.
]]> 40944415
On June 23, 2018, twelve members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach were exploring the Tham Luang cave complex in northern Thailand when disaster struck. A rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels, trapping them as they took shelter on a shelf of the dark cave. Eight days of searching yielded no signs of life, but on July 2 they were discovered by two British divers. The boys and their coach were eventually rescued in an international operation that took three days. What could have been a terrible tragedy became an amazing story of survival.

Award-winning author Marc Aronson brings us the backstory behind how this astounding rescue took place. Rising Water highlights the creative thinking and technology that made a successful mission possible by examining the physical, environmental, and psychological factors surrounding the rescue. From the brave Thai Navy SEAL who lost his life while placing oxygen tanks along the passageways of the cave, to the British divers that ultimately swam the boys to safety, to the bravery of the boys and their coach, this is the breathtaking rescue that captivated the entire world.]]> 160 Marc Aronson 1534444130 Liz 4 3.59 2019
author: Marc Aronson
name: Liz
average rating: 3.59
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/01/13
date added: 2020/01/13
shelves:
review:
This is a thorough account of the Thai cave rescue from 2018. I listened on audio. I found my attention drifting a bit here and there, but I'm not sure if that was the book itself or listening to a nonfic on audio (which I do not do too much). The lasts hour of the book was riveting and I liked learning about the author's research and writing process on this story too.
]]> 35068789 When best friends Tai and Mila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and the looming dance auditions for a new talented-and-gifted program.

Fans of Renée Watson’s Piecing Me Together will love this memorable story about a complex friendship between two very different African American girls—and the importance of speaking up.

Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can’t wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she’s more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai.

Paula Chase explores complex issues that affect many young teens, and So Done offers a powerful message about speaking up. Full of ballet, basketball, family, and daily life in Pirates Cove, this memorable novel is for fans of Ali Benjamin’s The Thing About Jellyfish and Jason Reynolds’s Ghost. ]]> 298 Paula Chase 0062691805 Liz 3 audio 3.83 2018
author: Paula Chase
name: Liz
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2020/01/07
date added: 2020/01/07
shelves: audio
review:
This is very cute! Sometimes a little too much "in the head" of the characters (I liked it more when there was more dialogue) and moved a little slowly for me, but kids might not care.
]]> 40538654
For Danny, it becomes hard to ignore Eric’s super strange tendencies. He has weekly “dentist� appointments and parents who never stop smiling. It’s almost impossible to wake him up and he’s always getting fancy gifts from his mysterious uncle. Danny always assumed that Eric was just a spoiled rich kid…until he discovers Eric’s hidden robot reality.

As the two friends dig deeper into Eric’s origins and purpose, powerful forces swarm into town, and Danny and Eric are left with more questions than answers—and more danger than humanly possible.]]> 384 M.M. Vaughan 1481490656 Liz 5
The book is very funny and heartfelt. The motivation behind the androids is relevant and offers a very light and accessible introduction to dystopian themes (but in a current setting). Danny is a very likeable narrator with relatable flaws and his narration is very authentic. So is Eric's, android-status notwithstanding.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy middle-grade (I think kids and young teens would both enjoy this book. It nicely straddles that "not a kid anymore but not ready for YA" audience.)]]> 4.24
author: M.M. Vaughan
name: Liz
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2020/01/05
date added: 2020/01/05
shelves:
review:
What a delightful book to start the year off on.ĚýFriendroid has a great hook to start: Two friends, one is a robot, but he doesn't know it. And we find out right off the bat that Eric has been killed - Danny is sharing his journal with us in hopes of exposing his story. The reader gets to enjoy Eric (nicknamed Slick) and his robotic naivete, along with his journey towards sentience. It's like light-hearted Westworld for the tween set. What if robots lived among us, and what if one was your best friend?

The book is very funny and heartfelt. The motivation behind the androids is relevant and offers a very light and accessible introduction to dystopian themes (but in a current setting). Danny is a very likeable narrator with relatable flaws and his narration is very authentic. So is Eric's, android-status notwithstanding.

Highly recommended to those who enjoy middle-grade (I think kids and young teens would both enjoy this book. It nicely straddles that "not a kid anymore but not ready for YA" audience.)
]]> 34966859 THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD MIN comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you'd never know it by looking at her. To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times.

Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.]]> 312 Yoon Ha Lee 136801335X Liz 0 bailed DNF 3.81 2019
author: Yoon Ha Lee
name: Liz
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/02
shelves: bailed
review:
DNF
]]> 43319659
Mary Anne thinks that Stacey should leave Scott alone and focus on the Pike kids, but Stacey's in love. Looking for reasons to hang around his lifeguard stand takes up all of her time, which means Mary Anne has to do the job of two baby-sitters. Mary Anne doesn't like it one bit! How can she tell Stacey that Scott just isn't interested without ruining their friendship and breaking Stacey's heart?]]> 165 Gale Galligan 1338304518 Liz 5 4.29 2019
author: Gale Galligan
name: Liz
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/10/01
date added: 2019/12/31
shelves:
review:
This is my favorite of the graphic novels so far, mostly because of Stacey's heart eyes and because it was one of my favorite of the books.
]]> 20299683
They're a pack of booze-guzzling, death-dealing battle maidens-for-hire and they're in the business of killing all the god's creatures for profit. Meet Hannah the Rockabilly Elven Mage, Violet the Hipster Dwarven Fighter, Dee the Atheist Human Cleric and Betty the Hippy Smidgen Thief.

This modern spin on an old school genre is a violent, monster-killing epic that is like Buffy meets Tank Girl in a Lord of the Rings world on crack!

Collecting Rat Queens #1-5!]]> 128 Kurtis J. Wiebe 1607069458 Liz 4 4.07 2014
author: Kurtis J. Wiebe
name: Liz
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/30
date added: 2019/12/31
shelves:
review:
Maybe a little overly gory for my tastes, but enough ladies kicking ass and intrigue to keep going!
]]> 6954438
Collecting: Sweet Tooth 1-5]]> 123 Jeff Lemire 1401226965 Liz 0 to-read 3.94 2010
author: Jeff Lemire
name: Liz
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 39979639 Not My Idea, the latest in the critically-acclaimed Ordinary Terrible Things series, is a book about whiteness.

A white child sees TV news coverage of a white police officer shooting a brown person whose hands were up. Upset, he asks his mother why; she deflects, assuring him that he is safe. Later, they visit an aunt and uncle, where the TV, always on, shows a rally in response to the police shooting. The child glimpses a moving press conference with the victim’s family while his aunt claims she simply “can’t watch the news.�

The book’s narrator accompanies the child as he faces history and himself. The activities section urges kids to grow justice (“like a bean sprout in a milk carton�) inside of themselves, seek out and listen to the truth about racism and white supremacy, and prepare to be changed, heartbroken, and liberated by this experience.

Part history lesson, part compassionate primer to assist children (and parents) past defensiveness, Not My Idea is a tangible tool for necessary conversations.]]> 64 Anastasia Higginbotham 1948340003 Liz 5 4.02 2020
author: Anastasia Higginbotham
name: Liz
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/30
date added: 2019/12/30
shelves:
review:
I loved this - I actually bought it for my teen department, because I think it doesn't hurt to have big ideas like white privilege scaled down to simpler terms -- for any audience.
]]> 210329 This night will be bad and tomorrow will be beyond imagining.

It's Midwinter's Eve, the day before Will's eleventh birthday. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the familiar countryside around him. This will be a birthday like no other. Will discovers that he has the power of the Old Ones, and that he must embark on a quest to vanquish the terrifyingly evil magic of the Dark.

The second novel in Susan Cooper's highly acclaimed Dark is Rising sequence.]]> 244 Susan Cooper 1416949658 Liz 5 4.04 1973
author: Susan Cooper
name: Liz
average rating: 4.04
book published: 1973
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/30
date added: 2019/12/30
shelves:
review:
I still love this book and still find bits that hit me anew each time I read it!
]]> 44426058
THE END IS HERE!

After surviving adventures in their past, present and future, the Paper Girls of 1988 embark on one last journey, a five-part epic that includes the emotional double-sized series finale. Featuring a new wraparound cover from Eisner Award-winning co-creator CLIFF CHIANG, which can be combined with the covers of all five previous volumes to form one complete mega-image!

Collects PAPER GIRLS #26-30]]> 144 Brian K. Vaughan 1534313249 Liz 4 4.21 2019
author: Brian K. Vaughan
name: Liz
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/29
date added: 2019/12/29
shelves:
review:
As always, great artwork and a lovely, if sort of typical end to the girls' story. Though I have a hard time retaining past volumes for this, and am pretty co fused on how it all came together. Will have to reread all the volumes together next summer or something.
]]> 35227939
This is no such story.

Sometimes, you are an ordinary child.

Sometimes, you have to choose yourself.

This is the story of Lalani Sarita, a twelve-year-old girl who lives on the island of Sanlagita in the shadow of a vengeful mountain. When she makes a fateful wish that endangers her already-vulnerable village, she sets out across the distant sea in search of life's good fortunes. Grown men have died making the same journey. What hope does an ordinary girl have?

Inspired by Filipino folklore, Lalani of the Distant Sea introduces readers to a landscape of magical creatures, such as Bai-Vinca, the enormous birdwoman; Ditasa Ulod, part woman, part eel; the mindoren, a race of creatures modeled after the water buffalo; and the whenbo -- trees that eat the souls of the dead.]]> 304 Erin Entrada Kelly 0062747290 Liz 0 to-read 3.96 2019
author: Erin Entrada Kelly
name: Liz
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 34324629 Indeed, life in Eventown is comforting and exciting all at once. Their kitchen comes with a box of recipes for Elodee to try. Everyone takes the scenic way to school or work—past rows of rosebushes and unexpected waterfalls. On blueberry-picking field trips, every berry is perfectly ripe.

Sure, there are a few odd rules, and the houses all look exactly alike, but it’s easy enough to explain—until Elodee realizes that there are only three ice cream flavors in Eventown. Ever. And they play only one song in music class.

Everything may be “even� in Eventown, but is there a price to pay for perfection—and pretending?]]> 328 Corey Ann Haydu Liz 0 to-read 3.95 2019
author: Corey Ann Haydu
name: Liz
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 39280558
Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished - the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box - she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys....

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time� into a “happily ever after�.]]> 352 Dan Gemeinhart Liz 4
Sometimes the plot strains credibility - and I think the adults in this book sometimes act very immaturely. [spoilers removed] We touch on some issues that don't fully get explored (immigration, LGBTQ discrimination), so it's possible there's a lot of issues crammed in this one book. But the heart of the book - the recovery from grief that Coyote and her father must process - is very well done and extremely moving.

I listened to this on audio and it's an excellent narration by Khristine Hvam. Definitely recommended for readers who like Louis Sachar (his more serious books like Someday Angeline and Holes), Kate DiCamillo, or Sharon Creech.]]> 4.44 2019
author: Dan Gemeinhart
name: Liz
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/10/14
date added: 2019/12/26
shelves:
review:
This was a very sweet book and I think lots of tween readers would enjoy it. Coyote is a very engaging narrator and the plot is a wild ride. The characters are generally very likeable, especially Rodeo and Coyote. The idea of living on a tricked out school bus is a fun concept, and the road trip has many twists and turns.Ěý

Sometimes the plot strains credibility - and I think the adults in this book sometimes act very immaturely. [spoilers removed] We touch on some issues that don't fully get explored (immigration, LGBTQ discrimination), so it's possible there's a lot of issues crammed in this one book. But the heart of the book - the recovery from grief that Coyote and her father must process - is very well done and extremely moving.

I listened to this on audio and it's an excellent narration by Khristine Hvam. Definitely recommended for readers who like Louis Sachar (his more serious books like Someday Angeline and Holes), Kate DiCamillo, or Sharon Creech.
]]> 35924719 Ěý

Birding is My Favorite Video Game is a collection of fun, quasi-educational comics combining weird science facts, cute visuals, sweet wit, and a strong environmental message. Based on the popular webcomic Bird and Moon, this collection does for biology what XKCD does for math and Hark! A Vagrant does for history.
Ěý]]> 112 Rosemary Mosco 1449489125 Liz 5 4.32 2018
author: Rosemary Mosco
name: Liz
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/12/26
shelves:
review:
This was delightful. My only complaints have nothing to do with the content. 1. The field guide size makes sense, but Mosco's art is so delightful I'd love to read it in a larger format. 2. I wish there were more! Here's hoping for volume two!
]]> 27411491 Cult graphic novelist Dylan Meconis offers a rich reimagining of history in this hybrid novel loosely based on the exile of Queen Elizabeth I by her sister, Queen Mary.

When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island’s sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor’s life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself.]]> 400 Dylan Meconis 1536204986 Liz 4 4.14 2019
author: Dylan Meconis
name: Liz
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/24
date added: 2019/12/24
shelves:
review:
Lovely artwork and a sweet story.
]]> 39893619 A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real.

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?]]> 256 Jerry Craft Liz 4 4.13 2019
author: Jerry Craft
name: Liz
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/11
date added: 2019/12/23
shelves:
review:
Very cute, distinct art style, great exploration of what it's like not only to be the new kid, but a minority in an uber-white community. Well-written secondary characters as well as leads.
]]> 40864841 All Freddy Riley wants is for Laura Dean to stop breaking up with her.

The day they got together was the best one of Freddy's life, but nothing's made sense since. Laura Dean is popular, funny, and SO CUTE ... but she can be really thoughtless, even mean. Their on-again, off-again relationship has Freddy's head spinning � and Freddy's friends can't understand why she keeps going back.

When Freddy consults the services of a local mystic, the mysterious Seek-Her, she isn't thrilled with the advice she receives. But something's got to give: Freddy's heart is breaking in slow motion, and she may be about to lose her very best friend as well as her last shred of self-respect. Fortunately for Freddy, there are new friends, and the insight of advice columnist Anna Vice, to help her through being a teenager in love.

Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell bring to life a sweet and spirited tale of young love that asks us to consider what happens when we ditch the toxic relationships we crave to embrace the healthy ones we need.]]> 289 Mariko Tamaki 1250312841 Liz 0 to-read 3.86 2019
author: Mariko Tamaki
name: Liz
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36595887 How did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany's locker?

When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal. She is determined to prove that somehow, Sal planted a raw chicken in Yasmany's locker, even though nobody saw him do it and the bloody poultry has since mysteriously disappeared.

Sal prides himself on being an excellent magician, but for this sleight of hand, he relied on a talent no one would guess . . . except maybe Gabi, whose sharp eyes never miss a trick. When Gabi learns that he's capable of conjuring things much bigger than a chicken--including his dead mother--and she takes it all in stride, Sal knows that she is someone he can work with. There's only one slight problem: their manipulation of time and space could put the entire universe at risk.

A sassy entropy sweeper, a documentary about wedgies, a principal who wears a Venetian bauta mask, and heaping platefuls of Cuban food are just some of the delights that await in this mind-blowing novel gift-wrapped in love and laughter.
]]> 382 Carlos Hernandez 1368045782 Liz 4 4.16 2019
author: Carlos Hernandez
name: Liz
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/12/16
date added: 2019/12/19
shelves:
review:
This was really great! As some of my colleagues have noted, its strength is in its relationships and the "real life" drama - the sci-fi aspect almost seems unnecessary.
]]> 42117981 The Hazel Wood and The Cruel Prince will relish this atmospheric and absorbing book based on Guillermo del Toro’s critically acclaimed movie.

Oscar winning writer-director Guillermo del Toro and New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke have come together to transform del Toro’s hit movie Pan’s Labyrinth into an epic and dark fantasy novel for readers of all ages, complete with haunting illustrations and enchanting short stories that flesh out the folklore of this fascinating world.

This spellbinding tale takes readers to a sinister, magical, and war-torn world filled with richly drawn characters like trickster fauns, murderous soldiers, child-eating monsters, courageous rebels, and a long-lost princess hoping to be reunited with her family.

A brilliant collaboration between masterful storytellers that’s not to be missed.]]> 256 Guillermo del Toro 0062414461 Liz 0 bailed 4.27 2019
author: Guillermo del Toro
name: Liz
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/14
shelves: bailed
review:
DNF due to a terrible reading rut.
]]> 45303582
A not-so-evil queen is terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter and determined to repel this creature and save her kingdom from a world where happy endings aren't so happily ever after.

From the Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, Nebula Award-winning and Sunday Times-bestselling writer Neil Gaiman (American Gods) comes this graphic novel adaptation by Colleen Doran (Troll Bridge).]]> 64 Neil Gaiman 1472262913 Liz 0 to-read 4.01 2019
author: Neil Gaiman
name: Liz
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40000227
Frustrated with the lack of progress in the investigation, Riley decides to take matters into his own hands. So he goes on a camping trip with his friend Gary to find the whispers and ask them to bring his mom back home. But Riley doesn't realize the trip will shake the foundation of everything that he believes in forever.]]> 229 Greg Howard 0525517499 Liz 4 3.92 2019
author: Greg Howard
name: Liz
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/11/29
date added: 2019/11/29
shelves:
review:
Skip the audio version of this. Story is good, though. One if those where the destination enriched the journey.
]]> 41081306
As stories of Paulie's hijinks unfold, his legend builds, until they realize there's only one way to fill the Paulie-sized hole in their class. They'll find their next great Paulie Fink through a reality-show style competition, to be judged by the only objective person around: Caitlyn, who never even met Paulie Fink. Who was this kid, anyway--prankster, performance artist, philosopher, or fool? Caitlyn's quest to understand Paulie is about to teach her more about herself than she ever imagined.

Told via multiple voices, interviews, and other documents, The Next Great Paulie Fink is a lighthearted yet surprisingly touching exploration of how we build up and tear down our own myths... about others, our communities, and ourselves.]]> 368 Ali Benjamin 0316380881 Liz 5 4.04 2019
author: Ali Benjamin
name: Liz
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/21
date added: 2019/11/21
shelves:
review:
Just an all around fun, feel-good book. As an adult, I do feel like Paulie Fink is a bit of a Greg Pikitis to the poor principal, but it's hard not to enjoy a book about a good prankster. And the outcome of the "reality show" was soooo satisfying! I laughed loudly and broadly.
]]> 35398627 New York TimesĚýbestseller and Newbery Honor Book!


A gorgeously written, hopeful middle grade novel in verse about a young girl whoĚýmust leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed.

Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.

At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,� an identity she’s never known before.

But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.]]> 352 Jasmine Warga Liz 4 4.41 2019
author: Jasmine Warga
name: Liz
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/11/08
date added: 2019/11/16
shelves:
review:
Lovely, accessible story for those wanting to know more about the immigrant and/more Muslim experience.
]]> 40117522 A coming-of-age novel about a plague that brings the world to a halt -- and the boy who believes that his town's missing sparrows can save his family.


In the small town of Griever's Mill, eleven-year-old Ben Cameron is expecting to finish off his summer of relaxing and bird-watching without a hitch. But everything goes wrong when dark clouds roll in.


Old Man Crandall is the first to change -- human one minute and a glass statue the next. Soon it's happening across the world. Dark clouds fill the sky and, at random, people are turned into frozen versions of themselves. There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no one knows how to stop it.


With his mom on the verge of a breakdown, and his brother intent on following the dubious plans put forth by a nameless voice on the radio, Ben must hold out hope that his town's missing sparrows will return with everyone's souls before the glass plague takes them away forever.]]> 384 Kurt Kirchmeier Liz 3 3.57 2019
author: Kurt Kirchmeier
name: Liz
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2019/11/14
date added: 2019/11/16
shelves:
review:
I liked the originality of this bizarre glass-plague and the bird metaphors were great, but it didn't really come together for me. I would have liked more of a resolution on the cause and the effects of the plague.
]]> 43626635 Irresistible and authoritative, The Movie Musical! is an in-depth look at the singing, dancing, happy-making world of Hollywood musicals, beautifully illustrated in color and black-and-white--an essential text for anyone who's ever laughed, cried, or sung along at the movies.

Leading film historian Jeanine Basinger reveals, with her trademark wit and zest, the whole story of the Hollywood musical--in the most telling, most incisive, most detailed, most gorgeously illustrated book of her long and remarkable career.
From Fred Astaire, whom she adores, to La La Land, which she deplores, Basinger examines a dazzling array of stars, strategies, talents, and innovations in the history of musical cinema. Whether analyzing a classic Gene Kelly routine, relishing a Nelson-Jeanette operetta, or touting a dynamic hip hop number (in the underrated Idlewild), she is a canny and charismatic guide to the many ways that song and dance have been seen--and heard--on film.
With extensive portraits of everyone from Al Jolson, the Jazz Singer; to Doris Day, whose iconic sunniness has overshadowed her dramatic talents; from Deanna Durbin, that lovable teen-star of the '30s and '40s; to Shirley T. and Judy G.; from Bing to Frank to Elvis; from Ann Miller to Ann-Margret; from Disney to Chicago . . . focusing on many beloved, iconic films (Top Hat; Singin' in the Rain; Meet Me in St. Louis; The Sound of Music) as well as unduly obscure gems (Eddie Cantor's Whoopee!; Murder at the Vanities; Sun Valley Serenade; One from the Heart), this book is astute, informative, and pure pleasure to read.]]> 636 Jeanine Basinger 1101874066 Liz 0 to-read 3.83 2019
author: Jeanine Basinger
name: Liz
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/11/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 37539698 Twelve-year-old Sunny St. James navigates heart surgery, reconnections with a lost mother, first kisses, and emerging feelings for another girl.

When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a "New Life Plan": 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time.

Her "New Life Plan" seems to be racing forward, but when she meets her new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. With the reemergence of her mother, Sunny begins a journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James.]]> 384 Ashley Herring Blake Liz 5 Absolutely lovely! 4.42 2019
author: Ashley Herring Blake
name: Liz
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/11/04
date added: 2019/11/04
shelves:
review:
Absolutely lovely!
]]> 41812473 Will's older brother, Shawn, has been shot.
Dead.
Will feels a sadness so great, he can't explain it. But in his neighborhood, there are THE RULES:

No. 1: Crying.
Don't.
No matter what.

No. 2: Snitching
Don't.
No matter what.

No. 3: Revenge
Do.
No matter what.

But bullets miss. You can get the wrong guy. And there's always someone else who knows to follow the rules...]]> 208 Jason Reynolds Liz 0 to-read 4.29 2020
author: Jason Reynolds
name: Liz
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/10/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 38326884 424 K.A. Holt Liz 5 Another slam dunk by Holt! 4.18 2019
author: K.A. Holt
name: Liz
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2019/10/24
date added: 2019/10/24
shelves:
review:
Another slam dunk by Holt!
]]> 40163373 Ěý
Renegade Women in Film and TV blends stunning illustrations, fascinating biographical profiles, and exclusive interviews with icons like Barbra Streisand, Rita Moreno, and Sigourney Weaver to celebrate the accomplishments of 50 extraordinary women throughout the history of entertainment. Each profile highlights the groundbreaking accomplishments and essential work of pioneers from the big and small screens, offering little-known facts about household names (Lucille Ball, Oprah Winfrey, Nora Ephron) and crucial introductions to overlooked pioneers (Alla Nazimova, Anna May Wong, Frances Marion). From 19th century iconoclast Alice Guy Blaché to 21st century trailblazer Ava DuVernay, Renegade Women honors the women who succeeded against all odds, changing their industry in front of the camera and behind the scenes.]]> 128 Elizabeth Weitzman 0525574549 Liz 0 to-read 4.01 2019
author: Elizabeth Weitzman
name: Liz
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/10/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35277317
ALL-AMERICAN MUSLIM GIRL is a relevant, relatable story of being caught between two worlds, and the struggles and hard-won joys of finding your place.]]> 432 Nadine Jolie Courtney 0374309523 Liz 0 to-read 3.83 2019
author: Nadine Jolie Courtney
name: Liz
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/10/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 39863399 Boyhood meets The Sun Is Also a Star in this unconventional love story by award-winning author Meredith Russo!

Two kids, Morgan and Eric, are bonded for life after being born on the same day at the same time. We meet them once a year on their shared birthday as they grow and change: as Eric figures out who he is and how he fits into the world, and as Morgan makes the difficult choice to live as her true self. Over the years, they will drift apart, come together, fight, make up, and break up—and ultimately, realize how inextricably they are a part of each other.]]> 288 Meredith Russo 1250129834 Liz 0 to-read 4.17 2019
author: Meredith Russo
name: Liz
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/10/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 42190572
Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face—and conquer—her fears.]]> 144 Raina Telgemeier Liz 4 4.29 2019
author: Raina Telgemeier
name: Liz
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2019/09/22
date added: 2019/10/22
shelves:
review:
This wasn't my favorite of her realistic novels, however it was the one I related to the most - and here I was at age 12 thinking I was the only one pooping constantly for no reason other than my wild anxiety.
]]> 38898402
Nemeses! Dragons! Science! Symbolism! All these and more await in this brilliantly subversive, sharply irreverent epic from N.D. Stevenson. Featuring an exclusive epilogue not seen in the web comic, along with bonus conceptual sketches and revised pages throughout, this gorgeous full-color graphic novel is perfect for the legions of fans of the web comic and is sure to win Noelle many new ones.

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren't the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona's powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.]]> 272 N.D. Stevenson Liz 5 4.44 2015
author: N.D. Stevenson
name: Liz
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2015
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/10/21
shelves:
review:
Um, this was frickin' awesome.
]]>