School teacher by day, Superhero by night

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 22 Jun 2016 15:58:00 +0000

I finally remembered it's a Wednesday before the Wednesday is over! Summer vacation/busy day problems.

The Widow
Jean Taylor loves her husband Glen, even if he is a little controlling and a little by the book. Although Jean loves Glen, she also doesn't seem too sad at the beginning of the book when he's run over by a bus right in front of her. As the story unfolds, the reader learns that Glen was accused of having involvement in the case of a missing pre-schooler, named Bella. It seems, also, that Glen was found in possession of child pornography, despite his best attempts to convince Jean that it was a computer virus.
After Glen's death, Jean consents to give an interview--in the sense that she's too overwhelmed and polite to tell a reporter no. As the reporter fishes further in Jean and Glen's relationship and Bella's disappearance, it becomes evident that Jean may know more than she initially let on. Although this book was compared to The Girl on the Train, I didn't really see that connection--instead it was more of an in-depth look as to how far someone will go to maintain roles of normalcy and what happens when the breaking point appears.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here
It took me awhile to get into this book. Where Mikey lives, odd things happen. Zombies and vampires and, recently, mysterious blue lights in the woods that appear before indie kids die. Mikey's mom is running for a government position, causing him to live on edge and again become overwhelmed by his obsessive compulsive disorder. Meanwhile, his sister is praying to not have a resurgence of her eating disorder that plagued her during her mom's last campaign. Mikey is also in love with Henna, who seems content to friend zone him. There are secondary characters who play a part in this novel, as well, but I'll be honest, I struggled to find any attachment to them. I felt like this book tried to be a fantasy novel and a coming of age novel all at once and it seemed like it mostly missed the mark for me.

Girls on Fire: A Novel
So I enjoyed this novel for pure entertainment value. I didn't think it was the best book, but it had me engaged. My quibble with it was that I felt like the author was trying too hard for an unreliable narrator, but it felt like they were all unreliable and not in an engaging way. Following the suicide of a high school basketball star, quiet Hannah Dexter is befriended by the Kurt Cobain, grunge loving Lacey. Lacey claims that Hannah is a boring name and instead dubs her Dex. Although initially happy to see "Dex" making friends, Dex's parents eventually begin to question the type of power Lacey holds over her. After Lacey is sent to a Christian reform camp, Dex is befriended by Nikki, the popular queen bee of their school. Nikki has a past with Lacey that Dex is unaware of and as the story reaches its climax, it all comes to light. Few of the characters have any redeeming quality, particularly Dex who is content to become what others want her to be--regardless of the cost.

By Lisa Williamson The Art of Being Normal [Hardcover]
David is pretty sure his parents think he's gay, but David isn't gay. Rather, David feels that he is a girl trapped in a boy's body. With every inch taller he grows, David feels he's losing his grip on the only thing he's ever wanted. When David is being bullied in the cafeteria (a regular occurrence), new kid Leo comes to his defense. The two form an unlikely friendship and David finds the courage to tell Leo why he feels different, with unexpected results. Although David is the main character, Leo's story and motivations are equally as interesting. I love that a book like this exists and I hope it will reach its intended audience.

The Fireman: A Novel
With homage to Ray Bradbury, the author creates a novel that settles into a normal world that quickly becomes post-apocalyptic with the spread of a disease called Dragonscale or simply Scale. The infected are marked by a beautiful but eerie black pattern on their body. The eventual cause of death comes when they catch on fire and burn to death. Harper is a nurse who answers the call to treat infected patients, remaining clean herself until she too catches the Scale. In the midst of this, she discovers she is pregnant and vows to stay alive for the baby, but her husband Jakob becomes quickly unhinged and sees that the only answer is to kill Harper and possibly himself. Rescued by a mysterious man known only as The Fireman, Harper learns that their may be a way to live with the Dragonscale after all, but it won't be easy.
Loved this book so much. The storyline stuck with me for days afterward and I loved the resounding message found in many post-apocalyptic novels--as always, the real threat is not the disease or the monsters but the other humans.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things
This book had me so on edge that I ended up staying up late just to finish it in one reading. Jake and his girlfriend, never named, are going to meet Jake's parents. The entire time his girlfriend is thinking of ending things, but she isn't quite sure why. After an odd meeting with his parents, she is even more certain that she should end things. It's hard to discuss this book without giving anything away, but there are minute details that become more important as the book starts to reveal the true twist. I don't think this book will be for everyone, but if you enjoy psychological thrillers that leave you second guessing until the very end, I would recommend this one.

The Memory of Light
This was a sweet, albeit somewhat unbelievable book. Vicky Cruz wakes up at Lakeview hospital, disappointed to be alive after her nanny discovered that she tried to end her life. Through Dr. Desai and group therapy, Vicki meets and becomes intertwined with Mona, E.M. and Gabriel. I felt like the exploration of the loss and depression in the lives of these teens was realistic; however, the constant violation of HIPAA and disregard to patient safety was unrealistic. I wish the author would've stuck close to fact on those parts, but I still felt the characters and attitude toward depression and other mental illnesses was well done.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:04:00 +0000

My library book requests keep pouring in and I want to cry because so many books. Not enough time.

Zero K
I always want to read Don DeLillo novels. Then I remember that I find his writing style hard to get into, but at the point that I remember, I'm too far in to quit. Ross and his wife, Artis, are millionaires. Ross' son Jeff is summoned to say goodbye to Artis, who is about to be cryogenically frozen until the time that there are enough medical advancements to keep her whole and healthy. Much of this book takes place in the compound where Artis is to "die," a strange and cold place where Jeff meets people who both comfort and frighten. It was an odd book, but raises an interesting question... should we be allowed to die when we want, in the hopes of living for a better future?

Everyone Brave is Forgiven
Oh, this book. It had me in tears so many times. Mary North, a wealthy beautiful girl, leaves school and signs up to be part of the war relief. It is London 1939 and the job they give her is to teach children who have been sent from the city to the country. After she becomes too attached to a black child, she is sent back to London, where she applies to teach again. It is here that she meets and falls in love with Tom, eventually becoming acquainted with Tom's best friend, Alistair, who spends his time fighting Italians on the island of Malta. While the book started out slow, it picked up steam during the London blitz and had me hooked on all the stories from that point forward. It isn't happy, not by a longshot, but there is some happiness in the midst of the war.

Asking For It
In the wake of so many stories of young girls getting raped and then blamed for it, this is poignant and timely. Emma is a beautiful Irish girl who has it all. Until a night at a party when she mixes drugs and alcohol an, for reasons outside of her memory, ends up a crumpled sunburnt heap on her front porch the next day. As time goes on, the pictures of what happened that night are leaked to social media and although the pictures make it clear that Emma was not a willing participant, her peers and the media are all too happy to chronicle the many ways in which she was asking for it. This was definitely not an easy read. It raises some interesting societal views without really answering what we can do about them, but I am glad I read this book.

There Will Be Lies
After being hit by a car, Shelby's life changes entirely. She and her mom are on the run, for reasons Shelby doesn't quite understand. Shely is suspicious and doesn't know who to trust, but in the midst of this, she finds herself going to another realm in her sleep. One where she becomes friends with Mark, who is also a coyote, and where she is tasked with killing the Chrone to save the Child. Shelby is unsure who she can trust in either world as the truth about who she is and who she was is slowly revealed. I loved how the author so seemlessly wove fantasy and reality together.

The Ghosts of Heaven
This book was not my favorite, though I did like some of it. The author weaves together four stories, which he says you can read the conventional way or in the order that feels best to you. I chose the conventional way. The first story is of a young girl, drawing spirals in a cave and hoping to be chosen for the hunt. The next is Anna, a girl dealing with the loss of her mother in the midst of being accused of witchcraft. The third is a doctor in an asylum, missing his wife and trying to peice together the mystery of the spiral design, while the fourth is a man on a spacecraft hurtling toward an uncertain world. I really didn't connect to this, not in the way I've connected to other overlapping stories. It was just a book with four stories that could maybe fit together but weren't even that strong to stand alone.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 25 May 2016 17:23:00 +0000

LaRose: A Novel
I was pretty excited about this book because I loved The Round House by the same author, but I struggled to get into this one. Landreaux Iron is out deer hunting when he aims at a buck and instead shoots and kills his neighbor's son, Dusty. In exchange for Dusty, Landreaux and his wife decide to follow the old customs and give their son, La Rose, to the neighbors in exchange for the life Landreaux took. While this storyline itself was solid and I felt could have carried the book, the author shot off in so many different directions that I struggled. You have Romeo, the town drunk, who grew up with Landreaux and his son, Hollis. You have an addicted mother and her daughter, trying to survive on the streets, as well as many other tertiary characters. I struggled to follow along and care, though I was interested in the storylines of the two main families.

Lies We Tell Ourselves (Harlequin Teen)
Sarah Dunbar is integrating an all-white school in the 50s. Following the integration of Little Rock Central High and other schools, she has no idea how difficult her journey will be. Compounding this journey is Sarah's own confusion about her sexuality, especially as she falls in love with the daughter of a very vocal anti-integration activist. I really enjoyed this book, especially having taught about school integration this year. I thought the sexuality struggle added an extra layer to Sarah's voice and made it more interesting.

The Square Root of Summer
I would call this book good, but not great. Following the death of her beloved grandfather, Gottie discovers wormholes and begins reliving days she has already lived. While this concept overall interested me, I didn't feel it was that well executed and ended up confused half the time as to what was really happening vs. what had already happened. Gottie's voice was strong and her struggle over her grandfather's passing, as well as her struggle reuniting with an old childhood friend and crush were believable and carried the novel, but the plot overall didn't engage me.

Unbecoming
Katie struggles to fit in, but she does have one goood friend: Esme. Until Esme asks Katie what her biggest fantasy is and Katie responds by kissing her, causing Esme and her other friends to ostracize Katie. In the midst of this, a grandmother Katie never knew she had shows up and moves in with Katie, her bitter single mother, and her 14 year old mildly mentally disabled brother, Charlie. The book bounces back and forth between Katie, her mom Caroline and her grandmother, Mary. As the book progresses, you understand what motivates all the characters and why they are the way they are. I really enjoyed this book and felt the author did a fabulous job developing all of her characters.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 18 May 2016 13:19:00 +0000

I only read one book this week. Partly because I'm so busy with baseball and school responsibilities that all crop up in May, but also because I'm still binge watching American Horror Story (2/3 of the way through Coven!).

Brother
A friend suggested this book and alluded to how dark it was. Although I am no stranger to reading the dark or the macabre, this book was very twisted. Michael Morrow lives in a cabin in the Appalachian woods with his family. So far removed from the rest of the world, no one hears the screams of the girls that echo through the woods, nor does anyone go looking when these girls turn up missing. Michael's parents, Claudia and Wade, have twisted tastes, as does Michael's brother Ray. Michael has no choice but to participate, but he doesn't enjoy it as the rest of the family does. As the book goes on, you learn more about Michael and why he doesn't quite fit in with the family. The ending was a bit abrupt and I wish the author would've told us more about Claudia and Wade, but overall, this one hooked me. Fair warning, though it is not supernatural, it does reveal to us that the real and worst monsters are human.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 11 May 2016 11:00:00 +0000

I have 12 library holds right now, which of course means that while nothing is coming in at the moment, they will all arrive at once. I'm sure you all know that struggle!

Maestra
There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed, for the drama and seediness of Judith's world. There were also parts that I questioned, where the main character's switch from Judith an office worker to Lauren a paid entertainer of men to, well, a twisted antihero out for revenge seemed a little too fluid for the major changes. Overall, though, this was a pretty darkly entertaining novel. It is a trilogy, though I honestly felt it could have been wrapped up in one book... but maybe the author has other plans to make the character shifts more realistic. Ultimately, I enjoyed it.

Somewhere Out There: A Novel
At the age of ten, Natalie found out she was adopted but was given no information about her birth parents. When her daughter has to complete a family tree, Natalie is again driven to find out about her biological mother--even if it means upsetting her adopted mother. In the process, Natalie discovers her sister, Brooke, a sister she never knew she had. Unlike Natalie, Brooke knew she had a sister and also unlike Natalie, Brooke was never adopted and grew up in the system. The two girls forge a sometimes strained, sometimes strong relationship and together set out to find their mother. This book is told from three perspectives: Natalie, Brooke and Jennifer, their mom. Although this dragged on a little bit for me, the author did an excellent job of fleshing out all three characters--their motivations, their joys and sorrows. Definitely a good summer or beach read.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 04 May 2016 13:53:00 +0000

Um... nothing. How embarrassing is this? Not one single book in a week. In my defense, I had a lull in library holds coming in, plus baseball season started so I'm busy and tired.

But also, I finally started watching American Horror Story and binge watched the first season and started the second this weekend.

So, tell me what you're reading!

ps, did you see the trailer for Me Before You? I can't wait.

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 27 Apr 2016 23:11:00 +0000

Almost didn't make it, but I desperately wanted to finish a book before posting.

Tell Me Three Things
There's something about cutesy, quirky YA romance books that get me every dang time. They're so predictable, and yet, so enjoyable. Jessie is new to her rigorous prep school in LA. Jessie is new to LA, even, having moved from Chicago to California following her dad's remarriage after the death of her mom. As she realizes that she'll never fit in there, she receives an email from an anonymous boy calling himself Somebody/Nobody. SN offers to be her anonymous guardian angel and tell her all the ropes at school, but he won't reveal who he is. Although she eventually starts to fit in, Jessie still relies on SN and desperately wants to know who he is. Although it was fairly obvious to me who SN was, it was still an enjoyable read.

The Great American Whatever
After the loss of Quinn's sister, he gives up on pretty much everything he loves--movie making, script writing, spending time with his friends. When summer rolls around, Quinn's best friend Geoff decides that enough is enough and drags Quinn out of bed, out of the house and back to reality--though a new reality for both. The details of Annabeth's death are put forth slowly by Quinn, intermixed with his own torment over how to tell his mom he's gay and his feelings for the cute new college guy who he meets through Geoff.
I really liked this book. The characters were all likable and the storylines were real, if a bit stretched at times.

Dodgers: A Novel
East, his brother, and two other gang members are sent by East's uncle to Wisconsin to kill a judge who is going to testify in a trial. East has never left the projects of LA, let alone ventured into the Midwest, so it's an adjustment, as well as dealing with his temperamental younger brother. This was a pretty amazing book, to be honest. It was a coming-of-age story in a way, but with a slightly different twist. Most of the storyline involves the journey to kill the judge, then it takes on a life of its own. I definitely found myself rooting for East who, in spite of the world he grew up in, seemed desperately to want to rise above.

Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape
Have girls? Work with young girls? Know a girl? Read this book. Read it. The world teen girls are navigating now is a different world than the one in which most adult women grew up. Sexting, hook ups, nude selfies, blow jobs being the new good night kiss. It's scary, but also so important that we teach girls to advocate and ask for respect, to only do something if they want to do something--not because they're expected to--and that sex should be a two-way street. Also, of course, to teach our boys that being too drunk to really understand consent means it isn't consent and that girls aren't in existence to be pleasure givers. I had an incident at work recently where two boys came to speak to me because a female friend had her butt grabbed in the cafeteria. She urged them not to say anything, saying it wasn't a big deal, but they felt it was a big deal and they wanted to report it. I was--and still am--so proud of them, but also so very troubled by the easy acceptance of girls to things like this and that passivity is really covered in depth in this book.

The Two-Family House: A Novel
1947, Brooklyn. Two babies are born at home in the midst of a blizzard, born by the wives of two brothers who lives in the same two-family house. It is an unusual night, made even more unusual by circumstances that aren't immediately revealed. As the years progress, Teddy and Natalie--the two babies--grow to be the best of friends, while their mothers' relationship becomes strained and angry at times. This book is told from varying perspectives, from Helen and Rose, to their husbands and their children, as well. The characters, though there are many, are all well fleshed out and the story captivating. I had to put this one down at work today after silent reading time, and it was so not easy!

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 11:00:00 +0000

I only read one book this week--too busy outside hiking and enjoying the sunshine!

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos: A Novel
Sara de Vos, as a woman painter in the 1600s, was ahead of her time. The first female painter appointed to the Guild of St. Luke, Sara pushes the envelope by painting landscapes. Thought to be weaker, women were mostly encouraged to paint indoors as exposure to the elements would surely be fateful. Once married and a mother, debt and the plague take both away from Sara.
Sara's only lasting painting echoes her defiance to the society at the time--"At the Edge of the Wood" featuring a young girl on a hill viewing a village. This painting hangs over the head of the bed of Marty DeGroot on his wife. Marty is a wealthy Manhattan lawyer in the 1950s, both powerful and intelligent. After a dinner party, he becomes aware that "At the Edge of the Wood" has been replaced with an almost identical forgery. He sets out to find out who deceived him, eventually crossing paths with Ellie who was behind the forgery.
The story twists between Sara, Marty, and Ellie, eventually interweaving their lives in ways that go beyond the portrait. I absolutely loved this book. Although the plot was complex and it was something I read slowly, the author told a beautiful story.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:21:00 +0000

Seconds Away (Book Two): A Mickey Bolitar Novel
Book 2 in the Mickey Bolitar series. A good continuation of the first book. I really think this would be a great middle level book for boys. Excitement, adventure, some violence and a male protagonist. I enjoyed it.
Found (A Mickey Bolitar Novel)
And the end of the trilogy. Still would definitely recommend this one for upper elementary and middle school boys.

Girl in the Blue Coat
YA Holocaust fiction is always a good read because I feel like it often skims the surface of the Holocaust without being too overwhelming for younger readers, but at the same time, it encourages them to look more into history. It is Amsterdam 1943. Hanneke spends her days running black market errands for her boss. Unlike many characters in Holocaust fiction, Hanneke is helping rich gentiles who are "put out" by all the war rationing. While delivering to one of her clients, Mrs. Jannsen, she asks Hanneke to help her find something outside of her usual--a person. Specifically, a Jewish girl named Mirjam who up and vanished out of the hiding space behind Mrs. Jannsen's pantry. Initially reluctant, Hanneke agrees and finds herself thrust into the heart of the resistance movement.
This was an easy, engaging read. It gave a good view of Holocaust history, how so few people realized the extent of German atrocities.

A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy
I was torn between reading this book and not because I felt it would be difficult. It was. It definitely was, but I finished it in one day because I couldn't tear myself away from Sue's story of how the boy she loved grew up to commit one of the most notorious school shootings. I remember Columbine because I was a junior in high school at the time. I remember thinking, this could never happen here... but it could. It could happen anywhere.
I think it's important to try to put yourself in the shoes of the women who raise children who grow up to do evil acts. It's easy to blame the mothers. I know I blamed Nancy Lanza after Newtown, but she wasn't left alive to absorb the blame as Sue Klebold did and has. Some of the critiques for this book blame Sue Klebold for making too many excuses for her son, for blaming Eric, but what I saw was a mom confused and stunned by her son's actions even all these years later and to some extent, excuses might help her process. Who knows? I certainly don't and certainly hope I never have to know. I think it's a lot easier, too, to find red flags now in a post-Columbine world than it was at this time. I had never done a lockdown drill in my life until after Columbine, and it's important to remember that this, unfortunately, started a new world of schools not being as safe as one could imagine.

All Stories Are Love Stories: A Novel
I found this book a little slow to start, but once it picked up, I really enjoyed it. This book circulates around three main characters: Max, Vashti and Gene. Max and Vashti have a history and on February 14th, she goes to see him on his birthday. After they're together, a major earthquake hits San Francisco and Max and Vashti are trapped beneath the rubble of an auditorium, along with a group of others. Gene is a geologist who knows more about earthquakes than most, yet he is still left wandering the streets of the city trying to get home to his partner. As the story unfolds, the three become connected in ways they never could have imagined. What I loved about this book is that the earthquakes almost became a character themselves, setting so much into motion. I was definitely drawn in by this book once I got beyond the exposition, and I absolutely loved how the author brought it all together.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 10:00:00 +0000

As Close to Us as Breathing: A Novel
This book circles around the loss of Davy, with his sister Molly narrating the story. The reader knows that something happens to Davy at the family's beach house, but it's not immediately apparent what happened. In the midst of this, we are given the backstory between Davy's mother, Ada, and her two sisters, Vivie and Bec, and how their lives and loves and losses have intertwined and continued to intertwine as time moves forward. There were times when I struggled to follow along with the many different stories, but overall, I enjoyed this book and the way the story circled around Davy but was also about so much more.

Lost & Found: A Novel
Millie's mom abandons her in a department store, following the loss of Millie's dad. For awhile, Millie hides out beneath the clothes rack, then stays after the lights go out. Through a series of events, Millie ends up beneath the wings of two 80 year olds who set out to reunite Millie with her mom. Along the way, the two create quite an adventure for Millie. I loved this book. It made me smile and it made me cry. It was an unlikely story but still very enjoyable.

The Nest
The Plumb family is beyond dysfunctional. Melody, Beatrice, and Jack are faced with the loss of their trust fund, following their brother Leo's drunken accident in which he severely injures a 19 year old waitress. Melody has been living beyond her means for awhile, counting on the trust fund (the nest) to send her twin daughters to college. Jack is struggling financially, but doesn't want to let his husband know. Beatrice is a writer who just can't seem to finish her overdue novel. The perspective switches between family members as the story progresses. I loved this one. I definitely did not want to cut short my time with the Plumb family.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour
This is a book that if I were in the intended age level, I really would have enjoyed it. As someone older than the intended age level, I still really liked the story, but I struggled to imagine leaving my child to finish out senior year of high school alone after losing her father in a tragic accident--an accident for which she blames herself. Regardless, this is the plot line, so following it, Amy's mom asks her to drive her car from California to Connecticutt, where Amy's mom now lives. However, Amy won't drive, so Amy's mom arranges for Roger--son of a former friend of the family--to drive back across the country with Amy. The two decide to, as the title suggests, take a detour along the way. I did enjoy this book for the story itself, and I can definitely see teen girls loving it.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Sigh. I've been so tired and so busy and so everything that reading hasn't been a huge part of my life lately and that's sad.

Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel
I found this on a list of good YA thrillers. I'm always looking for YA books that might appeal to boys and chose this one because of the male character. Mickey Bolitar is not having the best time lately. He witnesses his dad die in a car crash, his mom ends up in rehab, and he doesn't really like the uncle with whom he lives. He does, however, meet a great girl named Ashley, but shortly into the school year, Ashley disappears. Not only does Ashley disappear, but it's almost as if she never existed at all. Following the trail of her disappearance, Mickey encounters a shady strip club, an urban legend named Bat Lady, and some clues that his dad's death is more than what it seems. This is part of a trilogy, and I look forward to reading the rest because the mystery definitely hooked me.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 12:00:00 +0000

I've been pretty stagnant with books lately. I have a whole stack of non-fiction sitting on my nightstand and zero desire to read anything that isn't an escape from reality.

Innocents and Others: A Novel
Meadow and Carrie grow up together. The two are connected by their love of film-making and forays into documentaries. On the outside is a woman named Jelly, who cold calls men who are connected to celebrities and forges a relationship with them over the phone. The book goes back and forth between Meadow, Carrie, and Jelly. At times, it was disjointed and I had to remind myself of who was where, but I was overall interested in each of the women and how they eventually connected.

See Jane Run
This book came up on a list of ten best psychological thrillers. I love psychological thrillers and this was one of the few that I hadn't read. It did not disappoint. Jane snaps to suddenly on a Boston street, with no knowledge of who she is or what she's doing. She's wearing a trench coat that she quickly discovers is holding stacks of $100 bills and when she removes the trench coat, she realizes that her dress is soaked in blood--blood that isn't hers. After ending up at the hospital, she's diagnosed with hysterical amnesia thought to be brought on by trauma. Someone eventually recognizes her as the wife of renowned pediatric surgeon Dr. Michael Whittaker and Jane is brought home to begin reconstructing. Or so she thinks. What unfolds is a nightmare in which she is unsure what is reality and what is hysteria.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 15:40:00 +0000

The Passenger
The story opens with Tanya Dubois, a woman whose husband falls down the stairs and dies. Although she had nothing to do with his death, she flees knowing that the police will only bring more questions--as she is not really Tanya Dubois. Nor is she Amelia or Debra or any of the other personas she adopts. As the story unfolds, the reader learns she is fleeing from her past, though it's unclear as to who should be given blame for her past. This one kept me hooked! Great premise and the author did an excellent job of slowly revealing the pieces of the puzzle.

The Forgetting Time: A Novel
Janie is a single mom, after a wreckless night on the beach during vacation. She loves her son, Noah, with all her heart, but he is a very difficult four year old. He suffers nightmares, has an irrational fear of the water, and constantly asks when his other mom will come to get him. Jerome is a psychiatrist who specializes in past life research, believed to be a fraud by some, he strongly insists that some children are born with strong memories of the past life they led and reuniting children with that past life can help ease troubled minds. Janie and Jerome come together to search for Noah's past life, to return him to the mom he claims he had when he was a boy named Tommy. This was really a beautifully written book. I felt the struggles of both Janie and Jerome, but especially Janie as a mom desperately trying to find help for her boy.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 02 Mar 2016 14:38:00 +0000

Perfect Days: A Novel
This was twisted. I went into the ending thinking, "Oh no, the author wouldn't..." and the author did. Teo is an isolated adult. He lives with his parapalegic mom and is medical school, where his only friend is his group's assigned cadaver. One day, his mom drags him to a party where he meets and becomes infatuated with Clarice. Teo obsessively begins calling and following her, until one night, one thing leads to another and he ends up kidnapping her. You get the sense that Teo didn't exactly intend to do this, but now that he's done it, he has no choice but to keep on with the charade and the hope that Clarice will return his affection. This was GOOD. Discomforting but so good.

Violent Ends
17 different stories tell parts of the story of Kirby Matheson, who on one fateful day walked into his school and shot 11 people, then killed himself. These stories, however, don't really tell you why Kirby did it. Not definitively. Written by 17 different YA authors, these stories tell the aftermath of Kirby's actions. They tell of Kirby's childhood. Of the days before the shooting. They tell the stories of the victims. They weave a beautiful tapestry of perspectives that won't easily be forgotten.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 17:45:00 +0000

I wanted to finish the book I was reading and took advantage of the snow day to do so before posting this.

Burning Midnight
One day, brightly colored spheres showed up on earth. Much like the Gold Rush, at first they were just there for the taking, but after awhile, they became sparse. At first, no one knew what they did, until it was discovered that burning (placing them at your temples) a colored pair would have certain outcomes depending on the color. Some make you smarter. More attractive. Faster. Give you the ability to function on little sleep. Like most things, the rarer the sphere, the more amazing the outcome, the more that sphere is worth.
Sully is a teen who makes his living dealing spheres at a flea market. He's notorious for finding the cherry red spheres that triggered a second wave of spheres. As the second wave is running out, Sully and his friend Hunter intensify a search for more rare spheres.
This book was entertaining and unique. I loved the idea of something like this just happening, as well as the way different people reacted. It was definitely not without a sci-fi twist to it, too.

The Sky Is Everywhere
This is by the same author of I'll Give You the Sun and was so very good. Bailey's sister dies suddenly while rehearsing for Romeo & Juliet. In the wake of her death, Bailey is left reeling and unsure of how to move forward. Lennie attaches herself first to her sister's boyfriend, then to Joe, the new boy at her school. She struggles to connect with her grandma and uncle in the way that she did before Bailey's death and she feels that no one quite understands her pain.
I really enjoyed this book. It was realistic and messy.

All the Birds in the Sky
This book was okay. I felt like it was trying to be dystopian, fantasy, coming of age and sci-fi all at once and that didn't really work for me. However, it has good reviews on Amazon, so it could work for you! It begins with Patricia and Laurence, children who are both misunderstood. Patricia wishes to talk to animals and can't figure out how to handle her abusive older sister. Laurence is scientific minded and resents his parents trying to make him like nature. It then moves onto their teenage years, where Patricia ends up at a school for children with magical powers and Laurence ends up at boot camp, following an assassin turned guidance counselor plotting to get rid of him. It finishes with Patricia and Laurence as adults where maybe the world is possibly ending. It just didn't mesh for me. I was hooked at first, but it started to drag after awhile.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 17 Feb 2016 11:00:00 +0000

This extended weekend was beneficial to my reading time! I could use more of those.

Front Lines
I love this whole theme of re-writing history from the "what if" point of view. In this case, what if women were allowed to fight on the front lines during WWII? Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr, and Rainy Schulterman all sign up to fight, all for different reasons. Rio signs up with her friend Jenou, Jenou hoping to escape a horrible home life situation, Rio to honor her sister who was killed at Pearl Harbor. Frangie signs up to get money for her family, in a heavily segregated world where black girls don't have many other options, while Rainy signs up because she's Jewish and the disturbing lack of contact from her Jewish family in Europe gives her the drive to kill as many Germans as she can.
Each story is well told and leads up to the moment where all intertwine. I definitely enjoyed this one!

After Tupac and D Foster
Neeka and her best friend (our unnamed narrator) are growing up at a time where Tupac is very much alive and very much an icon. When the girls meet D Foster, the three create a bond that transcends their issues--the narrator and her single mom trying to make ends meet, Neeka's brother in prison and her crowded home, and D's foster situation in which she hasn't seen her mom for years. This was a short book, but thematically heavy. Prison among African-American males. Homosexuality. Abandonment. Racial and societal pressures. It was a powerful read for any young reader.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
I held off on reading this book because I feel like I always struggle with books translated from Swedish. However, I fell in love with this book and the characters pretty quickly. Sara travels all the way from Sweden to the tiny town of Broken Wheel, Iowa, to meet up with her penpal Amy. When she arrives, she discovers that Amy has died of a not entirely unexpected illness. As Sara stays in Broken Wheel and begins to know--and love--the people in the town, she decides to open a bookstore, although it is arguably the last thing Broken Wheel could use. This book was written in a tone similar to Fried Green Tomatoes or other books about small town nuances where you fall head over heels for the characters. I couldn't put this one down, so much wanting to know what would happen to Sara and Broken Wheel.

My Name Is Lucy Barton: A Novel
Lucy Barton is hospitalized following what should have been a routine appendectomy. Her mother, who she hasn't seen in years, comes to stay with her in the hospital and keeps her entertained from stories of those they knew in their small Illinois town. In the midst of this, Lucy weaves together glimpses from her past, the poverty and abuse that surrounded her, as well as flashes forward to the future she will have beyond her hospitalization. There were points where I wasn't sure if Lucy was an unreliable narrator or if her mother was unreliable, but it was a great narrative.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Slow reading this week because I've been too tired to stay awake very long at night.

The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley
Andrew Brawley lost all of his family in one night, in a horrible accident for which he blames himself. Since then, he's lived in the hospital where his family members breathed their last. He works in the cafeteria during the day and sleeps in an empty wing at night. His truest friend is a comic he created, about a man named Patient F. His enemy is a social worker who he refers to as Death because she always shows up to when people are dying. Drew is drawn into the life of Rusty, a patient who is brought in with severe burns on most of his body, a victim of a hate crime. I loved this book. There were parts of it that seemed almost surreal, but in the end, the author brought it all full circle.

Orphan X (Evan Smoak)
Evan Smoak was a boy taken out of the East Baltimore projects to become a government weapon. He breaks free from the program and uses the skills he learned to help people who are desperately in need of this help. As good as he is at covering his tracks, he isn't perfect and he soon realizes that someone is after him.
This was a good thriller crime novel. It was an easy read that kept me engaged.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Fallout (Crank)
This is the last book in the Crank trilogy. It's told from the POV of three of Kristina's children and basically chronicles the fallout of Kristina's addition and choices through the lives of her children. I didn't like it as much as the other ones, but it still provided an interesting and sad perspective.

We Are the Ants
This book was so engaging. Henry Denton periodically gets abducted by aliens. He never knows when it will happen, and he never knows where or when he will be returned (usually missing some of his clothes). The aliens tell him the world will end on January 29, 2016 (hilariously, I started reading this book on January 28), but Henry has the power to stop it by pressing a red button. Henry, however, isn't sure he wants to, after all, he doesn't know if life is worth living. His boyfriend killed himself and left no reason behind. His brother is a bully and loser who drops out of school and gets his girlfriend pregnant. His beloved Nana has Alzheimer's. His mom is a sad, tired waitress and his dad, well, he's been out of the picture for awhile. In the midst of this, Henry is being bullied by a popular classmate, one who professes his love to Henry behind closed doors.
Most of the book is set in the reality of Henry's life, mixed in with wondering if he should press the button or let the world end how it may fall.

The Whites: A Novel
I started reading this book and then I brought it to school for silent reading time. Then I left it at school and had to stay home with a sick Tommy the next day. Then I managed to leave it at school again, so to say my reading of this book was choppy would be an understatement. However, I still enjoyed it.
Billy Graves is a nightwatch sergeant who keeps in touch with old police friends from the wilder days. Each person has a white, a criminal who got away with murder. Suddenly, the whites start dying and Billy is trying to piece together who is behind it and why, all the while struggling with whether he really cares.
I did struggle to keep track of the many different characters in this book, but that could have been due to my choppy reading. Overall, it was a good detective novel!

Quake (Pulse)
The last book in the Pulse series. I enjoyed this one, it was a good mix of sci-fi and dystopia.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 14:24:00 +0000

Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist
I was a senior in high school when the WTO protests happened in Seattle. As such, I don't recall much about them, but I do remember going to college and seeing a lot of anti-WTO information at my university. I never much understood it, so I was pretty grateful for this for giving me a chance to learn about something new. The real WTO protests in Seattle were among the largest the US had ever seen and very well organized. The police were overwhelmed, meetings were canceled and antiglobalization became a somewhat understood thing after the battle in Seattle.
This book chronicles that day, from shifting points-of-view. Victor, a 19 year old who ran away from home three years prior intends on selling drugs to protestors to make enough money to leave Seattle forever; however, he quickly learns that these aren't the type of protestors who are interested in drugs. Victor's father also happens to be the police chief of Seattle and we see his perspective, as well as two other police officers and a representative from Sri Lanka, who is hopeful that his meeting with President Clinton will bring good things to his small nation. As the day unfolds, it becomes clear that no one is having the day they imagined. Chief Bishop is unable to handle the crowd peacefully and with each decision he makes, he is pushed closer and closer to discovering his son amongst the protestors.
I was enthralled by this book. It was real and emotional and I was absolutely on edge through most of it.

American Housewife: Stories
This book was delightfully twisted. The housewives in this story are certainly not Stepford Wives. They are vengeful, crazed, murderous, reality stars and more. I loved each short story. They were just macabre enough to enjoy and find darkly humorous. Loved the premise and the different viewpoints offered within these stories.

Tremor (Pulse)
This is the second book in the Pulse series which sets forth a dystopian world in which one twisted man has given people powers that involve telekinesis, among other things. As always, these powers are not always used for good and it becomes a battle between two opposing sides. I've been trading these with my students and I am looking forward to reading the conclusion!

Glass (Crank Trilogy)
This is the second book in the Crank trilogy. I think it was very difficult to read, but also so important--especially as someone who lives in a state with a ridiculous meth problem. While I can't pretend to understand why anyone would want to do meth, this book has helped me understand the unbelievable pull meth has on its users--done in part by presenting the drug almost as a character. This book picks up a year after the last, where Kristina is now raising a mostly healthy son. He cries a little more than she thinks he should, but otherwise, he seems unaffected by her drug use. Kristina, unfortunately, is still affected and is constantly fighting the pull of meth--a battle she loses. Kristina is not likable at all. As a mom, it's hard to watch her choose drugs and men over her son, but it's realistic. Although there are some heavy adult themes in here, I still think this is a worthwhile book for teens.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 16:00:00 +0000

I am slowly cranking through books on this mostly tired back to work schedule of mine. Is it summer yet?

The Wrath and the Dawn
This is based on A Thousand and One Nights, which is not something I'm inherently familiar with, so I did a brief scan of the synopsis before reading this. I feel like it deepened my appreciation for this book. Khalid, the 18 year old boy king, is a harsh and unforgiving ruler. As daybreaks, his new bride is found strangled to death and by night, he has a new bride doomed to a death sentence. This is what makes Shahrzad's offer to marry Khalid so stunning, but Shahrzad has a plan to stay alive and extract revenge on Khalid for killing her best friend. As dawn breaks, Shahrzad's storytelling has so captivating Khalid that she will live to see another day. As time and Shahrzad's stories go on, she discovers that the boy king is not the cruel monster she thought and she finds herself falling in love with him. I loved this, and I can't wait to read the sequel... which my library, sadly, does not yet have!

Crank
The author based this book on her own daughter's drug addiction, so that made it that much more powerful to me. It took me awhile to get into this book because it was written in prose, but I loved the story of Kristina who on a summer visit to her father became Bree, a crank addicted girl who is willing to lose everything she once knew for her addiction. This is, I believe, a great book for teens. It doesn't gloss over the never-ending hold that an addiction will have on you.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 15:26:00 +0000

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories
This is a collection of Stephen King short stories that were never officially published in a book, though some of them have been out for awhile. Before each story, he gives a forward and dedicates it to another author. While I'd read some of the stories before, others were unfamiliar. Mostly, it was a collection of macabre--some supernatural, some human. I loved it!

The Infinite Sea: The Second Book of the 5th Wave
The second book in the 5th Wave trilogy. This continues with Cassie Sullivan and her friends, trying to survive an alien race intent on wiping out humanity in various waves. As far as sci-fi dystopia, this is pretty engaging.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 13:00:00 +0000

I only read one book this week. Back to work exhaustion, plus I'm in the middle of by The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King, which is great.. but really long and has also caused some bad dreams as the title mentions, so I'm taking it slow.

Nod
The premise of the book is that one night, none of the world sleeps--save children and a few adults, about 1 out of 10,000. Everyone brushes it off as maybe a weird fluke or some sort of disturbance in the radio waves until it happens again. And again. Scientists and doctors discuss how long one can reasonably live with no sleep, but by this time, humanity has started to crumble. The non-sleepers mistrust the sleepers. Everyone mistrusts the children. It's ugly and manic and exactly what I feel would happen if I stopped sleeping. The honest thought of this made my skin crawl, the frustration of wanting to sleep but being unable? Night after night? No thanks. I quit.
I felt a little let down by the ending of this book, but I mostly enjoyed it.

What are you reading?

What I Read...in December

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 21:39:00 +0000

Hi! I am a terrible book blogger, huh? I'm reading, just not finding time to wrap it all up. 2016 resolution to get back on track with that. Since we're in the midst of an ice storm and I'm all caught up on cleaning and laundry and my kids are tired of spending time with me, I figured I should get this done now before another Wednesday comes and goes. Anyway, I hope you're looking for books to read because I've got them!

More Happy Than Not
Aaron lives in the projects in the Bronx. He's grappling with his father's suicide (in their bathtub) and how to best balance his girlfriend and his friends. In the midst of this, Aaron begins to develop an attraction to his friend Thomas and this makes him consider whether or not he should get something called a Leteo procedure, which makes you forget painful memories--like your father's suicide and struggling with your sexuality. As the story unravels, it appears that Aaron's life on the surface isn't quite as his life is beneath, something that is slowly unfolded to both Aaron and the readers. This novel grabbed me. I thought it would be more sci-fi because of the Leteo Institute, but it wasn't, not at all. It was real and painful to go through Aaron's journey along with him, to realize that he had more behind him than even he realized.

Once We Were Brothers
Elliot Rosenzweig is a respected man in the city of Chicago. Known for his philanthropic ways, as well as for being a Holocaust survivor, no one questions or doubts that he's anything less than a wonderful man. Until he's attacked at a gala event and accused of being a high-ranking Nazi official, Otto Piatek. Although he denies claims that he lived through the Holocaust in a vastly different way, he also drops charges against Ben Solomon, his attacker--a Holocaust survivor who once lived closely with Piatek and claims he would recognize him anywhere. A friend brings Ben to Catherine Lockhart to defend his case, a case she originally sees as a losing battle, until she the evidence begins to unfold itself.

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Simon Spier is struggling with how to reveal that he's gay, plus also... all the normal teenage stuff. Through the means of social media, Simon begins emailing another gay boy at his school, a boy who goes by the moniker Blue. Simon begins to hint pretty strongly at who he is, but Blue doesn't reveal himself as easily. This, of course, causes angst in Simon as he tries to guess Blue's identity, while also trying to figure out how to tell his parents and his friends. I loved this book. Loved it. Simon and his friends were so real, but I think I loved his parents the most. This was just an all-around wonderful read.

The Game of Love and Death
I was afraid this book would be too much like The Book Thief, with Death as an actual character, but it wasn't. Love and Death play a game, involving two babies--Flora and Henry. Living only blocks apart but being born into different worlds, the game is over if Flora and Henry can put aside their differences and fall in love... or if they don't. In one case, Love wins. In the other, Death. Of course, a game isn't without its fair share of meddling, in this case by Love and Death taking on human forms. In the end, only one will prove to be more powerful. And in the actual end of this book, I was in tears.

We Are All Made of Molecules
This book was good, albeit a little too easily tied together. Stewart is 13 and smart, although socially awkward (perhaps on a spectrum, even). 14 year old Ashley is socially with it but intellectually not. The two are brought together when Ashley's mom gets divorced, starts seeing Stewart's dad and Stewart and his dad eventually move in. What follows is an adjustment period for everyone, especially Ashley. I liked this book for what it was, an engaging story and easy entertainment.
Nicolette lives in a world where faeries are real, where she's saddled with no parents and an evil stepmother and two step-sisters. Yes, this is definitely Cinderella with a twist. On her 16th birthday, she discovers a hidden workshop in her house and discovers that although faeries are banned in her world, she can make magic just like her mom. I loved this book for the magical twist on Cinderella. Although it was nothing new, it took the old and made it new.

Mosquitoland
Mim Malone is drug from the Midwest to Mississippi, aptly dubbed Mosquitoland, by her father and new stepmother after her mother becomes ill and is hospitalized. After finding what she thinks is a letter from her mother begging for her to visit, Mim steals her step-mom's money and gets on a bus for Ohio. Along the way, she meets travelers, some good and bad, and discovers quite a bit about her family and who truly loves her.

Challenger Deep
This book. Wow. I feel like YA books either glamorize or gloss over mental illnesses, but this book did neither. Caden Bosch is on a ship headed for the Challenger Trench. But Caden Bosch is also a high school student who is suddenly... changing. No longer attentive in class or to his friends and family, Caden has lost himself. He finds himself by walking miles a day, until his feet bleed, and by trying to learn about the ship and the crew and why he's on this journey. This book seamlessly weaved together Caden's real world and Caden's surreal world, but it made mental illness real and stark. There was nothing glamorous about what Caden was going through, but you felt for him, really felt for him. He didn't ask for the tricks his brain was playing, nor did he ask for his world to be suddenly rocked. There were times when this book was almost too hard to read, but in the end, it all came together. In a world where we like to ignore mental illness and certainly don't fund it enough, this book should be read by everyone.

Wolf by Wolf
The year is 1956 and in this dystopia, the Nazis won World War II. Hitler lives to seize more and more control of Europe, Asia and Africa, as the Aryan race takes new, terrifying power. Yael is a death camp survivor, a victim of Nazi experiments who is left with the power to alter her appearance. She uses this power to enter the Axis Tour, a sort of Nazi Amazing Race with the winner holding the Iron Cross and representing the great Aryan nation. Yael enters as the only female winner, a girl named Adele Wolf, with the ultimate goal of winning and then killing Hitler, hopefully being the spark to start a revolution. Through this, Yael remembers the dead who came before her and wonders if she can be ruthless enough to win at all costs.
I loved this book because I mean, who hasn't wondered what if? What if Hitler won? What if Japan joined in alliance with Nazi Germany? Where would it end? Although this book doesn't answer that question, it certainly explored it.

The Walled City
Told from he perspective of Jin, Mei Yee, and Din, life inside the Walled City (a real historical thing--look it up!) is both bleak and dangerous,whether you are a criminal, a girl forced to work in a brothel or a street kid trying to survive, it isn't easy. Jin ran away from home after her sister Mei Yee was sold into sex slavery. She suspects Mei Yee is in one of the brothels, but must figure out how to find her. Din is a rich kid who made a mistake and now must earn his way back into his society. The three stories come together in one tale of survival. Loved this story and loved the very brief piece of history within it.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 15:51:00 +0000

Pretty Girls: A Novel
Over two decades ago, Claire and Lydia's sister Julia vanished without a trace. 20 years later, Claire and Lydia are estranged. Lydia is a single mom recovering from a drug addiction, while Claire is a wealthy trophy wife with no children. The two reconnect after Claire's husband is murdered and are sent on a dangerous journey in an attempt to find out what happened to their sister. I liked this book for the easy distraction it offered, but I ended with a lot of unanswered questions. While the story itself was engaging, the ending was a little too abrupt. Still a good read!

The Grownup: A Story by the Author of Gone Girl
I definitely wouldn't buy this book because it's so short, but the story itself was great. The narrator, unnamed, makes her living through deception. As a fake palm reader, she encounters Susan who offers to pay the narrator to come look at her evil house. Once there, the narrator realizes she's quickly out of her depth in this house along with Susan's supposedly evil stepson Miles. I liked this story because I wasn't sure who was unreliable: the narrator, Susan, Miles... or maybe all three.

The Martian
The difference between Mark Watney and me is that if I end up trapped on Mars, I am just going to curl up in a crater and die. He, on the other hand, immediately began making a plan for survival. I enjoyed this. It was sci-fi without dystopia. Space exploration without monsters. It's definitely a classic story of survival in unknown elements, and I enjoyed it for that.

What are you reading?

What I Read Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erin) — Wed, 25 Nov 2015 12:18:00 +0000

Hey guys! I still read books. And blog. Occasionally, anyway. The last month or so has been an exhausting spin fest and honestly, every time I think to blog, it's already Thursday and then it's the next Thursday and well, you get it. I have been reading, although I admittedly haven't read anything at all this week. Hoping to change that over the four day weekend.

Pulse
It's the year 2051 and Faith is living in a dystopian world, one where teachers are facilitators and pre-recorded lessons do all the teaching (you know this sone got me), where the world is divided into dome-like sections to protect the people. Only it's never really clear what they're being protected from, but some people choose to live outside the borders. Faith and her parents are such people, but Faith's life changes when she discovers that she is telekinetic and has an ability called pulse, just like another classmate. This ability puts her in danger, but could also be a saving grace to the world in which she lives. Although this book grabbed my attention, it was almost too undeveloped a read. It is part of a series that I have yet to read, so I am willing to give the others a try to see if the world and characters are more developed.

Afterworlds
I love when the book within a book works. In this case, it did. Darcy has decided to forgo college for the time being to move to New York City and finishing editing her already optioned novel, Afterworlds. Over this year, Darcy learns a lot about herself, discovers how to work under pressure and when facing criticism and, oh yeah, falls in love. In the midst of this, Darcy's story about a girl named Lizzie who faces death during a terrorist attack and survives only by slipping into a death-like state. The books switches stories every chapter and for the most part, I found myself equally interested in both Darcy and Lizzie.

Black-Eyed Susans: A Novel of Suspense
Tessa was found barely alive in a Texas field, scattered amongst black eyed Susans and the bones and bodies of other girls. The press calls the girls Black-Eyed Susans, and Tessa's testimony puts a man on death row. Twenty years later, Tessa founds a fresh patch of black-eyed Susans growing outside her window and is fearful to what that means--who left them there if the killer is supposedly in prison? Tessa connects with a legal team working to prove that the man on death row was not responsible, and in the midst of this, Tessa teeters on a constant brink of fear and paranoia. This was a story that set my teeth on edge because it was really suspenseful in the way the author unfolded the story, really leaving me second guessing about every aspect within the novel.

After Alice: A Novel
I feel like Gregory Maguire books are either hit or miss. Wicked and that series was awesome, but others have been pretty meh. I loved this one. Told from the POV of Alice's briefly mentioned friend Ada, who follows Alice into Wonderland, and Alice's sister Lydia, who stays aboveground searching for the girls, this was a delight. Maguire's description of Wonderland isn't a knockoff of Lewis Carroll, but rather a strong extension. Lydia aboveground explores the dynamics of the Victorian era while trying to find her role in society.

Dumplin'
Willowdean, known as Dumplin' by her former beauty queen mom, is smart, funny, sarcastic, a lover of Dolly Parton and--much to the consternation of her mom--overweight. Willowdean mostly doesn't care and is happy with the skin she's in, until she meets Bo, a private school boy who is handsome and seemingly popular. Willowdean struggles because Bo seems as into her as she is into him and she can't fathom if it's just a fun fling or not because she can't see Bo holding her hand in public. In the midst of this, Willowdean decides to join the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant, along with several of her less than beauty pageant-esque friends. I loved this book and absolutely loved Willowdean. This was a great read.

Uprising
A student suggested I read this and I never ignore student requests. This tells the story of the fire at the Triangle Waist Company, which historically killed 146 workers and sparked a change in working conditions. Told from the point-of-view of Bella, Yetta and Jane, this did an excellent job of balancing between history and fiction. Loved it. This would also be great for a younger reader!

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things
It's The Bloggess. Enough said.

The Japanese Lover: A Novel
I really enjoyed this book. There is one part that bothered me, a glossing over of what it means to be a sexual abuse survivor, but other than that, I really enjoyed it.
As Poland falls to the Nazis, Alma's parents send her across the ocean to live with her aunt and uncle. There she meets a Japanese-American boy, Ichimei, and the two grow close--until Pearl Harbor is bombed and he is sent to live in an internment camp. As an elderly woman, Alma is living in a care facility, where she becomes close to Irina, a care worker. As the two grow closer, Irina works with Alma's grandson Seth to unravel the mystery of Alma's past and what Ichimei meant to her. Beautiful story with incredible depth. I couldn't put it down!

What are you reading?