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It has been a LONG TIME since I posted on here. One of my goals for this school year is to utilize this space more effectively.
This week, the library blog is going to recap a few of my favorite reads from the summer. If you're looking for a new book to read, check some of these out.
Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
This was a top-notch read. I was intrigued by the premise (a high school senior history class is given the assignment to research and debate Hitler and the Nazi's use of the Final Solution for Jews during WWII) and wondered how the topic would be handled. The content was well written, the ideas posed were thoughtful, and the idea of inclusivity and understanding went beyond the issues faced in the 1940s and covered issues from contemporary society. The language and the issues posed were also appropriate for readers in middle school, which I was worried about only because the characters in the story are seniors. This did not impact the story and there was nothing graphic that I would be concerned about my 7th and 8th grade students reading. First purchase material, especially for collections where readers are interested in Holocaust literature and/or realistic fiction. (the above review was originally posted on my Goodreads page) 
Many thanks to EdelweissPlus and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
So, Jackson continues to be at the top of her game. This book did NOT disappoint, and I had some pretty high expectations going into it. Jackson's earlier works Allegedly and Monday's Not Coming have been some of my favorite reads, and I love how you are always on the edge of your seat reading her books. As I was reading this one, I texted my coworker and told her she needed to pick it up and start reading (actually, I dared her to read the first chapter and then try to walk away from it). She asked me the next day if my jaw dropped at the end. I said it did, especially the last line. Loved it. Highly recommend. Enchanted has always loved to sing, and now she wants to try to make something of that talent. She goes to a talent audition, and while she doesn't make the cut, she is introduced to Korey Fields, the megastar. He recognizes her talent and they begin texting. The only problem: she's 17 and he's 29. So he says things need to be a secret. And she thinks she loves him. He convinces her parents to let them go on tour, and his controlling behavior begins to spiral out of control. Chanty can't call her parents. She hasn't heard from her best friend Gab since the fight they had before she left (although, no one else seems to remember Gab the way she does). And even when the cops come to do welfare checks, she Chanty knows better than to say anything. Because Korey has connections everywhere and to everything. Told in a split narration style of Now and Then chapters, this is an engrossing, raw look at what happens when we don't believe Black girls. Highly recommend. (this review was originally published on my Goodreads page)
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Here it is, part 2 of my favorite books from 2018. These are some of the BEST YA books that I read this year (some published previously, some new this year, and some still forthcoming). I would categorize these as appropriate for grades 9 and up. All of them got a 5 star review from me on Goodreads.
Realistic The Seven Torments of Amy and Craig by Don ZolidisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This was just what I needed to read. It was a laugh out loud, read lines to my coworkers and giggle together kind of book that also called to mind A Brief History of the Girl Next Door and Why We Broke Up . As Craig says in the very beginning, this is not a story where the two people end up together. And yet, it is still a love story that ends up also being, at it's very core, a coming of age story. Featuring a wonderfully odd, self-described social outcast, this book follows Craig throughout his senior year of high school as he finally finds a girlfriend, the pretty, popular, and shoo-in for valedictorian Amy. Of course, as the title implies, they break up. Seven times. Told in a non-sequential order, each chapter features a moment during their senior year. Their 5th break-up. Their first kiss. How they met. When they meet each other's families. Throughout the year, each family also has their own dramas to deal with and Craig eventually has to face the fact that he might not know Amy (or himself) as well as he thought. Highly recommend for grades 9 and up. There is some language, and some sexual content. Fun fact: it is set in the mid-90s, so as a reader, I loved that aspect, but I would guess that some of our current readers might not find it as funny as I did. :) View all my reviews  We'll Fly Away by Bryan BlissMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book. All the stars to this outstanding novel about friendship, life, struggle, redemption, and the essential question of what defines a person: a solitary moment in their life, or the rest of the days leading up to it. I don't know how I heard about this book, but I put it on hold at the library and was surprised when it was there waiting for me the other day. I almost didn't make time for it (why would I when I couldn't remember who had recommended it or what rabbit trail led me to it), but on a whim I started it. A few hours later, I was almost finished with it and blown away. This is a raw, tension filled look at two friends and what happens when they try to convince themselves that they can save each other, no matter what. I've already recommended it to other high school librarians I know. First purchase material, in my opinion. Recommended for grades 10-12 due to language, some sexual content, and violence. View all my reviews  A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared ReckMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Tabby and Matty have been friends since before they even were aware of each other. Neighbors, best friends, basically family. And now, as they head into high school together, Matty wonders if he will ever be able to tell her that he loves her. Of course not, because the whole "rom-com" aspect is NOT his reality. Plus, Tabby is dating Liam Branson, the one of the best guys in the school (if not THE best guy in the school). And there's no way Matty can compete with him. You guys, this book was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. It was funny. It was sad. It was so real it hurt. The characters are people you want to know and I can't believe I didn't get more time with them. Warning: there are sad moments. So be prepared. Also, even though the characters are freshman, I'm not sure about placing this in a middle school library. There is a lot of language and mention of boners-nothing gratuitous, but something to consider. That being said, it is my early favorite read of 2018. View all my reviews  After The Shot Drops by Randy RibayMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Man, this was a good book. I have had this in my collection (a 6-8 building) for awhile, and have had VERY little traffic with it. Mainly because there is no AR test to go along with it, so many of my kiddos have no incentive to pick it up (that is a HUGE sidenote discussion I don't want to get into here, but it is a thing and Yes, it is frustrating). Anyway, the reason it finally moved up my TBR stack to defcon status is because my Scholastic Book Fair rep told me that this fall they are stocking some "mature" titles and this was one of them. There 's no way I can put this out at my fair without reading it and being able to discuss its merits with my teachers, students, admin, and parents. So, I picked it up. Cons: there is some language in this book. Like, F-word language, more than 10 times. Not every page, and not gratuitous, but there. The other, main concern, for me, was the casual references to smoking pot. Now, this is mainly done only by one character (the other ones decline) and this character is considered to be the bad influence. STILL, this is something to be aware of if you are including this in a middle school collection. Pros: SO VERY MANY. This is a story that makes the reader question what we owe others and if that outweighs what we owe ourselves. Do we have the responsibility to take care of someone, even when they are continuing to make bad choices? At what point are we OK with saying we are cutting ties with them? It is incredibly well-written and so, so, so good. Bunny Thompson is a phenomenal basketball player. So, last year, when he transferred from his local high school to play for the private school across town, some of his old friends were hurt. Disappointed. Betrayed. But Bunny knows that the opportunities he has there (equipment, access, facilities, games, exposure) will pay off in the long run when he is able to go to college and maybe even the NBA, which will allow him to provide for his family. Plus, being at St. Sebastian's gives him a world-class education. Nasir is the friend he left behind at Whitmore. Nas can't understand why Bunny would leave them all behind and doesn't want to be his friend anymore. He can't stand him. And he doesn't care about the whys, all he knows is that he got left behind. Plus now, his cousin Wallace is about to be evicted and nobody is willing to help him out. No one is pulling any strings for him, giving him any special chances, nothing. So when Wallace has an idea that would help him get ahead, and only hurt Bunny in the short-term, Nas has to decide what he is willing to sacrifice. Highly recommend. Most likely appropriate for grades 8 and up. View all my reviews  Internment by Samira AhmedMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Many, many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own. I requested it after seeing the cover on a Booklist Webinar featuring upcoming titles and the cover (and author) were enough to hook me. Once I read the blurb for the story, I knew this had the potential to be amazing. And, spoiler alert, it is. Samira Ahmed has crafted a story that will haunt you, shake you, inspire you, and leave you with a completely unsettled feeling deep in your gut. This is a must-read, first-purchase kind of book. I shared bits and pieces of it with some of my teaching colleagues and they are all clamoring for me to lend out my copy. I can't wait to pass it along and encourage my high school counterparts in the district to order copies. It's my tentative pick for a fall book club read next year. Layla and her parents are taken in the middle of the night to an internment camp in the middle of the desert in California. For some time now there has been rumblings that something like this could happen: first there was the rhetoric of the campaign and presidential election, then the fears about immigrants, then the restricted liberties, then the book burnings, and now the camps. Turned in by their own answers on a recent census, Layla's family is being sent to a camp with all the others who identify as Muslim. There, the situation quickly becomes real and dire. There are armed guards, the Exclusion Guard. There are camp minders, people who turn on and report their neighbors. And a Director, a man who is thriving on his unchecked power. Layla knows that they can't survive here. While her parents encourage her to keep her head down and make the best of the situation, she refuses to do so. Instead, she chooses to resist. I can't recommend this book enough. It was incredible. View all my reviews Mystery/Thriller Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManusMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own. Holy cats, was this a good one. All the stars to this fast-paced mystery/thriller (almost slasher flick-feeling) roller coaster of a book. I picked this up because I wanted to see what McManus would do after her debut One of Us Is Lying , which is a good book on its own, but in my opinion, this is where she has really started to shine as an author. The story is tightly packed, the intrigue is there, the characters are as nuanced as you want them to be in a thriller, and you are still guessing up until the end. I can't wait to get this in my library collection and start handing it out to readers. I had originally put it on my order when I started it, but after reading over 80% of it in one night, I ended up putting more copies on my order because I KNOW it will be that popular. Highly recommend. Ellery and her brother Ezra are heading back to Sadie (their mom's) hometown, a place she couldn't wait to escape. Partly because of how trapped she felt, but also because of the memories of her sister who was taken and never found. Years later, Sadie's favorite babysitter's daughter is also found murdered, and the town develops a dark and sordid reputation. They had all hoped it was in the past, but now there are threatening messages around town with the Homecoming princesses as the new targets. When Lacey Kilduff was found dead, her boyfriend Declan was the main suspect, even though nothing ever came of it. Now, his younger brother Malcolm is a senior in high school and suffering from the same fate as the Homecoming draws closer and his friends, step-sister, and their circle all deal with the tension of worrying if a killer has returned, or if a new one is stepping up to take his place. Like I said, I highly recommend this read. Give to fans of The Naturals series, or those who are ready to make the jump from April Henry to actual thrillers. Suitable for grades 8 and up (there is some language, and some kissing; there is no sex and the violence is not graphic). View all my reviews  Sadie by Courtney SummersMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Every once in a while you read a book and it just resonates with you. The writing, the style, the characters, everything just WORKS, and you leave it feeling renewed with the sense that this is what reading is supposed to be. An escape into a world that you can both recognize and be horrified by, a descent into a story that leaves you captivated and also so very, very unsure. Courtney Summers has done that and more with this story. I loved it. This was incredibly well-done and along the lines of books I consider to be required reading for those interested in YA literature and contemporary issues. Told in two alternating narratives (a podcast called The Girls and a first-person, present tense account from Sadie), this is the story of the search for Sadie and where she went. Sadie's sister Mattie was murdered a year ago, and now Sadie is on the road looking for vengeance. Of course, as we learn from the podcast episodes, something has gone wrong and now Sadie can't be found. To say more about the plot line would be to give spoilers and ruin some of the experience. So, just trust me: you want to read this book. Highly recommend. For those considering purchase for classroom or school libraries: I would say this is appropriate for grades 10 and up due to language, situations, and sexual abuse content. View all my reviews Sci-Fi/Fantasy Restore Me by Tahereh MafiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this book SOOOO MUCH. It was everything I wanted from a continuation of this series and more. I loved getting back into the world of Sector 45, and hearing from both Warner and Juliette was amazing. The twists and turns in this book were great. The only complaint I have is that the ending left me open-mouthed and speechless, searching for more pages, chapters, paragraphs, anything. And the realization that I have to wait for the next book is crushing. Highly recommend. Suitable for grades 9 and up due to some language and sexual situations. View all my reviews  Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi AdeyemiMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fantastic fantasy read. I had heard a ton of hype and buzz about it before it was published and from various other bloggers and friends on social media. Then, it was chosen for Jimmy Fallon's Summer Book Read for 2018, and I finally snagged a copy of it from our local high school library. I am so glad that I did! This was a classic fantasy in that it has a girl with untapped powers, a ruling class determined to eradicate those on lower social scales, and magic. It is nontraditional in that it features many aspects of West African culture and mythology. I loved all of those additions, including the language and spells used by the main characters. The ending was a nailbiting cliffhanger and I can't WAIT for the next book. I am going to be adding this to my middle school collection as well-there is no inappropriate language, no sexual content, and no (graphic) violence. Highly recommend. View all my reviews
Alright, I know, it's embarrassing how long it has been since I put a post on here. But, instead of letting that continue to derail me (what will I say to explain myself? How do I transition back into posting?) I am going to instead just continue on with my regularly scheduled programming. And at the end of the year, that means a top 10 (or in my case, 20) books that I read this year. Note: not all of them PUBLISHED in 2018-some are coming out next year, and some published earlier. I just happened to read them in 2018. All of them got a 5 star review from me on Goodreads, and all of them are books I still think about, recommend, and would enjoy rereading. I am going to divide this up in to 2 posts: Middle Grade and YA.
Middle Grade Titles (grades 5-8)
Here are my top 10 (or so) for middle grade readers (grades 5-8). These are in no particular order:
Realistic Fiction The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie ConnorMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved this one so so much. This is an early front runner for my favorite book of 2018. Mason Buttle is a kid who might seem hard to like: he doesn't always know what to say, he lives in a crumbledown house, and he regularly sweats through his shirt by lunch. But he does have friends. Ms. Blinney in the SWOOF (Social Work Office) and Calvin, the new kid in school. And he used to have a best friend, Benny. But Benny died. And now the police officer keeps asking Mason to tell him what happened. Mason has gone over and over it with him, but the police officer thinks there must be more to the story. Asks Mason to write it down for him. Not that that will help Mason keep it all straight. So, with the death of his old friend hanging over his head, and an accident that happens to his new friend, Mason thinks there might be some sort of bad luck following him around. And he might just deserve it. This is a fantastic story about what it means to be a good friend and a good person. Mason is a character you will want to root for even when he doesn't know how to root for himself. His family is a collection of misfits who still love each other, in spite of and because of their downfalls. Highly recommend. Suitable for grades 5-8. View all my reviews  The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan GemeinhartMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own. This was AMAZING. There's really no other way to say it. I have been a fan of Gemeinhart since I first read The Honest Truth a few years ago, and have enjoyed many of other books. His writing style is so fantastic for middle grade readers. The stories are poignant, the characters are interesting, and the books always, always, tug on your heart-strings. I loved this. It could easily be one of my favorite reads so far this year. I would call this a first purchase, must-buy kind of book. Highly recommend, for all the reasons, for all the readers. Coyote and Rodeo (don't call him her DAD, that's not what they do anymore) have been on the road in Yager, a big yellow school bus, for five years. It's been that long since the accident that took Coyote's mom and her two sisters. That long since they stayed in any one place. That long since they allowed themselves to look back and remember the past. Because as Rodeo says, it's a "no-go." And his no-gos are non-negotiable. But now, Coyote has found out that their old hometown is going to tear down a local park, the park where she and her sisters and her mother buried a memory box. One they were going to dig up in 10 years. One they would come back to and open together. So now Coyote is on a mission to get back to Washington State (she gets the news in Florida) and she has a strict deadline. And she has to do it without her dad figuring it out. No big deal, right? Along the way, Coyote and Rodeo pick up some other travelers, all carrying their own baggage and their own stories. And as they travel across the country, Coyote has to figure out what she is willing to risk in order to make her own rules. To make her own "no-gos." This is an incredible story of how one deals with grief and what it means to let go of the past. I cannot recommend this story enough and am so glad I got to read it. View all my reviews  How We Roll by Natasha FriendMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I burned through this book in an afternoon. I loved it-the characters, the storyline, the writing. I can't wait to get a copy for my library and start handing it off to kids. It is a great Middle Grade appropriate book about some very YA issues. I would say this is a definite first purchase for middle school libraries. Quinn is actually a little relieved when her family up and moves across country from Boulder Colorado to Massachusetts. Her 8th grade year was a major suckfest (according to her) and she hopes that starting 9th grade someplace new will make all the difference. Well, not just starting someplace new, but starting somewhere where people don't already know her and finally feeling OK with using Guinevere. Her long, red-haired wig. Of course, she could also use Sasha, but she thinks that Guinevere is the better choice. This way no one has to know about her alopecia. And she won't have to worry about bothering her parents with her absurdly normal problems when they have more important things to deal with, like her brother Julius, who is on the spectrum. In fact, he's the real reason they moved-so they could send him to a better school. But Quinn isn't sure she likes not telling her new friends the truth about herself. Of if she even likes Guinevere all that much. And, she also doesn't want to screw things up with her new friends by being friends with one of their ex-boyfriends, even if that is all she is with Nick. The boy in the wheelchair. With no legs. He was in an accident earlier and nothing has been the same for him since. Quinn knows what that is like, but she doesn't really want to share too much about herself. Not yet, anyway. But, making friends and starting relationships requires trust. Something she has to figure out. Again, highly recommend. This was a great story and it cements Friend as one of my "go-to" authors. View all my reviews  The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann BradenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Holy cow, I loved this book. It was so, so good. There were so many things to love within it: the characters, the struggles, the writing, the beautiful way that Braden is able to take the complex issues (poverty, domestic abuse, gun control) and write about them in ways that are totally accessible for middle grade readers and in ways that allow for multiple points of view and perspectives. There were so many times reading this that I stopped and paused, savoring over a turn of phrase or a way an idea was presented. Highly recommend. A first purchase type of book for all school and classroom libraries. Zoey doesn't have time to worry about homework, or debate club, or even having friends. She worries about picking up her younger siblings from the Head Start bus, making it to her mom's shift at work on time to get the baby home, and making sure they all have dinner and stay out of Frank and Lenny's way at the trailer. She loves octopuses (you don't have to say "octopi" you know), and uses their many adaptations and skills to try to figure out how to maneuver her own life. Camouflage? Check. Multiple tentacles to wrangle kids? Check. The ability to scrunch up so small you aren't even noticed? Check. But when her Social Studies teacher tells her that sometimes you just have to suck it up, Zoey begins to realize that maybe she can make some other choices. And while they aren't easy, at least they're hers. View all my reviews Historical Fiction Grenade by Alan GratzMy rating: 5 of 5 stars I managed to snag an early copy of this from my Scholastic Book Fair rep and I am so, so, so glad I did. This was amazing. All of Gratz's books are incredibly popular in my middle school (grades 6-8) library and this one will be no different. I can't keep them on the shelves and my only question now is how many copies of this I should order. I know it will be a huge hit at the upcoming book fair and I am glad to have another stellar book to offer my readers. Grenade tells the story of the Battle of Okinawa from two perspectives: Ray, a young marine from Nebraska who is on his first tour, and Hideki, a 14 year old boy in Okinawa who has been conscripted to join a young branch of the military. These two characters are on a collision course with each other across this small island, and when they meet, their actions will change everything. With alternating chapters and points of view, Gratz does what he always does so well with historical fiction: he takes characters and places and makes the reader realize that there aren't just two sides to every story. There isn't just a victor and a victim. There ins't a right and a wrong. There is always a middle ground, a place of understanding, and a place of compassion. Plus, his author's note at the end includes great information on the history of the battle, the island itself, how it rebuilt, and the language choices he made. Highly recommend. This is a first purchase for all library collections that serve middle grade readers. View all my reviews Horror City of Ghosts by Victoria SchwabMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This was fantastic. I had heard from a couple of my "bookish" friends on Twitter that it was one to check out, and I am SO GLAD I listened to them. This was classic middle grade gold: strong storyline, great characters, a bit of spookiness, some humor, some tension, NO romance and NO language. Loved it. Can't wait to get it in the library and hand it off to some readers. Cassidy Blake can see ghosts. Her best friend is a ghost, so that works out. Her parents are ghost hunters, even though they don't really know about her ability to cross the Veil and they aren't sure how much they believe about Jacob the ghost. He's more of an imaginary friend to them. Cassidy is ready for a summer free of ghosts, traveling to the beach, but then her parents change their mind and share their new plans with her: they are traveling to Scotland to shoot the first episode of their new TV series about the most haunted places on earth. Once there, Cassidy has to try to keep herself in the land of the living (for the most part). She also meets Lara, a fellow "in-betweener" who can cross the Veil. Lara tells her their purpose is to send the ghosts on, which Cassidy didn't realize was part of the deal. And, the Red Raven, a soul-stealer of sorts, is after Cassidy. All of this leads to a city-wide adventure with life or death stakes. Highly recommend. Appropriate for grades 5-8. View all my reviews  Small Spaces by Katherine ArdenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fantastically spooky read. While it is written for middle school readers (I'd say grades 5-8) it was still one that left me creeped out at times. Highly recommend. Ollie doesn't want to have any friends, she doesn't want to have any interests, and she doesn't want to go with her class on the trip to the local farm. What she does want to do is read; it's the only thing that has made her escape reality in the year and a half since her mother passed away. It is this love of books that makes her blindly reach out and stop a strange woman at the river who is trying to throw an old book away. Instead, Ollie grabs it and is immediately sucked into the old, strange story of the Webster family and the deal they made with the Smiling Man. So imagine Ollie's surprise when she gets to the farm, sees the current Ms. Webster, and realizes she is the woman from the river. Something isn't right, and when the bus breaks down on the way home, Ollie, Coco, and Brian are the only three who try to escape. Now, it's up to them to figure out a way to save their classmates and find a way home out of the Shadow World. This was a great story-spooky, fantastical, and a stirring look at the reality of grief. Highly recommend. View all my reviews Sports Hooper by Geoff HerbachMy rating: 5 of 5 stars OK, I RARELY read sports books. And when I do, I NEVER give them 5 star reviews. Usually because in order for it to be a true sports book, and not just a realistic fiction book with a team in it, the plays have to be pretty heavy handed, the dialogue and the storyline suffer (in my opinion), and the characters are flat outside of their athletic ability. This was not that type of sports book. Yes, there were plays. Yes the main character was good at sports. Yes, there were plenty of team dynamics. But this was more than just about winning a championship. This was about what it means to be part of a team and what you have to do to earn a spot as a teammate, and more importantly, as a friend. I can not wait to get back to school and recommend this to my students and staff. I am already planning on ordering extra copies. Highly recommend. Adam Reed wasn't always Reed. Before he was Adam Sobieski, a Polish kid abandoned by his father in Warsaw. Now, he has been adopted by Renata and has figured out that he is actually pretty good at basketball. Especially since he's only been playing two years. Even with all of his skills on the court, he still isn't completely accepted at school. But all of that is about to change when Carli, the local college's coaches' daughter takes note of him and decides to help him improve his game. This leads to a spot on an elite traveling team with a group of guys who have been playing together forever. The D1 Fury is all about responsibility and the players have to sign an extensive conduct agreement. When one of the key players is kicked out due to a misunderstanding with the police, social media blows up. And Adam has to figure out what he is willing to risk in order to stand up for what is right. Like I said, this is a highly recommended, first purchase book in my opinion. Give it to kids who like sports books. Give it to kids who want to read about someone learning to stand up for what is right. Give it to kids to get them ready for All American Boys & The Hate U Give . View all my reviews  Checked by Cynthia KadohataMy rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fantastic read. I picked it up because I am always trying to read a few of the sports books we have on the shelves in my library (they aren't what I normally gravitate towards) and this one had a blurb on the back from Jason Reynolds. That was more than enough for me to choose this one for my Thanksgiving weekend read in the car. Connor is a hockey kid. He lives for hockey, practicing multiple times a week and getting ready for tryouts for a new AAA team. His dad has sacrificed a lot for him to be able to play, to practice, to take lessons, etc. Besides hockey, the only thing Connor really has in his life is his dog Sinbad. But now, Sinbad has cancer. And his cop dad cries at night. And money is super tight. Connor knows he will have to make some hard choices, and that things might not turn out the way he wants, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't work hard and give it his all. Highly recommend. This is a great sports book, but it is also a great realistic fiction book about a family and the choices we have to make to support one another. View all my reviews Adventure 24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti BowlingMy rating: 5 of 5 stars Many thanks to Edelweiss Plus and the publisher for providing me with an advance eARC of this for review. All opinions are my own. This was so good everyone. Sooooooo good. I had really high hopes for it after reading and loving Bowling's first novel Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and this completely exceeded them. I loved that while it is still a MG novel that focuses on the power of friendship and what happens when you stick up for yourself and your friends, this one was even more. It was a feel good story wrapped up in an exciting adventure that takes a group of kids, who aren't even friends at first, into an abandoned mine in a mountain that has seen the deaths of multiple people. These kids survive a cave-in and then have to try to find their way out, all while also looking for gold (that they think is just a rumor) to try to bribe the town bully. Kids are going to love this. So will the adults in their lives. I can't recommend it enough. Bowling has taken the idea of adventure literature, infused it with heart and oomph, without tarnishing any of the recklessness of adventure. View all my reviews We are back in the swing of things here at ACMS and I am so excited to share some of what I have been reading lately. I have had the opportunity to read a mix of some upcoming titles as well as some that have been on my list for awhile, so let's get to it! Recent Reads  Deep Water by Watt Key I was so excited to read this one. I have been thinking about picking it up for awhile, especially since his books are pretty popular with my middle school readers. Adventure books aren't my go-to, but I always end up enjoying his. This one was a fast-paced story about a scuba diving excursion gone wrong. The boat leaves the divers behind and they have to try to survive in the Gulf waters. Highly recommend. Current Reads Here are the books I am hoping to get to this week:  Resistance by Jennifer Nielsen This is one that I have had on my radar for awhile and Scholastic sent me a copy in my Book Fair Preview Pack. All of her books are INCREDIBLY popular with my students, and they also love historical fiction, so I'm sure this will be a big hit. Looking forward to reading it, as soon as I can get it back from my husband. He saw it on the counter and snatched it up late Sunday night. Sigh.  Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes I got a copy of this on EdelweissPlus and am excited to read it. I am hoping for a good mystery/thriller. At this time, I'm only a chapter in, so I don't know fully what to expect. What about you? What have you been reading lately? Leave me a comment to let me know what to pick up or add to my list. I'm excited to get back into the groove this school year. Happy Monday!
How is it already another Monday? And the last day of April? I actually started writing out plans for summer staff development emails and scheduling today. AAGGHH!
So, with that in mind, I did get some reading done, but I am also in the midst of trying to wrap up things here and prepare for our first "end of year" in this library. So many things to consider: checkouts, overdues, summer hours (a first for our staff), staff book bags, prep for the summer PD, prep for the new teacher days, inventory . . . you get the idea. But, I did read some good ones and have some May reads that I am VERY excited about.
Recently Finished
OK-I read Wish because it is a Golden Sower Nominee for next year. Overall, it was a sweet, somewhat predictable early Middle Grade book about a girl who is forced to live with extended family while her parents deal with their struggles. She wants to have a family desperately, and tries to find her place in this backward town with hillbillies. While there she catches a stray dog and learns what it means to be a friend.
I read Little Fires Everywhere for my adult book club. It was also "JUST OK." I had heard so many people raving about it that I had some pretty high expectations. In the end, the story was good, but the plot pace and the sense that it was more of a "thinker" than a story with twists and turns, left me wanting more. But the absolute BEST thing about my week was the fact that my library's copy of Ghost Boys came in. I grabbed it off the "to be processed" cart and squirreled it away to read that night. Folks, let me tell you, it was EVERYTHING I wanted it to be. It more than met my expectations. Read it and then hand it to everyone you know. Coming Up Next:
I am just starting Time Bomb right now. I love the premise, but am a bit worried; when I first put it on my TBR list, I saw a review that mentioned the reader didn't like how the Muslim character was portrayed (the book is about a bomb that goes off at a school). Other reviews put it as a great thriller for teens. I'll be sure to post my review when I get done. The other two are ones that have been on my radar for awhile: An American Marriage is my next read for book club and Nyxia Unleashed is my most recent eARC for review.
What about you? Read anything great lately? I am getting ready to submit my final order for the year-any "must reads" I need to be sure to add? Well it has been a while since I posted one of these, but I have done some reading lately and wanted to share some book love. So, without any further ado, here is my current reading life. Recently Finished    OK, so these were some of my recent favorites from my reading lists. First up, Restore Me the 4th book in the Shatter Me series. I love, love, love these books. I BINGED the first three last year and couldn't believe my luck when I found out there was going to be an extension to that trilogy. Let me tell you, this book more than lives up to the first three. There are twists, turns, and some VERY unexpected outcomes. Highly recommend. Next, Truly Devious is a mystery thriller that I was so excited to read. I have a student population who thrives on mysteries and I am always looking for more to add to my collection. This one fit the bill. It works for both upper Middle Grade readers AND YA readers. There are two storylines/mysteries and the ending is a huge cliffhanger. Again, highly recommend. Third, I read Nyxia, book one in a science fiction trilogy. Think dystopian stories, but now set in space. A group of teenagers from all over Earth have been chosen to compete for the right to travel to a new planet where they will mine a unique substance for a billion dollar company. Of course, what they don't know is how intense the competition will get. Or what exactly the company wants to do with the product. I heard about this book from the amazing @bookfin on Twitter and am so glad I picked it up to add to my collection. Finally, I was lucky enough to score an eARC of Puddin' by Julie Murphy. This companion to the amazing novel Dumplin' was so good. If you are looking for realistic fiction, that has a strong female cast, with some chill contemporary YA vibes, this is for you. I love Murphy's writing style, her characters, and their voices. They are all people I want to know and I am so glad I got to read more from them. Working On/Up Next   Right now I am in the middle of Threads by Ami Polonsky. When I picked it up, I didn't realize this was the same author as Gracefully Grayson, which I also loved. This is the story of two girls, one in the states dealing with the recent death of her sister, and one in China who is trapped working in a factory and trying to get help. Their stories intersect. I'm not done yet, but I'm excited to see how it all turns out. This is a quick read that would be perfect for middle grade readers who like dramatic realistic fiction.
Next I am going to read Devils Unto Dust & The Bird and the Blade, two eARCS that I got for review from Edelweiss. I'm looking forward to them and will update with reviews soon. It has been a while since I posted one of these, but I have been reading a ton. So, here's a quick update on what I've recently finished and what I am working on next: Just finished:I just finished eARC copies of both of these books (to be published this Spring) and they were VASTLY different. The Summer of Broken Things by Haddix was a sweet, MG read about two girls who aren't friends but discover they both have a family secret that will connect them in unexpected ways. Perfectly acceptable for middle school students, but a little lackluster in my opinion. Monday's Not Coming by Jackson was OUTSTANDING. After reading this and her debut novel Allegedly, she is on my "must-read" author list. Monday has been friends with Claudia since they started school, and now Monday is missing. But only Claudia seems to be worried about it. This was a stunning look at how kids fall through the cracks, and the pain of losing a friend.   Currently Binging: I just started this series after seeing Margot, formerly of Epic Reads, talk about it on her YouTube channel. It is AMAZING, but definitely adult in content and nature. Be warned. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the series. Up Next:I'm working my way through both of these right now. Devils Within is great, and I'm excited to see where it goes. The Innovator's Mindset is our staff book club Professional Read, so I need to get through it to lend my copy to a coworker.   Has anyone out there read anything FANTASTIC recently that they want to send my way. Even if I am drowning in my TBR stacks, I'm always on the hunt for the next great read. Happy reading all!
Happy Monday! I've been reading some books from my Scholastic Book Fair Preview Pack (here's looking at you Live in Infamy) and trying to catch up on some other middle grade reads.  Current Read: Girl in a Bad Place This was a book at our fall book fair, and it was fairly popular. I didn't pick it up then, but saw it at my local public library over the weekend and decided to give it a try. I started it last night (during the Super Bowl) and the next thing I knew I was a 100+ pages in. Really good start and interesting premise: Mailee's best friend Cara has been having a hard time lately. So when she wants to go visit The Haven, a compound where people live off the land, Mailee agrees. But now Mailee is worried there is something bad going on, and she needs to try to convince Cara before it's too late. Recent Reads: I am Alfonso Jones and Overturned These two VERY DIFFERENT reads were both good in their own ways. I read Overturned because I was hoping to find read-alikes for my students who love the Natural series. This is a good fit; gritty, murder mystery with a feisty main character. Highly recommend. I am Alfonso Jones is a graphic novel that tackles the history of the Black Lives Matter movement. I read this for this month's #yabookchat Twitter chat. It is a good introduction to the topic and does not have any language or sexual content that might be a concern for some collections. Recommend.
While there are still a FEW days left in 2017 (which means I might finish 1 or 2 more books), I wanted to pop in and do a quick post on some of my FAVORITE books from this year. Instead of a top 10 list, I decided to list out some of my favorites in various categories. In all, at this time, I read about 170 books this year and only a few were rereads, so I had a chance to get my hands on lots of new (published in 2017) books and new to me books that I had missed earlier. Favorite Series-The NaturalsSeriously so, so good. Cassie is on the hunt for answers to her mother's murder and gets recruited to join the Naturals, an elite group of 4 other teens who work (unofficially) for the FBI as profilers, lie detectors, and human computers. They can look at cold cases and help them get solved. And now they want to access to live cases to help out and rescue actual victims in time. Part Criminal Minds, part YA, this is a fun, fast, and addictive read. There are currently 4 books, and I am hoping/praying/wishing for more.
Best Graphic Novel-Nimona
Book that made me go "WHAT?": |
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Made me cry, in a good way:
Ms. Bixby's Last Day & When Friendship Followed Me Home
These two middle grade books were incredibly good.
Ms. Bixby's Last Day tells the story of three friends as they deal with their teacher's illness and unexpected departure from school. They set out to give her the last day they think she would have wanted, even if that means skipping school, traveling to a sketchy part of town, and breaking into the hospital.
When Friendship Followed Me Home is the book that have been looking for. It's a John Green worthy title TOTALLY appropriate for middle schoolers. It's the book that I can recommend as a follow-up to the incomparable Orbiting Jupiter. It's about friendship, and family, and what to do when everything seems to be going wrong. And it has a dog.
Ms. Bixby's Last Day tells the story of three friends as they deal with their teacher's illness and unexpected departure from school. They set out to give her the last day they think she would have wanted, even if that means skipping school, traveling to a sketchy part of town, and breaking into the hospital.
When Friendship Followed Me Home is the book that have been looking for. It's a John Green worthy title TOTALLY appropriate for middle schoolers. It's the book that I can recommend as a follow-up to the incomparable Orbiting Jupiter. It's about friendship, and family, and what to do when everything seems to be going wrong. And it has a dog.
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Books that I Keep Recommending
Projekt 1065 & Goodbye Days
These books are INCREDIBLY different but both so good. I have been able to recommend them to almost everyone and people keep falling in love with them.
Projekt 1065: Historical fiction. Spies. A (mainly) unknown aspect of WWII. Highly recommend.
Goodbye Days: This is my favorite Jeff Zentner book. It follows Carver after the deaths of his three best friends. Deaths caused by a car accident when the driver was trying to text him back. Shunned, stunned, and heartbroken, Carver ends up going on Goodby Days with the families of his friends, giving them a chance for closure. Warning: you will cry.
Projekt 1065: Historical fiction. Spies. A (mainly) unknown aspect of WWII. Highly recommend.
Goodbye Days: This is my favorite Jeff Zentner book. It follows Carver after the deaths of his three best friends. Deaths caused by a car accident when the driver was trying to text him back. Shunned, stunned, and heartbroken, Carver ends up going on Goodby Days with the families of his friends, giving them a chance for closure. Warning: you will cry.
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One of the most underrated titles: Every Hidden Thing
This was amazing. It is a love story. Set in the wild west of America as people began looking for dinosaur fossils. There's science. A forbidden love. A rush for scientific discoveries. Betrayal. Deceit. So good and so not what I was expecting.
And finally, a few I am looking forward to in 2018:
Click on book image to go to the Goodreads entry for that book.
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So, what about you? Any I missed in 2017 I need to know about? Anything coming up in 2018 to put on my TBR? Let me know!
This weekend I was able to make some headway on my TBR stack and finish a couple of titles. Some of these were sent to our building as part of a promotional pack for the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. Others were either recently ordered and delivered for our building or are on their way in an upcoming shipment.
Scholastic Titles:
Scholastic Titles:
Sara is a young reporter who is trying to find out what happened to her best friend Linda. Like so many other girls, Linda has been abducted. Sara has to believe she is still alive, if only because her body hasn't been dumped like the others. Sara uses her job as a reporter at a local newspaper to write stories on these missing girls, highlighting a different one each week. But now, the threats that were intermittent, focus on her specifically and her family. She is close to the truth, but what will it cost to find it?
Emiliano is Sara's brother. He is in love with Perla Rubi, a girl from his school who is way out of his league. Her family has more money that he could ever hope to have. But now, a random connection from his side jobs offers him a way in to her world and Emiliano doesn't know how he can pass it up. This chance will give him a way to get everything he has wanted. The only question is if he will still be able to live with himself if he does it.
This narrative follows these two siblings over the course of a week as they grapple with large moral questions and issues, while also trying to find Linda and survive the political situation in Juarez.
Emiliano is Sara's brother. He is in love with Perla Rubi, a girl from his school who is way out of his league. Her family has more money that he could ever hope to have. But now, a random connection from his side jobs offers him a way in to her world and Emiliano doesn't know how he can pass it up. This chance will give him a way to get everything he has wanted. The only question is if he will still be able to live with himself if he does it.
This narrative follows these two siblings over the course of a week as they grapple with large moral questions and issues, while also trying to find Linda and survive the political situation in Juarez.
In this follow up to Sunny Side Up, Sunny is dealing with her older brother Dale leaving to go to military school. She is left to wonder what her family is like now that part of it is missing and if they will ever feel normal again. This book is also a look into 1970's lifestyle and pop culture, which is a fun twist.
The following titles were on my radar because other teachers and librarians have been buzzing about them nonstop!
The plot is deceptively simple: every year or so a boat brings a new orphan to the island and the oldest child leaves. Without fail, every year, a new one comes and one leaves. Always nine. Never more for fear the sky will fall, or at least that's what the rhyme says. None of the kids know for sure, and none of them have ever been willing to risk it. But now that Jinny is the Elder, she doesn't want to leave. She doesn't want to trust there is more out there. But what are the consequences to not following the rules?
This book is an allegorical look at growing up, leaving childhood behind, and dealing with the evils and realities of our world. Part Maze Runner , part Lord of the Flies this story would fit seamlessly into a literature course for students grades 6-9.
This book is an allegorical look at growing up, leaving childhood behind, and dealing with the evils and realities of our world. Part Maze Runner , part Lord of the Flies this story would fit seamlessly into a literature course for students grades 6-9.
Red is an old tree and has been a part of the neighborhood for over 200 years. Red is also a wishing tree, meaning every May 1st everyone in the neighborhood brings wishes, ties them on the branches, and then waits and hopes for them to come true. But this year, something is different. The first wish feels like a threat to the new family in town and Red has to decide if it's worth it to break the one cardinal rule of nature: Don't talk to people.
Throughout the events of a few days, Red has to discover if trees need to just accept their unobtrusive lot in life or if meddling will in fact save the day. Not only for the new family in town but for Red itself since Francesca, the owner, is threatening to cut Red down. And actually has tree trimmers on their way.
Throughout the events of a few days, Red has to discover if trees need to just accept their unobtrusive lot in life or if meddling will in fact save the day. Not only for the new family in town but for Red itself since Francesca, the owner, is threatening to cut Red down. And actually has tree trimmers on their way.
Amy Tasich
Teacher Librarian since 2015. Passionate about literacy and knowledge.
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