Someone in the House by Barbara Michaels

Anne is a graduate student who is getting tired of her boyfriend.  When Harry gets a fellowship abroad, Anne decides not to go with him.  Instead she accepts an invitation to spend the summer in a restored English Manor house that has been transported to Pennsylvania with a research collaborator, Kevin. At the beginning, the summer seems to be going great.  Anne likes Kevin and Kevin's recently divorced aunt, Bea. But then strange things start to happen.  Kevin seems to be spending the night with a spectral lover, and other supernatural phenomenon trouble the household. Is it a ghost, or some other supernatural entity, and what can they do to get rid of it before something terrible happens?

I am almost embarrassed to blog this book.  I choose it in a hurry because I had finished my last one and didn't want to listen to the radio news all the way to work and back.  I didn't realize at the time it was published in the 80's.  It is a B level supernatural mystery at best.  The "clues" don't really lead to the ultimate conclusion, which isn't really very convincing or satisfying. Still, I enjoyed it enough to finish it. It was a little bit fun to read a story that was pre-cell phone and pre-internet.  The main characters where in college about the same time I was in high school. They had to go to a library to do research and when the lights went out nobody had a camera light they could switch on.  Film had to be taken to the lab to be developed.  It is amazing how many things have changed in how we run our day to day lives. (1981, 304 p.)

Twenty-one Days by Anne Perry

Daniel Pitt is a young lawyer in London in 1910.  His father was the head of London's Special Police branch and Daniel has inherited some of his father's penchant for detective work.  Right after his first big victory in a murder case, Daniel is thrown into another case, one that is more complicated.  Russell Graves, a singularly nasty fellow, had been found guilty of murdering his wife and then burning her body.  Daniel and a crusty veteran lawyer who is working on the case with him have just 21 days to find sufficient reason to call for a retrial. As Daniel digs deeper into the evidence, he soon finds that the suspect has underhanded dealing that touch Daniel personally.  Should he continue to investigate, or let the person who is threatening all the thought he knew about his life hang for a crime Daniel is beginning to believe he didn't commit?

Here is another winning historical mystery by Anne Perry.  This one is more of a court room drama than some of the other books by Perry that I have read.  It has a more complex plot than the last book by her that I read,  with a lot of evidence, red herrings, and unexpected twists and turns.  I was impressed that with all the details Perry introduces as evidence, I didn't really lose track of what was on the table.  She has a way of gently reminding the reader of what has gone on before, without making the story line drag.  This story, as the others I have read by Perry, could be enjoyed by a man or a woman.  It is less gory than something by Michael Crichton, and less sexy, but it has enough suspense and thrills that it doesn't feel like a "cozy mystery."(303 p. 2018)

A Christmas Escape by Anne Perry

James Latterly is mourning the death of his wife and decides to spend Christmas in a remote area of Sicily.  There he connects with the proprietor and one of the visitors, a young 14 year old orphan girl who is under the care of an elderly uncle.  The other visitors are not so pleasant and it is soon apparent that there are serious personal issues behind the vainer of civility. All these concerns, however, are dwarfed by the increasingly ominous rumblings coming from a nearby volcano.  When one of the residents is found dead, Latterly realizes that it the volcano may or may not be the most dangerous thing on the island.

I am starting to consider myself an Anne Perry fan.  I have enjoyed the three books by her that I have read in the last few months.  This one has a pretty unconventional plot line.  I wonder if Ms Perry has written so many books, she is running out of ideas.  Still, she makes it work the same way she makes all her books work, with endearing characters put into thrilling circumstances.  I also liked that the developing relationship is a "father/daughter" kind instead of a romance. Anne Perry may just become another of my "I am having a super stressful week and need a fun book to listen to" authors. (157, 2015)

Factfulness by Hans Rosling

The main purpose of this book is to convince people to make judgement of the world based on facts rather than emotions. Rosling starts the book by asking ten questions about the state of humanity, and then explains that in almost every question, people tend to guess that the world is worse off than it actually is.  He then goes through and systematically explains each question, why people get it wrong, and why the correct answer shows that things really are getting better almost everywhere.

I found this book very interesting, enlightening, and engaging.  I am encouraged by his statistics about progress in quality of life, health care, and education (though in a few places, I think his interpretation of statistics is more "rosy" than the statistics themselves warrant).  Still, I have come to recognize, as he states, that people tend to dwell on the the negative, and since I first learned about this book earlier this year, it really has altered my world view. Not only does he give encouraging statistics, but he also coaches the reader to adopt a more "factfull" approach to analyzing new data. I think this is an important skill and I will likely recommend this book a lot both at work and to my friends and family. (342 p. 2018)

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

Since her mother's death in a small plane crash, Olivia has lost interest in everything she used to love.  She no longer competes in the chess club or makes any effort to have friends. One day she gets in trouble by defending Coco, the new girl in school. She is expelled from school and escapes into a nearby forest on her bike.  There she sees a woman weeping and trying to throw an old book into the stream.  Olivia snatches the book away and takes it home.  As she reads it, an old story unfolds about a curse, and a powerful evil force.  Little does she know that the book's  "fictional" story will soon become her reality.

Here is a seriously creepy book, just right for Halloween thrills and chills.  My blog readers know that I tend compare scary children's books to Coraline, by Neal Gaiman, because that one, in my opinion, went over the line for acceptable creepiness. This one gets close to the line, doesn't quite cross it.  That said, it is not for the faint of heart.  The zombie scarecrows could haunt a sensitive child's nightmares but the scariness is balanced by the plucky nature of the heroine and her friends. For those kids who love spine tingling suspense, this is one of the best that have come along since The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle.  (2018, 218 p.)

The Noel Stranger by Richard Paul Evans

Maggie grew up in an abusive home, but married a handsome and influential man, and also runs a successful catering business. Her "happily ever after" comes crashing down when her husband is arrested for bigamy.  Publicly humiliated, Maggie withdraws until her best friend and employee urges her to get out and start living again.  She decides to start by buying a Christmas tree, and when she gets to the tree lot she meets its rugged and handsome owner, Andrew Hill.  They both fall into a whirlwind romance that takes them to Cabo San Lucas. They have three perfect days together, but then something happens to make Maggie doubt that Andrew is being completely honest with her.

This is my second Richard Paul Evans "Christmas romance" and probably my last.  Like The Mistletoe Promise, it is just too, too, too cliche.  Andrew is too perfect and their time in Cabo is too perfect and all their "sweet nothing" conversation is too perfect.  I know tons of readers love it because Evans is a really popular writer, but the barefaced "wish fulfillment" style is just not my thing. I actually find it a little offensive. It sets up unrealistic ideals that no man could ever live up to, and assumes that all a woman wants is a man with good looks who will spend lots of money on her.  I am probably taking this too seriously (heavy sigh).  It is what it is, and it isn't what I like. (330 p. 2018)

The No 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Thirty-five years old, Mma Ramotswe, has survived a bad marriage and her beloved father's death. Now she must find a way to support herself.  She takes her inheritance money and sets up a small detective agency on her hometown of Gabarone, Botswana.  It is a risky undertaking in a country where women are rarely professionals, but with her hard won wisdom and comfortable personality, she soon has a reputation as someone who "knows what's what."  Her clients range for poor grocers to wealthy business owners, and she hardly ever disappoints.

This is a book that was hugely popular when it came out in 2002 and now there are now more than 20 in the series.  I think the charm of the book is Smith's great characterizations, and the authenticity of the setting. As you read the book, you feel that you could walk into a town in Botswana and the people you would meet and the things you would see would be just as Smith describes.  Another appeal, I think, it that there is a strong feminist vibe going on in the book.  Mma is strong and confident, though not a beauty or a super woman.  More than one local man would love to marry her, but she is pretty convinced that men are the inferior sex, and she is better off without them.  I enjoyed the book and I might read another, or might not. (231 p. 2002)

The Christmas Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

This is technically #23 in the Hannah Swenson Mysteries series, but this one takes the reader back to the beginning before Hannah has even decided to start a cookie shop.  Hannah's father has died and Hannah has come back to help with the funeral.  Hannah's mother is in a deep depression, and to help her get out of it, her friends ask her to organize a city wide Christmas Ball complete with a Christmas Cake Parade.  Hannah is recruited to be the head baker in the endeavor, which ultimately convinces her to take the leap and buy the Cookie Jar. 

You may wonder, after my summary, where is titular murder?  I was wondering the same thing myself.  The first 3/4 of the book consists largely of accounts of Hannah, her mother, and sisters organizing the Christmas party and feeding their faces with a wide range of rich deserts (all recipes included).  The murder doesn't even happen til the last few chapters, and Hannah doesn't really do much to solve it.  I am wondering if Ms Fluke is just running out of ideas.  After 23 books, who could fault her?

Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

Elizabeth Sommers is an orphan who lives with an uncaring and lazy aunt and uncle.  She is totally surprised when they tell her she will be going to a posh resort called Winterhouse for Christmas while they go on a separate vacation.  At Winterhouse she soon finds a friend, Freddy, who shares her love for puzzles and word games.  She explores the resort's vast library and finds a book that is more than it seems.  Soon she and Freddy are caught up in a dangerous mystery that promised to shine a light on the past, but that puts everyone and everything at Winterhouse in peril.

This is a fun middle grade thriller to read at Christmas.  Elizabeth and Freddy are charming word nerds and young readers will enjoy the word games the two are forever playing.  The plot is a bit predictable, but the setting is a lot of fun.  This book has a satisfying ending, but is clearly the first in a series. The second came out in October and the last is scheduled to be released on December 31st. I am not sure if I will read more or not.  The summary of the second book sounds pretty much like the same plot as the first book.  The second one is also set over Christmas break, so maybe I will read it next December (2018, 400 p.)

Gingerbread Cookie Murder (novella collection)

This is a collection of three short mystery novellas, each set at Christmas time and each involving cookies.  The first is a Hannah Swensen story by Joanna Fluke.  The others are by Leslie Meier and Laura Levine respectively.  I must admit I liked the Joanna Fluke one best, but the others were pretty good, too.  All three fit into what I am coming to understand as the Cozy Mystery formula.  The detective is a woman who is not a beauty, maybe a bit frumpy, but very comfortable.  In the third story the main character is married and has grandchildren, but in the other two the main characters are single and past prime marriage age. All three women are compassionate, caring people who just want to help others, and the people who end up dying are pretty nasty and probably made the world better by leaving it. All three stories include recipes either in the middle or at the end.  If you want something fluffy and fun to read over the holidays, this isn't a bad choice. (2010, 304 p.)

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

14-year-old Joan lives on a farm in 1911 with a cruel father and several brothers.  Her mother has died, and Joan is expected to do all the cooking and cleaning for the men.  Her only solace is a few books that a beloved teacher gave her before her father forced her to leave school.  When, one day, her father burns her books and tells her she is worthless and never likely to marry, Joan plots her escape.  Being large and strong for her age, she is able to pass as an 18-year-old and is hired by a wealthy Jewish family , the Rosenbachs, as a "hired girl"--a cook and maid. They are good to her and for the first time she has a little spending money to buy books and small luxuries. Things get complicated when she finds herself falling in love with the youngest son of her employer. Could things every work out between a poor catholic girl and a rich Jewish boy who, against his father's will, would love to be an artist?

This title got a lot of positive reviews and won several awards when it came out in 2015 and it deserved every one.  Joan is funny, intelligent, and very much an authentic 14-year-old. All the members of the Rosenbach family are well drawn and interestingly complex.  Schlitz weaves both rye humor and serious issues into a delightful and meaningful tapestry.  This is one of my favorite books I have listened to lately.  The reader of the audiobook is wonderful.  (400 p. 2015)

A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter

Lady Miranda has spent her whole life learning "Lady Lessons" from her mother,  "A lady never shows her discomfort in company","a lady always wears gloves in public."  But all those lessons didn't help her find the man of her dreams her first three seasons.  Now her stunningly beautiful younger sister is having her first season, and Miranda struggles not to be jealous.  To vent her frustrations she writes letters to a man she has never met, a friend of her brother, never intending to send them. When the man, Ryland, Duke Marshington, accidentally receives one, he is intrigued to get the rare unguarded glimpse into a woman's mind.  Their ensuing friendship and then courtship is complicated by espionage, death threats, and Miranda's own worries about becoming an old maid.

This is the first in the Hawthorn House series (that I managed to read in reverse order.)  It may be my favorite.  There are several true "laugh out loud" scenes as well moments of suspense.  Miranda is charming and Ryland, dreamy. Or it may be that after being shell-shocked by "Where the Crawdads Sing" I was just in the right mood for this king of literary fluff.  (2015, 265 p)

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Kya lives with a large family in the mashes of North Carolina.  Even though she has a loving mother and siblings, her father is abusive.  In the face of his violence, the members of her family leave, one by one, until only Kya and her father are left.  Then he leaves and Kya, at age 10, is left to fend for herself.   She learns to survive on her own, but is leery of establishing relationships because of fear of further abandonment.  Then Tate enters her life, teaches her to read, and opens for her the world of science and love.  Years later the body of a local hotshot is found on the ground below a fire watch tower.  Kya becomes the prime suspect.  Can Tate, and the others who have come to know Kya, overcome the town's prejudice against the "Marsh Girl?"


Here is another book that has been on the top of the reading charts for months.  Even more than a year after its publication it is ranked #5 on the Amazon best sellers.  I was super excited to read it, but ended up pretty disappointed.  I found it slow moving and a bit more sexually explicit than I am comfortable with.  The descriptions of the setting are lovely, but I didn't find Kya, herself, as very endearing.  I almost gave up on the audio book with 5 hours to go, but I turned up the playback speed and powered through it. The ending was a little more impactful than most of the book, and raises some interesting ethical questions, but I still probably won't be recommending this to anyone. (2018, 370 p.)

Becoming by Michelle Obama

This is a candid and engaging memoir of America's first African American first lady. Michelle Robinson grew up in an apartment above her aunt's house in the south side of Chicago.  Her parents were working class, but sacrificed to give her and her brother the best education they could manage.  Michelle worked hard at school, and got good enough grades to be accepted at Princeton and then at Harvard Law School. Soon after she started her career as a corporate lawyer, she was assigned to mentor a young law student with an unusual name, Barack Obama.  The rest is, as they say, is history.

This book sold more copies in 2018 than any other book, even though it wasn't released until November.  It has since sold more than 10 million copies and has been translated into 24 languages.  Ms Obama's story is engaging, inspiring and well written.  Her candor, attention to details and good humor come through in every chapter.  I loved how she described what life as a resident of the White House was really like, both good parts--like the world class chef cooking all their meals--and the challenging parts--like total loss of all privacy. But most interesting is her personal journey from someone who was always feeling that she was "not enough" to someone who was confident in front of thousands.

Not only has this book been a huge hit nationally, but also locally.  It has been one of the top five most read e-books/audio-books ever since it came out.  This is a great choice for anyone, but especially for any woman who has ever juggled a job and family, worried about raising kids in a challenging environment, or had a husband with pie-in-the-sky ambitions. (2018, 448 p.)

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Viji has always taken care of Rukku, especially when they have to hide from their father in his drunken fury.  When finally their father strike sweet, autistic Rukku, and their mother does nothing to stop him, Viji knows it is time to leave. Viji takes her birthday money and buys a bus ticket for her and Rukku to a bustling city in India.  At first Viji struggles to figure out where they will sleep and what they will eat, but then they meet Muthi and Arul.  The two street boys take them into their pack and show them how they can find glass and metal in the junk yard to sell for a few rupees. Life is hard, but they rejoice in their freedom and the pride of making it on their own.  Then tragedy hits, and Viji has to decide whether to risk her new freedom, and her new friendships with the boys to get help for her sister.

When I saw the cover to this book I assumed it was a fantasy.  It isn't a fantasy but a story of a hard reality many children live every day.  The author grew up in the town that is the setting of the book and the descriptions of the stench and filth of the mounds of garbage are completely vivid and authentic.  Even though the book deals with difficult situations, Venkatraman dwells on the resiliency of the children, not their trials.  With the hope and energy of youth they get through tough spots by using their imaginations and relying on each other.  It is no wonder this book has received starred reviews in almost every major review journal.(2019, 194 p.)

Death in Focus by Anne Perry

Elena Standish is a British photographer visiting Italy with her sister, Margot, in 1933.  Both Margo and Elena had family members who were lost in WWI and neither has found a permanent romantic relationship since.  In Italy, the Elena meets Ian Newton and instantly feels drawn to him.  Their connection strengths during a shared trauma, when they find the dead body of a man in their hotel.  When Ian gets called away suddenly to Paris, Elena, usually reserved, impetuously agrees to accompany him. Their train trip turns into a nightmare, and the beginning of a fast paced adventure that leads Elena into the heart of pre-WWII Nazi Germany.

Anne Perry is a bestselling author of historical adventures.  I wanted to try one of her books, but her other series have been going on a long time and I didn't really want to read a book written 15 or 25 years ago.  Then I saw this one, the first in a new series.  I turned out to be quite good.  The setting is vivid and the characters nuanced and layered.  She has a wonderful way of unfolding the story bit by bit, so the reader comes to realize what is going on about the same time as the reader does.  I also liked how vulnerable the main character is.  She is not superhero.  She has just barely enough courage to get through what she has to, and is always at risk of losing it.

I just read the Wikipedia page about Perry, and holy cow, what a life!  I am not going to tell you about her, so you will go and read it yourself. (305 p. 2019)

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Maddie is a young teen living in Philadelphia in 1793.  Her father has died, but she helps her mother run a successful coffee shop.  One day in September one of their serving girls dies suddenly of a mysterious illness.  Soon others around the city are dying and word gets around that it is the yellow fever. Maddie and her mother try to keep the coffee house open, but then her mother falls ill. Maddie is convinced to flee the city with her grandfather, but when they both fall ill, they have to rely on the kindness of others to get through.

This is a vivid look at a brief, but devastating flu epidemic.  Anderson adds a lot of carefully researched detail to put the reader into the experience.  Maddie is a strong and appealing character whose resolve not to give up keeps her going. We are doing this book for our November Parent/Child book club.  I was a little worried that is might be to realistically harsh for a 9 year old.  We will see what kind of response I get. (2000, 251p.)

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

Elise has been just going through the motions since her divorce five years earlier.  Every day she eats the same thing from the same restaurant all alone in the food court in her building. Then one day in November a handsome lawyer approaches her with a surprising proposition.  He wants to make an agreement with her to spend the holiday season together.  He writes up a contract that they will attend each other's office parties, go out to dinner, and basically keep each other from feeling lonely until Christmas day.  Elise is reluctant, but also very lonely, so she finally agrees.  That begins the most wonderful holiday season she can ever remember.  As she spends times with her mysterious benefactor, she finds that this "pretend" romance might not be pretend at all.  Yet she knows that if he knew about her dark past, he would have never want to see her again.

One of my friends at work recommended this to me.  If you are in the mood for a super clean sugary holiday romance, a la Hallmark, this is the book for you.  The problem with it for me is that the love interest, Nathan, was way, way, way to perfect.  Rich, handsome, kind, generous, polite, tidy...you get the picture.  I think I would have liked it better if he was a little more endearingly flawed. The whole book is one long Cinderella fantasy. Still, if that is what you are looking for, it is pretty well written and completely indulgent, like Godiva chocolate in print.  (2014, 251 p.)

The Book Jumper by Mechthild Glaser

Amy lives with her mother in Germany, but both of them have had a rough couple of months, so they decide to visit Amy's mother's ancestral home on the island of Stormsay in Scotland.  Amy has always been an avid reader, but in Stormsay she learns that she is more than a book reader, she is a book jumper.  She can jump into the book world and impact the stories there.  It has been her clan's mission to protect the book world for centuries, but that world is in danger, and only Amy, with her special family background, can save it from terrible disaster.

This is a decent fantasy for the omnivorous book geek teens of the world.  Amy meets characters from a wide range of literature, from fairy tales to Anna Karenina.  The whole thing is a avid reader's dream come true. Amy is a likeable character and there is a nice little clean romance between her and the Jumper from the rival clan, Will. The plot is not hopelessly predictable and the book concludes nicely, but with room for sequels.  The book was originally written in German, but the translation is excellent.  I don't think the second book is available in English yet, but I might read it when it comes out.  (384 p. 2017, If you have a Provo Library Card, this book is "always available" in Audio from Overdrive.)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Flavia is an 11-year-old girl who lives in a venerable old house in England. Her mother has died, and she lives with two sisters, her father, and some domestics.  Flavia is obsessed with chemistry and is never happier than when she is distilling poisons in her great uncle's laboratory.  One day she hears an argument in her father's study, and then later finds a man dead in the house's culinary garden. Flavia is intrigued, and soon is conducting a full out investigation of the murder.

The charm of this book is Flavia's complex personality.  She is at once intrepid and vulnerable, cold blooded and compassionate.  Bradley has caught the essence of per-pubescent exuberance, still unfettered by hormones or social consciousness.  On top of that, Bradley has a host of other interesting characters, a charming setting, and a well crafted plot.

I read this because the 10th in the series recently came out and got good reviews.  I thought, 'I better go back and read the first one,' not realizing how many are in the series.  So now I have another cozy mystery series to fall back on when I am need of a literary break from heavier topics. (363 p. 2009)

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis

Rachel Hollis is an event planner, the founder of a successful media company, and a well known blogger. This is a memoir/motivational book about her life and secrets for success.  She writes in a very informal style and pushes herself to tell her whole story, warts and all.  Each chapter begins with a "lie" that she used to believe about herself: "I'm not good enough," "loving him is enough for me," "I am defined by my weight" and many others.  Then she relates how she began telling herself the lie and how she ultimately taught herself the truth. 

I checked out this book because it has been one of the top 5 most requested e-book in my library for months.  I have a feeling it is making its way around the local women's book clubs, and it is an excellent choice for that. It is very readable, and Hollis has a way of making the reader feel like she is your close personal friend who is cheering for you. I would not really choose the life that she has chosen for herself, but I did feel validated and encouraged by the time I finished the book.  I would recommend it to any woman who is facing challenges and needs a hand up. (2018, 220 p.)

Love is a Wistful Song by Ava S. Quill

Aryen lives in a society where your family clan, or Banner, is everything.  Aryen was born in a strong Banner, and enjoys many privileges because of it, including the chance to attend the best music school in the country. The one privilege she doesn't have is to choose her own spouse. When her Banner arranges her marriage to the handsome and social climbing Blaine, Aryen begins to realize how much her un-bannered childhood friend, Ryan, means to her. As her love for Ryan and dislike of Blaine grows she finds herself in an emotional maelstrom that threatens to destroy everything most dear.

This is a fun riff on the Romeo and Juliet trope--family feuds, forbidden love, overbearing parents, and self-sacrifice. Aryen is a likeable character, an authentic music geek, and the setting, though not historical, feels like a bit like Downton Abby. Quill includes some exciting and some funny action scenes. The "starvation" scene (I won't say more because it would be a spoiler) is not very believable.  Anyone who writes about someone going without food should fast for 48 or even 72 hours and see how functional they are. Most readers haven't, so they won't be bothered by it, (I have, and was) but all in all this would be an easy book for me to recommend to clean romance loving friends. (219, 354 p.)

Witches:The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem by Rosalyn Schanzer

What kid has never been fascinated by the story of the Salem Witch Trials.  Unfortunately popular media often portrays a caricature of what happened in Salem Massachusetts in 1682.  This carefully researched history draws from diaries, newspaper articles, public record, and letters to give a detailed account of what really happened.  One thing I appreciated in this account was that Schanzer resists the temptation to promote a specific idea of what motivated the players in the story.  Why did the girls start to act possessed and accuse others of witchcraft?  Why did the local religious leaders allow and even promote the execution of so many innocent people? Why did it take so long for "cooler heads" to prevail and stop the slaughter? Schanzer presents different theories but leaves it to the reader to decide.  This would be an interesting book to do for a parent/child book group in October.  It could lead to some really good discussion about the difference between facts and the interpretation of facts. No wonder it won a Sibert honor in 2012. (2011, 144p)

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Starr Carter lives in the slums of large city, but attends an upscale private school where she and her brothers are the only black students.  One night she is in a car when one of her black friends, Khalil, is unjustly shot by a white police officer.  Starr gives her testimony to the police detectives, but that is not the end of her story.  Activists seize on Khalil's death as an opportunity to spotlight racial profiling and protests break out across the country.  Only Starr's family knows that she was the secret witness to the crime, and Starr is torn between her desire to live a normal life, and a growing sense that in order for Khalil to receive justice, she will have to abandon here safe anonymity and speak out.

I read this book for two reasons.  It received starred reviews in every major review journal the year it came out, and it was the most often banned book the year it came out (and it was national Banned Book week.)  It is no surprise that it was frequently banned.  The density of swear words is approaching 20 or 30 %.   There is also a scene where, in the midst of her grief, Star attempts to go "all the way" with her white boyfriend, reaching her hand into his pants.  It was a bit difficult for me to read because I am not used to that gritty of content.

I am glad I persisted. As I tried to plow through the profanity, I kept telling myself that to understand someone you need to "walk a mile in their shoes".  That is what reading the book does, it allows you not only to see but to feel a little of what it is like to have grown up as a racial minority in an underprivileged community.  It feels thoroughly authentic, and the author shows that with all the faults, there is also something of value in the "slums" because people, despite their troubles, grow close and make great sacrifices to try to support each other.  (2017, 444 p.)

So You Want to Be... by Judith St. George

Don't you hate it when you have a long drive ahead, and no recorded book to listen to.  That is the situation I found myself in today.  I spent several minutes looking for a new book, but finally just chose some short children's nonfiction.  They turned out to be a good choice.

Of course, Judith St.George and David Small won a Caldecott medal for their book, "So You Want to be President."  I would guess that the success of that book lead to the creation of these two books.  They all have the same format.  St.George tells interesting facts about Inventors and Explorers, and Small contributes humorous illustrations about the facts.  Although the text about each highlighted figure is brief, St. George manages to make each little paragraph interesting and entertaining.  Some of the facts included are ones I had heard before, but a few were new.  These are the kind of books that I used to leave lying around the house, and then watch and see how many of my kids ended up picking it up and reading it through. 
 (2002/2005, about 54 pages)

Carrot Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke

After powering through the last book, I was ready for a break so I consumed another of Fluke's fluffy baking mysteries.  In this one Hannah is helping some of her neighbors prepare for a big family reunion.  A long lost uncle Gus shows up to everyone's surprise, but then is murdered the very next day.  Hannah is on the case, cooking up a storm and stirring up local scandal, while getting to the bottom of the grisly crime. 

This is the 10th in the series, but at this point order doesn't seem to matter much.  Hannah's relationship with her two beaus is just the same as it was in book 3, as is her relationship with her family and co-workers.  I think the author is getting a little sloppy.  I didn't think the plot was quite as tight as some of the earlier books.  Still, it was just the kind of mindless entertainment I was in the mood for, so it served its purpose. There was one especially funny scene when three different ladies confess to having seen a tattoo on the victim's behind that made me laugh out loud and was worth the effort of reading the book. I imagine I will read more when I need another mental break. (2008, 324 p.)

Victoria and Abdul, by Schrabani Basu

During Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, she arranges for some men from India to be hired to work as servants in her household.  One of the men hired was Abdul Karim, a 25 year old office clerk from Agra. Something clicked between Karim and the queen, and soon she asked him to give her Urdu lessons.  Karim didn't know much English, but as they learned each other's languages, they became dear friends.  The other members of court were worried about the closeness of the queen and this dark Indian man of low birth and did everything they could to discredit him in the queen's eyes, but she stayed faithful to him, giving him a variety of titles, gifts and a substantial inheritance.  He, in turn, helped her understand India, the land that she ruled but that she would never be able to see. 

I picked up this title because it had been made into a movie.  I wasn't sure when I first checked it out if it were a historical fiction or nonfiction.  The book is definitely written as a nonfiction.  Basu's account is based entirely on historical documents including letters, journals and newspaper articles.  She is very careful not to add to much from her own imagination.  When Victoria died, Karim and his family were hastily thrown out of the estate, and the royal family seized and burned all of his correspondence with the queen.  As a result there is little historical evidence to tell us what Karim felt about his relationship with the queen.  Was he a opportunist, playing on the sympathies of an old and lonely woman as the court thought, or was he an enlightened and wise companion that helped Victoria understand the people over whom she ruled as the queen herself thought?  Basu's resists the temptation to portray Karim as merely a heroic victim of racism and leaves the judgement of his character largely up to the reader.

I must admit I almost gave up on this book half of the way through.  Over and over people accused the Munchi and Victoria defended him.  It was a bit repetitive. I finally got through it by turning the playback speed to 1.50.  Still, I am glad I stuck with it.  It is an intriguing story and a glimpse into real life history on a very human level. (334 p, 2017)

The Serpent's Secret by Sayantani DasGupta

Kira has always been a little embarrassed by her parents.  While she just wants to fit in, they persist in emphasizing her Indian (from India, not native American) heritage. They make her dress up like an Indian princess every Halloween, which is also her birthday.  The year she turns 12 she decides to put her foot down. She is just about to tell her parents she will be a vampire for Halloween, thank you very much, when instead of finding her parents at home, she finds a raging demon tearing up her kitchen.  She is "rescued" from the demon, called a rokkhosh, by two young men who claim to be princes, and starts on a crazy adventure in the world where Indian mythology is real.

When I first saw the cover of this book I wondered if it were in the "Aru Shah" series, but is is not. It is a totally different series also based on Indian mythology but it is like the Aru Shah series in a lot of ways.  There is a lot of demon bashing, psychedelic settings, and crushing on cute demi-gods.  I think it was a bit lighter in tone than Aru Shah.  The demons all speak in very silly rhymes, so that even when they were trying to eat our heroes, it is hard to take them very seriously.  DasGupta ends the book with a note about which stories were based on Indian Bengali folk lore, and a their sources. This is another great choice for those who like Rick Riordan's earlier Percy Jackson series. (2018, 332 p.)

Peak, by Roland Smith

Peak hasn't seen his famous mountain climbing dad in seven years, but he seems to be following in his footsteps.  He loves mountain climbing but there are not many mountains in New York City to climb, so he climbs the next best thing, skyscrapers.  When he is arrested for scaling the Woolworth building, he has two options; 18 months in juvenile detention, or leave the country and live with his dad in Shanghai.  Of course, he chooses to go with his dad, but soon discovers that his dad is not taking him to Shanghai. They are heading for Tibet, and he is about to have his first encounter with the greatest climbing challenge of them all, Everest.

I read this book because I met a 13 year old girl who said she had asked for the book for her birthday.  I have read other of Roland Smith's stuff, and enjoyed it.  I enjoyed this one, too.  Smith definitely did his research on what it is like to attempt to summit Everest.  His descriptions put the reader right in the experience, and he manages not to let the copious detail slow down the narrative. Peak is a likeable and believably flawed 14 year old.  My only problem with the book is that I personally can't understand why anyone would suffer cold, frost bite, and oxygen deprivation, and even risk their life just for the opportunity to say, "I climbed Everest."   That is just the old, risk adverse lady in me.  I am sure adventurous kids, even girls, (apparently) would love this one. (2007, 246 p.)

The Adventurous Life of Myles Standish by Cheryl Harness

Myles Standish was a military man who was contracted to sail with the Pilgrims on the Mayflower.  Though not a Pilgrim himself, he stayed and protected the Plymouth colony for the rest of his life. This is an interesting narrative of not only Standish's life, but about the Pilgrim's experience getting to the New World and how they were able to make it through hard times with the help of Native American friends.

So why did I pick up a random book about Myles Standish?  My family folklore claims that one of my ancestors came across on the Anne, three years after the Mayflower, and that Myles Standish performed the wedding for two of my direct progenitors. This turned out to be a good choice to satisfy my curiosity about the time period.  Harness's writing is accessible and interesting and I learned a lot from this book. I had not really thought through how populated the "New World" was when the Pilgrim's arrived.  It took the colonists a while after sighting land before they could find an unoccupied spot to start their colony.  It turns out it was only unoccupied because there had been an ill-fated native village there, and was considered cursed land after everyone in the village died of sickness.  I also hadn't realized that for the first 20 years the colonists struggled to repay the investors who had bankrolled their expedition.  I think if grade schools used books like this instead of text books, the kids would learn a lot more about history and enjoy it a lot more, too. (2006, 144 p.)

Slacker by Gordon Korman

Cameron Boxer is obsessed with computer games.  He gets so engrossed playing online one day that he almost allows his home to burn down.  In response, his parents challenge him to join some kind of extracurricular group unrelated to gaming.  Cameron and his friends decide to create a fake service club at their school with themselves as its only members.  Their plan backfires when other people in the school, including the school counselor, get involved.

Korman has done a lot of these humorous school stories, several of which were better than this one.  The problem with this one is that Cameron's inevitable transformation doesn't come until the very end.  It is like productions of A Christmas Carol.  Mediocre productions have Scrooge stay about the same until he meets the Ghost of Christmas Future, and is scared into repentance.  The good productions show how Scrooge's heart is gradually changed during the course of the story as  relives the painful and pleasant realities of his own past and present. In this book, Korman shows Cameron's friends' gradual transformation but Cameron only turns away from his video game addiction when his friends desert him and he can't play any more.

I am actually being overly harsh.  It wasn't a bad book and I have had kids tell me that they really liked it.  It just wasn't nearly as good as Restart or The Unteachables.  (2016, 230 pages)

Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary Schmidt

Carter's father is in Afghanistan, and his mother is struggling to make ends meet.  Carter helps out with his little sisters when he can but he can tell life is hard for his mom. Then one day, Mr. Bowls-Fitzpatrick shows up on the doorstep.  He is a butler from England who drives a eggplant colored Bentley.  It turns out that Carter's fraternal grandfather has died, and left the use of the butler and the car to Carter.  The butler quickly takes the family in hand and with courtesy, decorum, and a bit of self importance, starts to sort things out.  He is determined to make Carter into a gentleman, and one way to do that, in his opinion is to teach Carter and his friends to play cricket.  The first time they go out on the football field in their white sweaters and pillowy shin guards, Carter is totally embarrassed.  Much to his surprise the game catches on, and soon the whole school is talking about it.  Little does he know that the game, and the butler, is just what he needs to get through the Australian strength storm that is headed for his life.

I love Gary Schmidt and, as bizarre as the premise is for this book, I loved it too. When it comes to tender adult/child relationships, Schmidt just has the velvet touch.  It is all about good people helping other good people get through tough times.  I also liked Schmidt's emphasis on what is means to be a gentleman, and how dignity and decorum can make life run more smoothly.  I think it is a lesson our American culture has almost forgotten. (217 p. 2019)

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying up by Marie Kondo

Kondo is a de-cluttering and organizing consultant from Japan.  In this book she shares her attitudes and secrets for bringing your life in to beautiful order.  Her main suggestion is to keep only the things that give you joy and that by eliminating a large proportion of your possessions you will have a more orderly life.  When I told my sister I was starting this book she said it had some good ideas, but that Kondo herself was a bit "cray cray." As I read on, I could see what my sister meant.  Kondo is what someone might call an animist, or someone that believes all things have a spirit and feelings. She advocates greeting your home with a cheery hello when you get back from work, and thanking your possessions and clothes for all their hard work during the day etc.  It was a bit weird, but I did feel like I got a lot of good ideas from the book.  I have already thrown out some clothes that I knew I didn't like, but kept hanging on to, and reorganized my underwear drawer following her folding technique.  The book also reminded me to feel grateful each day for what I have, even if I don't thank my purse verbally for its efforts in my behalf.  I guess the book is like a garden of fruit.  Take the pieces you want, and leave the rest for someone else. (2013 p. 2014)

An Elegant Facade by Kristi Ann Hunter

You are probably tired of hearing about these books from the Hawthorne House series.  This is the second in the series, but I haven't been reading them in order.  In fact, I believe that I have read them in exactly reverse order.

In this one Georgiana, the Hawthorne family's youngest sister is having her first season.  She has been preparing for this for years and is determined to be the season's glittering diamond.  She is not just after the praise and admiration of all the ton.  She is really after a rich, titled husband who will be influential enough to help her hide her deepest secret. She seems to be succeeding but the handsome and markedly untitled Colin McCrae keeps getting in her way.

Yes, the book is a sappy and cheesy as the description sounds.  Why do I like these things?  They are totally escapist and this series is very clean and moral.  I mostly check them out when I am going on vacation and want some literary cotton candy.  I only have one more, the first in the series, to read, and read it I definitely will.  (359p. 2016)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Wade is a high school computer game geek in 2045.  Society has come to revolve around one all-encompassing computer simulation called the OASIS.  When the creator of the OASIS dies, he leaves his company and his vast fortune to whoever can find a hidden "Easter egg" in his program.  Clues to its whereabouts are based on the programmer's life and interests.  Millions of people start the search for the prize initially, but when no progress has been made after five years most people give up the hunt.  Wade is one that doesn't.  When he manages to be the first person to solve the first clue, he sets in motion a series of events that catapult him a few of the other gifted "gunters" into a high stakes game of cat and mouse with the powerful corporation bent on winning the challenge and ruining the OASIS for everyone.

This was one of the most engaging science fiction books I have read in the last decade.  I almost didn't get past the first chapter because I was put off by the main character's gutter language, but the premise of the story and Cline's world building are so compelling I stuck with it.  It turned out to be fast paced and pretty fun.  I reiterate, if you are bothered by profanity this is not the book for you, but if you can get past it this is a great read that begs a lot of philosophical questions about where modern society is headed.  It is not a surprise that they made the book into block-buster movie. (2011, 274 p.)

The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

George Washington was waiting tensely in New York for the British troops to arrive in June 1776 when John Jay and others of his intelligence officers uncovered a plot to overthrow the army and betray Washington to the British.  This is a over dramatized account of how the plot came about and how it was discovered.

In a forward Meltzer states that he saw the plot mentioned in a footnote of a history he was reading. He was intrigued and went to talk to a Washington historian about it.  The historian said that it was an interesting side note, but that there were probably not enough original sources about it to put together a clear picture of what really happened.  Meltzer was determined to prove him wrong.

In the end, however, the historian was probably right. The whole story could have probably been adequately told in 100 pages or less. Meltzer restates the same facts over and over, trying to draw more drama and action from them than is really there.  He also says "we have no documents that say how....but we can imagine that..."  about a hundred times.  So even though this is in the nonfiction section, it is mostly fictionalized.  Worst of all, he flattens all the characters.  Washington is this demigod hero, and William Tryon and anyone siding with the Tory is a black-hearted traitor. (Meltzer seems to forget that during the time period when these events take place, the Colonies were still under British rule, so technically it was Washington who was the traitor.) 

All that said, I did enjoy the book a little.  I like reading about history and there were some interesting facts I picked up from this book that I didn't remember hearing before.  Still, if I knew the author, I would suggest that he stick with fiction. (413p. 2019)

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Hastings is recovering from a war injury, and is invited to stay at the house of a friend, John Cavendish. Not long after Hastings arrives, John's mother is found dead, the victim of a poisoning.  Hastings invites an old friend, Hercule Poirot, a well known Belgian detective, to look into the matter. Of course, there are numerous suspects and clues, but Poirot uses his razor whit to discover the perpetrator. 

I didn't know while I was reading this that this was Christie's first published mystery novel, and the book that launched her career.  She really was such a master.  Even though this is her first book, the plot is very clever, and the portrayal of the quirky Poirot is delightful.  I am usually a Miss Marple fan, but maybe after this one, I will try some other Poirot novels. (153 p. 1920)

Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris

Ellis is a want-a-be reporter in Chicago during the depression.  He is stuck writing for the society page, but dreams of getting his big break.  He is also a budding photographer, and when he snaps a picture of two boys and a sign that says, "Boys for Sale" he has no idea where the picture will take him. Lily works as a secretary at the same paper, but she, too, has hopes of a more illustrious writing career.  She also has a secret and when she starts working with Ellis to find out what happened to the kids in his picture, her own life threatens to unravel.

I picked up this one because it was a New York time Best Seller when it came out last year.  It started out feeling like a straight-up historical fiction, but turned into a mystery with a little romance at the end.  I enjoyed it pretty much.  The author had a great way of throwing in historical details that put me right in the time setting.  The main characters are interesting and appealing.  There are a lot of complicated and sympathetic relationships.  It didn't quite charm me like the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Pie Society book did, but it was a good read and I recommend it to anyone who likes period pieces. (2018, 352 p.)

A Justified Murder by Jude Devereau

Kate lives with her famous writer aunt, Sarah and Sarah's "adopted" grandson, Jake.  After solving a complicated  and dangerous murder case in their hometown of Lachlan Florida they a determined to stay out of the sleuthing business. When a sweet old lady is brutally murdered in their town, they try not to get involved, but circumstances, and their reputations, keep dragging them in.  As they reluctantly follow one clue after another they discover that nothing is as it seems and that even their best friends hide dark secrets.

This is the second in the Medler mysteries.  I enjoyed the first one and I enjoyed this one as well. Devereau is good a writing snappy dialog between the three main characters.  There is a tantalizing romantic tension between Kate and Jack, that keeps the romance lover in me engaged.  The plot is also well crafted, with plenty of twists and turns, right up to the last page.  This is a fun cozy mystery with a tiny splash of tabasco. (2019, 330 p.)

Some Writer: The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet

I have read a bunch of biographies of authors before, and after you read a few you start to feel that someone has to have a tortured life to be a good writer.  E.B. White proves that hypothesis as wrong.  He grew up in a loving home.  He started writing early, winning his first writing competition at nine, and then regularly submitted poems to magazines until he went to college.  After college he took a road trip with a friend and ended up as a reporter in San Francisco.  Later he returned east and wrote for Harper's Magazine and the New Yorker.  He eventually moved with his wife and family to a farm in Maine where he wrote Stewart Little, Charlotte's Web, and The Trumpet of the Swan, all of which, to my knowledge, have never been out of print.

Granted, this is a biography for children.  Maybe if I read the other biography of the same name written for adults I would discover that Webb suffered from chronic depression, or sever anxiety of something.  The book is illustrated with collages of artwork, photography and text that are beautifully arranged to reflect the peaceful mood of the text and of White's life. This book got a ton of starred reviews when it came out and all of them are well deserved. (2016, 161 p.)

The Question of the Dead Mistress by E.J. Cooper

This is the fifth book in the "Aspergers Mysteries"  series.  In this one a women asks Samuel Hoenig and Janet Washburn if her husband is having an affair with a ghost.  Samuel believes that ghosts are not real and therefore wishes to dismiss the question.  Janet had an experience as a youth that made her believe in ghosts.  As a concession, Samuel encourages Janet to take on the case by herself.  It strains their already tenuous relationship, but leads to the discovery of a very twisted tale of deceit and betrayal.

I checked this out in a hurry when I was about to go on a vacation.  I have enjoyed this series so far, but was sad when I discovered I missed one in between.  Samuel is an endearing character with his impressive logic and struggles with social interaction. The plot is well crafted and, as in the other books, has an interesting, not-too-predictable conclusion. The book is a light and interesting mystery and I will probably go back and read the one I missed. (2018, 228 p.)

The Origin of the Universe by John D. Borrow

This is a short and interesting history of the development of the competing cosmological theories.  Borrow recounts the discoveries that lead to the invention of the Big Bang theory, and the contributions of scientific greats like Einstein and Hawking.  He discusses how particle theory and cosmology are related and what is now, (or was in 1997, when the book was published) the cutting edge theories of the inflationary universe.  As with the Skunk Works book I read, this one left me wanting to know how the field has developed in the two decades since this book was published.  This is a great choice for the 6th-8th grade science geek. (176, 1997)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

Juliet is an author living in London soon after the end of WWII.  She has written a humorous column during the war that has been turned into a successful book.  Book talks, generous royalties, and the attentions of a rich American publisher fill her life with excitement. In some ways she is at the peak of her success, but she is at a loss about what to write next.  She receives a random letter from a farmer on the Channel Island of Guernsey and she becomes fascinated with the experience of the people on the island during the five years that they were under German occupation.  She begins a brisk correspondence with different residents of the Island that leads to more than she would have imagined.

 This book was hugely popular when it came out about 10 years ago, and I can see why.  It is utterly charming, and I can truly say I was sorry when it was finished.  The story is told entirely in the form of letters, telegrams and other print communications. Shaffer has a wonderful way of making each character come alive.  Some of the stories told by the Guernsey residents are heart wrenching, but much of the book is a sweet old-fashion love story.  It is interesting that the book was co-authored by Annie Barrows, the author of the successful Ivy & Bean series.  It turns out that Barrows is Shaffer's niece. Shaffer was quite elderly when she wrote the book, and passed away soon after it was accepted for publication.  Her niece agreed to do the needed revisions to get it ready for publication.  So the question is, how much of the book is Shaffer's and how much is Barrows? No matter which had the genius, the book is wonderful and I will be recommending it to all my friends.  (2008, 290 p.)

Gideon Versus the Gods of Cool by Stephen Gashler

Gideon is a nerd, and is pretty happy with his state until one of his teachers tells him that he must join the football team or get expelled.  He joins the team and is invited to a kind of initiation where he learns that the whole football team worships a strange supernatural god of sports.  Gideon and his friends soon discover that there are other gods brain washing students, the god of fashion, the god of rock music etc.  Can Gideon and his friends fight the seemingly inexorable forces of coolness, and save their classmates from becoming mental zombies?

This was a fun satire of junior high life, written by a master storyteller.  With a healthy mix of humor Gashler makes peer pressure into a fast paced fantasy adventure. It is not all fun and games, however. Like any good satire, it brings up important questions about if, and how, students can resist the strong peer pressures they face every day.

In full disclosure, I must mention that Steve is a good friend of mine.  He worked as a storyteller at my library when he was still in college.  For more than a decade he and his family (his wife and daughters are also great performers) have been regulars a the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and local "Biggest Liar" competitions.  We are working with him now to come and do a book signing at our library. (296 p. 2019)

Skunk Works by Ben Rich

Ben Rich was the director of Lockheed's "Skunk Works" for 15 years and oversaw the developments of some of our country's most advanced tactical vehicles. This autobiography is organized by project, rather than chronologically, but the reader can see how the industry changed over the decades discussed in the book.  In addition to Rich's story, there are also chapters by other key players, such as test pilots, chief engineers, and military commanders. In many ways this is not a biography of Ben Rich, but of the Skunk Works as an institution.

I put this book on hold, not knowing what it was about.  I thought it was an action/adventure fiction like "The President is Missing".  I was pleasantly surprised to find out it is nonfiction, and I enjoyed listening to it. The way the planes and missiles were developed is fascinating to me, as is the way the Skunk Works interacted with the government and military leaders.  It wasn't until I was nearly finished with the book that I realized how old it is.  It made me wonder about what had happened to some of the projects after the time period covered in the book. (1996, 372 p.)

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

In this second adventure, Aru Shah and Minni have teamed up with a third reincarnated Pandava sibling, Brynne. The teens are accused of stealing a bow and arrow of the gods. To clear their names they must recover the artifact and use it to stop whoever is amassing a huge zombie army. Once again the kids must unravel the complicated mysteries of the Hindu pantheon.

This is a good second installment in a series that will appeal to the Rick Riordan fans.  It is fun that Chokshi added a male questing companion.  I also respect the fact that she resists the temptation to have Aru`s task be a simple case of good vs evil.  Our heroes face moral ambiguity that is never fully resolved. These books don't have quite as much fun snappy patter as Riordan's books, but they also don't have a lot of GLBT grandstanding that made me stop reading Riordan, so I am likely to recommend them often in my library. (2019, 381 p.)

A Defense of Honor by Kristi Anne Hunter

Lord Graham Whorten is bored of society. As a 30-something unmarried son of a Baron he has seen too many London seasons full on insipid conversation and social climbing debutantes. He knows he should find a wife but none of the belles interest him. His curiosity is peeked when he sees a woman near his age wearing a dress of an unfashionable color hiding behind a potted plant at a ball. When he tries to talk with her, she is evasive which only feeds his curiosity. As he tries to discover who she is, he is exposed to a dark side of the Ton society and is challenged to examine his own values and behaviors.

Can you tell I have been traveling again? Hunter's books make the perfect caramel-corn reading for riding on airplanes or waiting for the metro. This one is in a different series from the other Hunter's books I have read recently. Part mystery and part social commentary it is mostly a romance with a cast of stock characters we have come to expect in Hunter's books.  There is perhaps more of Hunter's anachronistic Christian musings than in the others I have read, but I really don't mind.  They are just a fun, fluffy, clean, historical romance to take my mind off long hours in a cramped airplane seat. (2018, 376 p.)

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

This book in free verse starts when Will sees his brother, Shawn, get shot on the streets of an inner city. As he is left by himself to deal with his grief he remembers "the three rules"; don`t cry,  don't snitch and get revenge. He manages the first and the second, and tries to steel himself to do the third. He believes he knows who killed his brother so he finds his brother's gun and gets into the elevator to go out and do the deed.  As he starts down the elevator door opens on different floors admitting people from Will's past who all died through gun violence. As they tell their stories the reader sees the senseless loss that results from following "the rules".

This is the first time in a while that I finished a book and had to say "Wow!"  I have enjoyed several Jason Alexander books before but this one was Amazing!  It has such a powerful message written in totally accessible language.  It is rich in imagery too.  This is one an English teacher could really sink her teeth into.  

I actually saw Jason Alexander speak just last week as the keynote at the ALA conference opening session.  That talk was also totally awesome.   So, I guess Mr Alexander is on a roll. (2017, 320 p)

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake

The book starts as Sunny receives a heart transplant.  As she heals she is delighted to be able to do the kind of things that she has been to sick to do for a long time.  She is determined to start a new life plan, but getting a new heart doesn't solve all of Sunny's problems.  She is also healing from a painful break-up with her previous BFF, and she has been thinking a lot about her birth mother who abandoned her when she was a young child.  Then Quinn comes into her life and things get even more complicated.

I read this book because it has received a bunch of starred reviews, and deals with a same gender romance of a 12 year old. I was tasked with trying to decide whether my tiny library should purchase a copy and if we do, what section to put it in.  I can see why it has received good reviews.  The characters are written with such heart that you suffer along with Sunny as she tries over and over again to deny that she is attracted to a girl, and also as she wrestles with a life time of feelings of abandonment as she comes to meet her birth mother again.  Sunny sometimes just gets overwhelmed, and can't process everything, which is think is a really authentic response to dealing with such difficult things at such a young age. By the end of the book the reader is hoping she will finally kiss Quinn and that it will be as magical as she always hoped her first kiss would be. The one thing I thought was unrealistic, is that both Sunny's birth mom and foster mom are totally unfazed by her same gender attraction.  I think real parents would be upset by the revelation, even if they have open minds about same gender attraction, because they would understand what a rough time a GLBT youth has ahead of them as they face prejudice going into high school. Usually a book about a 12-year-old would be in Intermediate Fiction, but after reading this book, I think we will put it in Young Adult.  I just don't think my community is ready to deal with a same gender romance between two kids that are so young. (2019, 375 p.)