Lara Avery. ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY

Bryce Graham was diving at the Olympic trials when she makes a slight mistake that nearly ends her life. She ends up in a coma for five years. But then she wakes up.

Everyone calls her a miracle. But it takes her a while to settle back into her life. Everyone else has moved on. Her best friend and boyfriend have graduated from high school and college. They are beginning careers. Bryce feels lost and unsure of herself.

Since her old best friend, Gabby, feels distant, she's become close with someone else. A med student named Carter watched over her in the hospital for years. They become close and he helps ease her transition back into every day life.

Although there's one aspect of her recovery that Bryce doesn't tell even Carter about. She begins having visions. Some are of the past, like while she was in the coma, while others are of the future. She isn't sure if her brain is playing tricks on her or if it's a symptom of something wrong. But she doesn't really want to know for sure, so she plans to ignore them - as long as she can.

This was an interesting read. I like the concept of missing five years of your life and trying to "catch up." I'm always fascinated by how the brain works and the effects of trauma to different parts of the brain.

There were some really lovely parts of the book that I enjoyed. Overall, a nice read!

M.L. Stedman. THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS

"Right and wrong can be like bloody snakes: so tangled up that you can't tell which is which until you've shot 'em both, and then it's too late."

Tom Sherbourne takes a job as a lighthouse keeper in Australia, attempting to live a peaceful life down after years in the war. He doesn't expect to find a lovely woman in the nearby town to settle down with. But Isabel takes him by surprise by agreeing to marry him and live with him on the isolated island of Janus Rock.

The two of them enjoy living alone on the island and look forward to starting a family. But after several miscarriages, Isabel becomes distraught and lonely. Their lives change forever one day when a baby turns up on shore in a small boat, along with her deceased father. Isabel feels like it's a miracle sent to them. Tom wants to alert the authorities  She convinces him to wait a day or two just to give her time to take care of the baby and make sure she's okay. Isabel swears that the mother must have drown since there was a women's cardigan in the boat. Tom sees how the baby has brought Isabel back to life and he's torn between doing the right thing and making his wife happy.

The longer they keep the baby, the harder the decision becomes for Tom to do what he knows is right. When they visit the nearby town on shore leave, the decision to keep the baby wreaks even more havoc on his conscious. He must make some difficult choices. And he's not the only one. Isabel has gut-wrenching decisions to make, as well as several other characters. Several families get caught up in this one decision that Tom and Isabel made.

This is an emotional, moral tale that will make you think deeply about what decisions you would make in Tom and Isabel's position. How much hurt would you case a person you love to do the right thing? Do you swallow your own guilt to please your loved ones? Or do you stay true to yourself but sacrifice their happiness?

The writing is exquisite and beautiful. I highlighted many meaningful sections. Here's an unforgettable section about forgiveness.

A character who seems always happy, even after all the bad that's happened to him, he's asked how he does it. He says he chooses to. He can either rot in the past or forgive and forget.

"Oh, but my treasure, it is so much less exhausting. You only have to forgive once. To resent, you have to do it all, every day. You have to keep remembering all the bad things."

Wow. Truer words were never spoken.

Lisa McMann. DEAD TO YOU

At seven-years-old, Ethan was abducted from his front yard. It’s nine years later and he’s been returned to his family.

He’s so happy. His parents and siblings are happy. But after a short while, his brother, Blake, becomes increasingly angry at him. Ethan isn’t sure why. His new little sister has become fast friends with him.  His mother and father are both so thrilled to have their family whole again. What's up with his brother?

Blake begins to question Ethan about the abduction. Ethan can’t remember anything about it or anything before the abduction. Blake makes accusations and begins investigating Ethan. Ethan just wants to be left alone to enjoy his new family. Why won’t Blake leave it alone? Are there really secrets to uncover about the incident?

I enjoyed Lisa McMann's CRYER'S CROSS, so I chose to read this one too. Ethan is a sympathetic character. I felt his pain and longing for his "normal" family. His little sister is a wonderfully engaging character. However, the ending left me wanting more. A lot more. I'm hoping there is a sequel. I'm not a fan of these kind of endings unless there is a sequel. But that's just me. Others loved the ending. You decide! And please, let me know what you think of the ending, if you read it.

Check out Lisa McMann's website. Below is the trailer:

Harlan Coben. SECONDS AWAY

SECONDS AWAY is the sequel to SHELTER, Harlan Coben's new YA series. I loved Shelter, so I was eager to dig into this one. I read it only a few days, which is saying a lot. My schedule right now is very tight, so to be able to knock this one out so quickly shows just how awesome it is!

The story picks up right where it left off. Literally. Mickey is standing in the Bat Lady’s house listening to her story about a photograph of a Nazi torturer who looks strikingly similar to the paramedic who rescued him a few years ago. In other words, the man who took away his father. But that would make this man about 85 years old. Surely, he’s not the same man.

Not only do we have the continuing mystery surrounding the death of Mickey’s father, but we have a new juicy mystery for this installment. Mickey is on the telephone with Rachel moments before shots are fired in her home. Who could be after her? Is she keeping secrets from him? He begins to question whether she has a hidden agenda for befriending him.

This mystery series had seemed so innocent and simple when I first picked up SHELTER, but it sneaks up on you, grabs you and won't let go until you finish! I had a few more late nights with the sequel, and I’m looking forward to even more when the next book comes out!

Click here for the series website.
Check out the trailer below! SECONDS AWAY comes out on September 18th.

Deb Caletti. THE STORY OF US

Cricket has just graduated high school, but is still pondering if she’s going away to college. She is torn between spreading her wings or staying home. In addition to her life being at a crossroads, two relationships in her life are also evolving. Cricket has just told her longtime boyfriend, Janssen, that she isn’t sure about their future. Plus, her mother is getting married. Her mother has been at the threshold of marriage twice before just before suddenly ditching those previous boyfriends. Cricket feels anxious for her mother. She hopes this marriage will work. Cricket, her brother Ben, and their mother go stay at a bed and breakfast for the wedding. They meet up with extended family, as well as her future family members.

Deb Caletti is really stretching her legs in this novel. It feels more complex than her books. She uses an interesting technique to tell the story of Cricket and Janssen. Since Cricket is separated from him, she writes him letters. Their love story is revealed through these letters as she is telling him how she got to this point in their relationship. The novel is told in alternating chapters between her letters and the events leading up to the wedding.

The novel is character driven, as expected from Deb Caletti. It’s contemplative and philosophical. I felt Cricket’s ambivalence to moving on with her life. I vividly remember that point in my life when I had moved out of my family home and needed to take that next step. I feel Cricket’s trepidation about leaving her family and her entire life.

I continue to love Deb Caletti’s writing. She brilliantly picks just the right word at the right time. Again, I have beautiful quotes to share:

Doesn’t this perfectly capture that feeling when you've just graduated high school:

“Gavin said, you could be anyone now that you graduated? You could sit inside the warm, familiar room of someone’s idea of you. Or you could step out the front door and see if they’d been right, or wrong, all along.”

So insightful:

“Egos were hungry things. Like Ben and Janssen, you could feed it breakfast, and a half hour later it would want pizza. You could start out using and end up being used, and by the time I got back up to the house, Amy and Hailey seemed full and happy, and I felt nothing but empty and exhausted.”

My favorite:

“Stories are what you have when the place is gone and the dried-up roses have crumbled and the ring is lost and that old car is finally junked. Stories are where the meaning ends up.”

THE STORY OF US is beautiful, insightful and thoughtful book. Check out Deb Caletti and her other books here. I really loved STAY and THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE

Harlan Coben. SHELTER

You may know Harlen Coben from his adult thriller novels. In fact, Mickey Bolitar, our main character in SHELTER, was introduced in the latest Myron Bolitar novel LIVE WIRE. I didn't realize this until after reading the book. I knew Coben wrote adult novels, but I didn't realize that Mickey was in another of his book. I love it when characters show up in different storylines like that, so now, I'll want to read that book next...

Back to the novel at hand. SHELTER is Coben's first young adult novel and it's great! Mickey Bolitar and his parents had just settled into a new life. Previously, Mickey's parents did charity work around the world, so he lived all over. His parents decided to settle down and give Mickey a "normal" life for the remainder of high school. Ironically, tragedy struck shortly thereafter. After choosing a "safe" life, Mickey's father gets killed in a car accident.

His mother doesn't take it well and ends up in rehab, so Mickey moves in with his uncle Myron. He begins adjusting to high school life somewhat. Meeting pretty Ashley, also new to the school, helps a lot. They become close and he even begins to think of her as his girlfriend. But one day, she vanishes without a trace.

Mickey can't help but investigate and ask questions about what happened to her. But he's also piqued by another mystery. The neighborhood crazy, everyone calls her "Bat Lady," makes a rare appearance outside her house one day. She tells Mickey that his father isn't dead before rushing back in her house. He goes after her, but can't get her to respond to his questions.

Having two mysteries to solve takes a help. Mickey ends up with a few unlikely friends. Spoon is a geeky guy that gets picked on by all, except Mickey. Spoon has a few technical skills that come in handy. Ema is girl who had no friends until Mickey. She's sharp, funny and a great asset to Mickey.

I loved this fast moving mystery. It ends up more complicated than you think it'll be. I loved the varying threads of history woven throughout. Finally, I have to say - thank God there is a sequel! The ending leaves you hanging and you will be dying to read the next book! I highly recommend SHELTER!

Check out the website for the book here and the trailer below:

Will Allison. LONG DRIVE HOME

Have you ever had a day where everything was going wrong and you got so frustrated that you made a poor decision because you were angry? Maybe you lashed out at someone unnecessarily and had to apologize later? Hopefully all that happened was saying something mean. But what if you were having that kind of day and someone lost their life because you became short tempered and angry?

Glen Bauer was taking his daughter home from school and he witnessed several incidents that ruined his mood. He decided to put a little scare into a kid that was driving reckless. But the little scare ended in dire consequences. Even though the scare only took a few seconds, the repercussions reverberated throughout Glen's life for years. After the accident, piece by piece, Glen's family was torn apart. His wife lost faith in him, and his daughter lost her family.

Once I began this book, I couldn't put it down. I was devastated along with Glen to watch how one moment in time can change your whole life. If there was ever a time when you wish you could go back and have a "do-over," this was it for Glen. But unfortunately, life's not like that.

You will not be able to put this one down. You will be on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. You will wish you could talk some sense into some of the characters. Most of all, you will root for Glen and his daughter.

This is an adult book, but appropriate for older teens.

Check out Will Allison here.  LONG DRIVE HOME is his second book, but he's written short stories, as well. I think he's a bright new star in the publishing world!

Garth Stein. THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN

Wow, what a brilliantly written, lovely, moving story! If you have a dog, you'll love this, period. You don't even need to keep reading. Done. But...be polite and read anyway.

We join Enzo on the night before his death. He's telling us a little about his life and then he flashes back to the beginning when his owner, Denny picked him out of the litter. Oh - Enzo's a dog, by the way.

Enzo is lovable right from the start. He is learning all that he can because he believes he will be a man in his next life. (He learned that from television special about Mongolia.) Denny is a race car driver. Enzo watches videos of his races and loves racing just as much as Denny. He and Denny become the best of friends. They understand each other.

Then when Denny brings home Eve, his new wife, the balance changes a little. Enzo isn't the only one Denny loves. Eve doesn't trust or love Enzo yet. However, by the time their baby is born, Enzo is able to win over Eve by vowing to protect Zoe, which he does faithfully throughout the book.

Remember, this is from Enzo's point of view. That may sound strange at first, but the author pulls it off brilliantly. We feel Enzo's struggle to communicate through gestures alone. We feel his love for his family. Most of all, we feel the strong bond between Denny and Enzo - a man and his dog.

The story is dramatic and heart-wrenching. But the writing is what really shines. I have so many post-it note pages that I can't even choose one to share here, like I normally would. There are too many wonderful parts. You must read it for yourself to understand. You will love it! If you're like me, you've often pondered what your dog might be thinking or if he understands you. Well, after this book, you may never look at your dog the way same again.

While reading it, I couldn't help thinking how it would be such an amazing movie. Well, lo and behold, a movie is in development. I'm so excited! Patrick Dempsey is said to be the lead, which is perfect casting, since he races cars in real life. I hope they cast the Enzo narration perfectly too. (Morgan Freeman would be my choice).

One final note - this is an adult book. It's on many of those lists of "adult books for older teens," and teens will love it. But it is an adult book. I just want to be clear.

There is another adapted version of the story for younger readers.

But you'll notice that the title is slightly different, which keeps you from confusing the two. I'm not sure how much is changed in this younger version, although the reviews say that the themes may still be too mature. Younger readers may not enjoy it as much as older readers. I'm sure the demand will be high though, especially after the movie.


If you'd like to see what other books Garth Stein has written, check him out here.

Deb Caletti. STAY

This is only the second book I've read by Deb Caletti, and I already love her! I just looked over my review of THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE and I wasn't surprised to see that I had used quotes from the book, because I'm going to do that again here. Deb Caletti's writing is so spectacular that it's difficult to write the review without sharing some gems with you.

 "I realized that fear and guilt were both cheap and easy emotions, ready and always available, the salt and pepper to the more exotic herbs that took more effort to gather, like courage or determination or regret."

The funny thing is - that quote sums up the book better than I could. After reading the book, go back and read it. You'll see.

Clara knew when she met Christian that it was going to be a turning point in her life. He was "the one." They instantly had a powerful attraction to each other. The fact that he was so impressed with her gave Clara a powerful feeling. So, when things start going downhill, she begins to feel responsible. He begins getting jealous at the drop of a hat, possessive and controlling about where she goes and how she spends her time. Clara rationalizes his behavior and even begins to start believing some things she says about her. She finally decides to break up with him. But Christian will have none of that. He refuses to let her go. Clara and her father move out of town for the summer to get away from him. Will he finally leave her alone? Will she be able to find herself again and heal?

"Empathy took the edge off, and the truth is, we need our edge. Our edge is trying to speak to us, and we are too, too good at shutting it up."

The novel is told in two time periods that meet up together near the end. If that sounds strange, it is. And not too many authors could've pulled it off so smoothly. As we live through Clara meeting Christian and developing their relationship, we are also living through Clara's new life and wondering how the relationship ended. To make the plot even more layered, Clara's father is hiding something from her. Interestingly enough, they are able to help each other in the end.

You will love this! It's deep, moving, complex, suspenseful and brilliantly written! I can't wait to read more from her! For more about Deb Caletti, check her out here. 

By the way, this is one of those books that I think all teenage girls should read, so they know the difference between someone who is good for you and someone who is BAD for you.

Deb Caletti. THE FORTUNES OF INDIGO SKYE

"Hope is not something that fate bestows, like Willy Wonka and the golden ticket, I think then. Hope is a decision."

Let me begin by saying, WOW Deb Caletti is a talented writer. Several times while reading, I lingered over sentences and re-read them several times to enjoy them. (Like the one above)

Here is another line I adore:

"I make a little vow then, to myself. To not let the backs and forths of forgiveness interrupt the steadiness of love."

ok, one more:

"What I am is happy. And maybe that’s the closest definition for the word we can get, a life equation: An absence of wanting equals happiness."

Okay, on to the summary. Indigo Skye is downright joyful about her life. She is a senior in high, who isn't so sure about college, but is OK with her waitressing job. She enjoys the regular customers who come in almost every day. Indigo calls them "irregulars" because they are each unique and quirky in their own ways. But she loves working there. She loves her family, her boyfriend.

One day a smartly dressed guy riding a Vespa shows up for coffee. He doesn't talk much. But after he continues to join them regularly, Indigo tries to get to know him. She even tells him he needs to quit smoking. He's shocked that she cares enough to tell him that. Every day he works with people who merely kiss up to him, never telling him the truth. So, when Indigo is honest with him, he's surprised. After a few weeks of this, he leaves her a surprising tip - 2.5 million dollars.

Indigo is shocked. Her family and friends are shocked. Her father gives her some important advice. He tells her to not let the money change her. It takes her a while to fully understand the meaning of that. And that is what the story is all about. We've all wondered what we'd do if we won the lottery, right? Well, imagine being only a young adult just beginning your life and coming into this amount of money. It's a great book!

As I mentioned, the writing is spectacular. I liked the characters. I enjoyed spending time with Indigo and her quirky friends and family. It was a wonderful experience.

Now, I'm off to add more of Deb Caletti's books to my "to read" pile!
Check out her website to learn more about her. 

Jordan Sonnenblick. AFTER EVER AFTER

Jeffrey isn't a little boy with cancer anymore. He's past all the treatments, the hospital stays, and the community support. He's in the next stage now, which he considers a life-sentence all on its own. Kids aren't sure how to treat him. The one lingering aspect of his cancer is his trouble with math. The chemicals messed with his brain and his ability to work with numbers. His dad is frustrated with Jeffrey, because he's a math whiz himself, so surely his son must be a disappointment. His best friend, Tad, is also a cancer survivor, although he was left with physical damage, rather than mental. He's in a wheelchair. His sharp wit and loyalty is just what Jeffrey needs.

Now in eighth grade, both boys wonder about having a normal life. When Lyndsay, from California, transfers to the school and befriends Jeffrey, he begins to think that maybe he will expeience some normalcy. Then a letter arrives in the mail explaining that all students must pass the state exam in eighth grade, before moving on to high school. It crushes him, until Tad comes up with a plan.

This book balances heavy issues with laughter and lighthearted typical middle school worries better than I've ever seen. During one moment, you're laughing hysterically, then the next moment, you're feeling the weight of events in Jeffrey's life.  But even with two kids and cancer, there is not one single depressing moment. You will be left feeling moved and uplifted. I really love it!

By the way, I listened to the audio version and it was spectacular! Nick Podehl is perfect at altering the voices for the character! At one point, I laughed so hard while on a run that I had to stop and catch my breath! I know I would've enjoyed reading the book also, but it would've been a way different experience.

Also, this book is sort of a sequel to DRUMS, GIRLS & DANGEROUS PIE, but not really. DRUMS features Jeffrey's older brother, Steven, while he was in eighth grade. This one is several years later when Jeffrey is in eighth grade. I did not read DRUMS (yet), and I didn't feel I was missing anything at all. In fact, I didn't even know this tidbit until after I read it.

Click here for more on Jordan Sonnenblick and his fabulous books.

Ellen Booraem. SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS

This book is SO MUCH FUN!! I really adore it! It's creative and truly one of a kind.

Mellie Turpin spends her early years with a fairy named Fidius. She enjoyed Fidius, especially when he turned her squash into candy corn and flicked his wrist to clean up her room. She thought her friends in Kindergarten would enjoy him too, but when she shared her idea to bring him to school, Fidius disappeared. The only thing she had to remember him by was a porcelain look-alike fairy. Unfortunately, Mellie had already promised to bring Fidius to school, so reneging caused a lot of name-calling from the kids at school. They dreamed up the nickname "Fairy Fat."

After hours with the school counselor and her parents convincing Mellie that there really is no such thing as fairies, Mellie finally went on with her life. She convinced herself that Fidius must have been in her imagination.

Years later, when Mellie's grandfather dies, they inherit his small inn and pub. The family decides to move there and fix it up. Mellie is glad to start over in a new town and lose the "Fairy Fat" moniker. However, when investigating the basement pub, she discovers something that she though she left in her crazy past for good. Small persons with wings (don't call them fairies). A bunch of them. They are real and her parents knew it! Not only are they real, but her family has a complicated relationship with them. Furthermore, they have some tough decisions to make about their future.

I loved this for so many reasons. First of all the characters are wonderful! The fairies (I'm just going to call them that here because it's quicker to type & easier to use in sentences than small persons with wings, although after typing all of this, I guess it would've been quicker to just..) anyway, the fairies have such great personalities. Durindana is a riot with her attitude coupled with her sweetness underneath. OMG, I love when she yells "Ai-yi-yi!" Maybe I can start using that on the kids at school. The fairies really are entertaining. They are obsessed with fine things, fancy clothing and high drama. Since they are about 1300 years old, their speech is part English, with Latin and French intermingled.

Melllie is witty and smart, yet still self conscious and afraid to make friends. It's believable that she would resist her neighbor Timmo's friendship. I love the way Mellie's mom tells her that she will "grow into her grandeur." That is one line I will always remember. It's beautiful. Mellie's parents, her grandfather and her friend Timmo are all original, interesting characters that you will adore. (That grandfather - what a sharp tongue. And so funny!)

The plot is unexpected, suspenseful and fast paced. Overall, this is clever and brilliantly executed. I was so sad it was over. I enjoyed spending time in Mellie's world.

Check out the author here - she must be so much fun, since she's written such an entertaining book!

Keith McGowan. THE WITCH'S GUIDE TO COOKING WITH CHILDREN

The title alone would've grabbed me, if I haven't been alerted to this book because it's on next year's Bluebonnet List. When I read the title, I knew I needed to read it right away!

When the first words from the witch's diary say this:

"I love children. Eating them, that is.
I've eaten quite a few children over the centuries. You may wonder where I get them all."

You know it's gonna be good! But that really isn't enough to make a whole book. So then we're introduced to two wonderful children. Eleven-year-old Sol and eight-year-old Connie are siblings. They're unaware of the bizarre situation their parents are in, which is why they aren't curious when their dad drops them off and leaves them in town. However, they're smart kids and are able to figure out some mysteries on their own.

I don't want to give any more away. But you will absolutely love it! The tone reminds me a lot of SCHOOL OF FEAR - with the matter of fact voice and the old-fashioned feel. I loved that tone in Gitty Daneshavari's writing, as well. (LOVE her). But what made me keep reading was the hysterical beginning. What starts out as a sort of re-telling of Hansel & Gretel but ends up way more delicious!

The illustrations by Yoko Tanaka (SPARROW GIRL) give it the old-fashioned, but creepy feel the story deserves! They're perfect!

Suzanne Weyn. DISTANT WAVES: A NOVEL OF THE TITANIC

I was really struck by the beauty of this cover. So I jumped right in without reading the book jacket or anything. I was blown away. It's a magical book!

It begins in 1898 in New York City. After witnessing their mom, Maude Taylor, contact the dead in a seance, the five Taylor sisters encounter an earthquake in the middle of New York City. Actually, what feels like an earthquake turns out to be a science experiment gone awry by the renowned scientist Nikola Tesla. The girls and their mother meet Tesla when he runs outside to save them from the "earthquake." They follow him upstairs to watch him crush his invention to stop the rumble of the city. After an interesting conversation with Tesla, the chance encounter becomes a turning point for their family. Since her husband died a year before, Maude had been struggling to make ends meet, so she decides to move her family to upstate New York to a town known for spiritualists and mediums called Spirit Vale. After a series of fortunate events, she's able to set up shop there to make a living.

Most of the novel occurs before the sailing of the Titanic. This is what makes it such an amazing novel. All of the events that lead up to it are what make the story so compelling. Even after seeing the blockbuster Titanic movie and reading several books about it, I was still entranced by this completely fresh telling of the events. The various historical characters intermingling with the fictional family made it a fascinating read.

The author did a stellar job of  weaving together so many cool aspects of this time period. There was a spiritual movement where many people took psychics and mediums seriously, while other were continually trying to prove them to be fakes. Some of the fascinating people we encounter are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Houdini, John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, WT Stead and the aforementioned Nikola Tesla. The climax of the sinking of the Titanic made for an incredible amount of suspense.

I also loved the Author's Note chapter at the end that explained what was real and what was fiction in the book. I'm usually compelled to do a bunch of research at the conclusion of a historical fiction book, but this was way better, and saved me a lot of Googling at midnight after finishing the book!
I loved this book immensely and now want to read the author's other books.

I can't recommend this book enough! It's fascinating and and the characters are wonderful!

Click here for the author's site.
Check out this cool book trailer:

Lisa Greenwald. MY LIFE IN PINK & GREEN

Lucy Desberg is worried about her family pharmacy. It isn't doing as well as it did in the good old days. Nowadays, people are buying everything at one mega-store, not at a bunch of little stores.While spending her afternoons helping out at the pharmacy, Lucy overhears her mother and grandmother discussing how the pharmacy is in trouble and may have to close down. Lucy can't bear the thought of it closing for good - it's been in their family for generations.

But she doesn't merely worrry, she takes action by implementing new ideas to promote the pharmacy. Her first action happens by accident one Saturday when she saves the homecoming queen's hair on the night of the big dance. Then other teens start coming to Lucy to get their makeup done. Plus, she designs a relaxation room that really catches on with customers. But the biggest act Lucy wants to do to help the pharmacy, she can't do alone. So she enlists her sister to help her. If everything works out, perhaps she really can save her family pharmacy!

This is a fun book that shows girls that they really can make a difference in their lives even at a young age. Lucy is a smart, capable character that I really admire! Lucy's best friend Suny is supportive and a great friend. Suny's brother Yamir is hysterical and quite the character!

I hope to read more from this author. You should check out her fantastic website here. It's really one of the coolest author websites!

Kate Klise & M. Sarah Klise. DYING TO MEET YOU: 43 OLD CEMETERY ROAD BOOK 1

A famous author of ghost stories named Ignatius Grumply moves into a house for the summer to help him focus on writing. He hasn't published anything in 20 years. He moves in to find that there is an 11-year-old boy living there. In his haste to get the lease signed, he didn't read the fine print. Apparently, he's been roped into taking care of the boy and his cat.

To make matters worse, the boy, Seymour, claims there is another occupant living with them, Olive C. Spense, the ghost of the original owner of 43 Old Cemetery Road.

You might assume that an author of GHOST stories would understand and believe Seymour, but you would be wrong. Ignatius thinks the boy is crazy. Plus, he cannot focus on his writing with all the door slamming and piano playing that goes on.

Will Ignatius Grumply be able to make nice and finish his book or will he be forced out - like all the previous occupants before him?

This is a witty, adorable book. The constant word play had me giggling from page one. The quirky characters kept me intrigued to the very last page. I also enjoyed how the whole story is told in letters. It would be a great way to teach children how to properly format letters. Each character has his or her style and signature to tell them all apart.

The second book in the series has already been published. It's going on my "to read" list!

For more on these authors go here.

Lisa Graff. UMBRELLA SUMMER

Annie Richards lost her brother suddenly. He died from a rare heart condition that no one could have known about. That event caused Annie to because extremely cautious in everything she does. When she bikes she wears not only her helmet, but also various pads and tape for her her ankles. She's even been caught wearing her helmet while walking down the street. She becomes engrossed in a book about preventing disease. She figures since they didn't catch what was wrong with her brother that she could easily catch something too. If she feels slightly bad, she fears she has various conditions like African Sleeping Sickness. Plus, she avoids foods she used to love like hot dogs, because they may have e coli. She doesn't see how this is causing her to miss out on her life and normal 10-year-old fun. Her friends and family notice her caution, but aren't able stop her behavior.
Then a very special neighbor moves in across the street. Mrs. Finch has recently lost someone too, so maybe that's why Annie listens to her. They become friends and Mrs. Finch is able to help Annie see how to embrace life again. And maybe Annie can now help her parents learn to move on after her brother's death too.
This was a lovely, charming and funny book. Annie is quite the character. She is able to make you see how all of her precautions make perfect sense. Her voice fells like an authentic 10-year-old girl.
I also love the sense of community and friendship in this book. You won't regret reading this sensitive, hopeful book.

Click here for more about the author & to check out her other books.

Rachel Vail. JUSTIN CASE: SCHOOL, DROOL, AND OTHER DAILY DISASTERS

The last book I read from Rachel Vail was a YA called LUCKY. I loved it! (I still need to read the sequel). When I saw the cover of this one, I was immediately drawn to it, especially since my move to elementary librarian.

Justin is a bit of a worrier. A week before third grade begins, he cannot sleep. He worries about not getting into a good schedule. He worries about what teacher he'll get and whether or not his best friend will be in his class. When school starts, the kids notice his worrying one day when he's devising a back up plan for their project and they nickname him Justin Case. Justin had always wanted a nickname, but not anymore.

The novel is written in a diary format, so we really get to know Justin and all of his idiosyncrasies. He has a community of stuffed animals and they are fighting over who will be mayor. He is terrified of dogs, yet he is more terrified of robbers, so he still begs his parents for a dog. He is an adorable, funny kid, with an equally adorable family. His sister is precocious and sweet. Here is an example of her personality:
After her mom tells her that there are no boyfriends or girlfriends in elementary school, she says, "I know that, Mommy, but I have three boyfriends anyway."

Because Justin is such a worrier, this leads him to believe that he isn't brave. He encounters several situations in the book that cause him to grow and become the boy he needs to be.

I loved Justin, his family and everything about the book! The illustrations were delightful and totally matched the mood of the book! I hope Rachel Vail writes more children's books. I would love more about Justin!
Click here for my review of her YA book LUCKY. Click here for her website.

Susan Beth Pfeffer. THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN

This is a sequel that brings the characters from LIFE AS WE KNEW IT and THE DEAD & THE GONE together. It continues the story of the catastrophic events after the moon was knocked closer into orbit around the earth. It's been a year since the event, and Miranda and her family have settled into a routine of sorts. Miranda and her brothers scavenge the houses around them for whatever they can use. Food it still delivered weekly, although still only enough for two small meals a day. There really isn't much left of the town they live in. There are virtually no people left. 

Then Miranda is surprised by her father, his wife, their baby daughter and three strangers. (One of the strangers is Alex from DEAD & the GONE). Miranda has mixed emotions. It was difficult enough with the four of them alone, but with six more people, how will they manage? On the other hand, she's also thrilled to see her father again. Plus, the baby brings hope of survival. However, just when things are beginning to look up, another tragedy strikes the town, which calls for some heavy decision-making about their future.

I loved the first two novels in this world, so I was thrilled that the author decided to write another. I was eager to see how Miranda and her family continued on after such devastating events. Not to mention, the inclusion of Alex was awesome!

This was action packed, suspenseful and sad. The author does such a wonderful job of creating the mood for this "end of the world" type atmosphere. In all three books, I was so enthralled. And frankly, I'm still not satisfied with the ending. I don't mean this in a negative way at all. I'm just not ready to give these characters up! I still want more. I want to go to more places with the characters to see how the rest of the world is handling everything. Is that asking too much?

If you haven't read the other two, you really must. 

Here are my reviews of the other two:

LIFE AS WE KNEW IT review

More about the author, check out her blog: http://susanbethpfeffer.blogspot.com/

She's got some great stuff on there about all the novels. (pre-writing notes, interviews, etc)



THE DEAD AND THE GONE review

Elizabeth Scott. STEALING HEAVEN

All Danielle has ever known is a life of crime. Her mother and father are thieves. Her father went to prison when she was young, so it's just been Danielle and her mom most of her life. She never went to school. She was home-schooled, sort of. She didn't learn the traditional subjects from her mom. Her skills have been more "occupational" in nature: (they primarily steal silver- easier to fence than items more high-profile, like jewelry). Here is her describing her skills:

"Because of silver I can pry the molding off a window without making a sound. I know how to test for plate even though I don't usually need to. I can drive a car, climb into a house, deal with growling dogs. I know exactly how much your average nineteenth-century tea service weighs - in troy ounces, even- and how many pieces it has....For silver I learned the names of every plantation from Virginia to Florida. I can tell you which ones we've visited, which ones we want to, which ones we never will."

Although her mother thrives on their life of crime, Danielle is beginning to long for more. They travel constantly and never keep clothing or anything that would attach them to any of their burglaries. She wants a place of her own to call home. A place where she can buy things and keep them. She wants to make friends and give her real name. But she's never gone to school, so how would she even work a real job? Where would she even begin?

In this latest town that they're in, Danielle meets a guy that makes her really question her mother's lifestyle choices. She has begun to be more honest than she should with this guy. Several complications arise to thicken the plot. Danielle's mom wants her to steal from someone she's become friendly with. And the guy she's starting to really like is a cop. What will she do? Stick by her mom and do what she wants or betray her mom - the one person who has always supported her.

I've mentioned before how much I love Elizabeth Scott's books. So it's no surprise that I loved this one! I became attached to these characters. Danielle and her mom were both well developed, fascinating characters. I also loved Greg and Allison. The fact that the main characters were thieves was a nice twist. It was a refreshing plot. I highly recommend it!
More on Elizabeth Scott here.

Here are a few of her other books that I've reviewed:
Loved this one: review here


And here's the review of  her latest THE UNWRITTEN RULE  &  finally the review for SOMETHING, MAYBE. You can see I'm a huge fan! Her writing really resonates with me for some reason.
Check her out, if you haven't!