My Review
Somehow this book slipped right under my radar, and I hadn’t heard anything about it prior to the awesome folks over at Macmillan Children’s sending me an ARC of it. Intrigued, I opened up the first page of the book, … Continue reading
Synopsis
To twelve-year-old Molly Nathans, perfect is:―The number four
―The tip of a newly sharpened No. 2 pencil
―A crisp white pad of paper
―Her neatly aligned glass animal figurines
What’s not perfect is Molly’s mother leaving the family to take a faraway job with the promise to return in one year. Molly knows that promises are sometimes broken, so she hatches a plan to bring her mother home: Win the Lakeville Middle School Poetry Slam Contest. The winner is honored at a fancy banquet with white tablecloths. Molly is sure her mother would never miss that. Right…?
But as time passes, writing and reciting slam poetry become harder. Actually, everything becomes harder as new habits appear, and counting, cleaning, and organizing are not enough to keep Molly's world from spinning out of control. In this fresh-voiced debut novel, one girl learns there is no such thing as perfect.
Synopsis
Lorna’s adopted sister, Callie, is part of a mysterious group of non-lingual teens, Icelings, born on a remote Arctic island, who may not be entirely human. Now Callie wants to go home.Seventeen-year-old Lorna loves her adoptive sister, Callie. But Callie can’t say “I love you” back. In fact, Callie can’t say anything at all.
Because Callie is an Iceling—one of hundreds of teens who were discovered sixteen years ago on a remote Arctic island, all of them lacking the ability to speak or understand any known human language.
Mysterious and panicked events lead to the two sisters embarking on a journey to the north, and now Lorna starts to see that there’s a lot more to Callie’s origin story than she’d been led to believe. Little does she know what’s in store, and that she’s about to uncover the terrifying secret about who—and what—Callie really is.
My Review
This book has been on my radar since I first heard about it months ago. It seemed like it was going to be the perfect blend of science fiction, family relationships, and a whole bunch of twists that were sure … Continue reading
Synopsis
Years ago, everything changed. Phantoms, massive beasts of nightmare, began terrorizing the world. At the same time four girls, the Effigies, appeared, each with the unique power to control a classical element. Since then, they have protected the world from the Phantoms. At the death of one Effigy, another is chosen, pulled from her normal life into the never-ending battle.When Maia unexpectedly becomes the next Fire Effigy, she resists her new calling. A quiet girl with few friends and almost no family, she was much happier to admire the Effigies from afar. Never did she imagine having to master her ability to control fire, to protect innocent citizens from the Phantoms, or to try bringing together the other three Effigies.
But with the arrival of the mysterious Saul—a man who seems to be able to control the Phantoms using the same cosmic power previously only granted to four girls at a time—Maia and the other Effigies must learn to work together in a world where their celebrity is more important than their heroism.
But the secrets Saul has, and the power he possesses, might be more than even they can handle…
My Review
While I love fantasy novels (they are definitely among my favorite genres), for some reason it seems to take me a bit longer to read them than it does other genres, such as contemporary. While this isn’t always the case … Continue reading
Synopsis
Pusheen returns in a delightful coloring book perfect for fans of I Am Pusheen the Cat.The Internet’s favorite chubby, tubby tabby is back in a purr-fectly cute coloring book featuring adorable kitty drawings that will charm cat lovers and coloring book fans everywhere!
My Review
I love cute things…and I’ll admit it, looking at Pusheen related things always makes me happy, no matter what kind of day I’m having. So when I saw that there was a Pusheen coloring book, I kind of went nuts…I … Continue reading
Lock & Mori: Mind Games Series: Lock & Mori, # 2 Author: Heather W. Petty Publication Date: December 6th, 2016 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Synopsis: Sherlock Holmes and Miss James “Mori” Moriarty may have closed their first case, but the … Continue reading
A Shadow Bright and Burning Author: Jessica Cluess Series: Kingdom on Fire, #1 Publication Date: September 20th, 2016 Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Synopsis: I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I? … Continue reading
Synopsis
After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Wren finds her life thrown into upheaval. And when her mother decides to pack up the car and forces Wren to leave the only home she's ever known, the family grows even more fractured. As she and her mother struggle to build a new life, Wren must confront issues with the environment, peer pressure, bullying, and most of all, the difficulty of forgiving those who don't deserve it. A quirky, emotional middle grade novel set in Michigans Upper Peninsula, Be Light Like a Bird features well-drawn, unconventional characters and explores what it means to be a family and the secrets and lies that can tear one apart.My Review
Be Light Like a Bird was a relatively quick read for me, in that I finished the book in less than a day thanks to the quick chapters and the immersive story line. This heart wrenching middle grade novel explores … Continue reading
Synopsis
An instantly gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller filled with haunted dolls, creepy settings, and horrific twists.When fifteen-year-old Sophie's best friend dies abruptly under mysterious circumstances, Sophie sets off to stay with her uncle and cousins on the remote Isle of Skye. It's been years since she last saw her cousins -- brooding Cameron with his scarred hand; Piper, who seems too perfect to be real; and peculiar little Lilias with her fear of bones.
Sophie knows that in her uncle's house, there are rules she must follow: Make no mention of Cameron's accident. Never leave the front gate unlocked. Above all, don't speak of the girl who's no longer there, the sister whose room lies empty of all but the strange antique dolls she left behind.
As Sophie begins to explore the old house, a former academy for girls shut down long ago, she discovers unsettling secrets that shed light on a dark and dangerous history. But there are some secrets Sophie never expected to uncover. Secrets about her own family. Secrets that suggest Sophie may be in more danger than she could have ever imagined.
My Review
Horror is such a fun genre that is perfect for reading all year – not just during the Halloween season! Frozen Charlotte is a great horror read that would be perfect for reading at any time of the year, and … Continue reading
Synopsis
You are cordially invited to participate in a game of thrills and dares. Tell no one, and come alone. If you dare.Hope is sick of everyone treating her like she’s breakable. Sure, she has cystic fibrosis (basically really bad lungs), but she’s tired of being babied by her mom and her overprotective best friend, Ethan, not to mention worrying about paying for her expensive medication and how she’s going to afford college.And she’s bored with life in her run-down New Orleans suburb.
When an invitation arrives from a mysterious group that calls itself the Society, Hope jumps at the chance for some excitement. This could be her ticket out. All she has to do is complete a few dares and she just might win some real money.
But the Society isn’t all that it seems . . . and soon Hope finds that playing the game isn’t a choice—it’s a requirement.
My Review
I’m not sure what drove me to want to read this book so badly…maybe it was the nifty cover or the clever title…or even that amazing sounding plot. Either way, I was super excited to dive into this one. Dead … Continue reading
Unblemished Author: Sara Ella Series: Unblemished, #1 Publication Date: October 11th, 2016 Publisher: Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins Synopsis: Eliyana has always recoiled from her own reflection in the mirror. But what if that were only one Reflection—one world? What if another … Continue reading
