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.)

Booked by Kwami Alexander

Nick has a sweet life.  He is the star of his soccer team and has a best friend who loves soccer as much as he does.  He even gets to dance with the prettiest girl at school in the dopey ballroom dance class his mother made him take.  Everything starts to fall apart when his mom and dad announce that they are separating.  All of a sudden he can't sleep at night and often has a stomach ache.  The bright side of his life is still soccer, and he ex-rapper school librarian.  When his team qualifies to go to a national soccer competition it seems like things might be looking up.

I really liked Crossover and this book is very much like that one.  It is written in free verse, and like Crossover has some really good sports action writing.  The relationships within the family are sweet and Nick's reaction to his parent's breakup is sympathetic.  I love it that there are good sports books out there for guys who might otherwise be reluctant readers. (2016, 314 p.)

The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith

Detective Ulf Varg is part of the Department of Sensitive Crimes in a small police agency in Sweden.  He, along with two colleagues, investigates cases that are unusual or have elements that require that they be handled discretely.  In this book, Ulf and his partner, Anna, along with Blomquist, a regular officer, deal with three different cases that are funny and interesting. Beneath the plot line, Ulf carries on a pensive exploration of the meaning of love, friendship, and kindness.

This is by the author of the outrageously popular series, The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency.  This is actually the second in the series, but the first is a short novella with only 73 pages.  I didn't read the short book but was able to follow this one with no problem.  This book was not a action adventure by any stretch of the word.  It was barely even a Cozy Mystery.  None of the mysteries the detectives encounter are especially tricky or exciting. Some are kind of funny, but even the humor is rather subtle.  The mood of the book is relaxing, almost soothing.  It would be the perfect read for someone who was fed up with their anxiety filled life and wanted to escape for an afternoon into an interesting but completely non-confrontational world.   I rather enjoyed it and I think I will see if I can get hold of the first book. (2019, 240 p.)

A Willing Murder by Jude Deveraux

Sara Medlar is a world famous author who lives in a beautiful but lonely old house.  Kate is her niece, who didn't even know that one of her favorite author's was also her aunt. Jack is Sara's young and handsome business partner and adopted grandson who has been broken in body and spirit.  When the three end up living in the same house, Sara couldn't be more delighted.  When a 20 year old unsolved murder is revealed in property Jack and Sara own, the unlikely threesome become an unstoppable crime solving trio.  The little town of Lachlan Florida won't know what hit them.

I am a little embarrassed to admit that I have read a Jude Devereaux novel.  She is most famous for steamy romances.  I actually didn't know that when I started the book.  It somehow showed up as checked out on my Overdrive app.  I don't even remember putting it on hold.  I decided to read it in my effort to expand my experience with literature written for adults.  After I had read a bit I began to realize that the author was adept at writing provocative dialog and physical description.  There is a lot of repressed sexuality in this book.  But amazingly enough, nobody jumps into bed with anyone.  I was pleasantly surprised.

The mystery element was pretty good.  I mean, it is pretty obvious who the guilty party is from the very beginning, though there was a little twist at the end.  Still, the ways that the author fills in relational details of the victims is pretty good.  All in all, I enjoyed the book and will probably recommend it to my friends who like the cozy mysteries, even though this one was a little spicier than most. (2018, 333p)