Review: The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Publish date: 2015
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 372 pages
"Sixteen-year-old Tess Kendrick has spent her entire life on her grandfather's ranch. But when her estranged sister Ivy uproots her to D.C., Tess is thrown into a world that revolves around politics and power. She also starts at Hardwicke Academy, the D.C. school for the children of the rich and powerful, where she unwittingly becomes a fixer for the high school set, fixing teens’ problems the way her sister fixes their parents’ problems.

And when a conspiracy surfaces that involves the family member of one of Tess's classmates, love triangles and unbelievable family secrets come to light and life gets even more interesting—and complicated—for Tess." (Goodreads)

I'll be honest: none of Jennifer Lynn Barnes's books have ever appealed to me. I met her a few years ago at a Smart Chicks Kick It tour (maybe 2011? 2012?) and thought she was a lovely person and was bummed that her books didn't sound like me books. Fast forward to sometime earlier this year (maybe 2015, who knows) and I started reading really good reviews about The Fixer. It sounded completely different than her other books, so I decided to go for it and really enjoyed it.

I put this on hold a couple months ago at my library and embarrassingly, totally forgot to pick it up. I blame general May craziness at school. A few weeks ago, I started thinking about what books I wanted to take on vacation (the MOST important thing I pack, let's be honest) and got this and The Conspiracy of Us from the library. I wish I'd read The Fixer earlier because it was pretty entertaining and very fast paced. Some of it was fairly unbelievable, but really, I think a lot of YA is unbelievable.

Some of the politics were a little confusing at first, but I got used to who everyone was pretty quickly. I liked all the little twists and turns and while I didn't love all the characters, there's no one that would stop me from reading the sequel. I stayed up really late one night on vacation to finish it, so that should tell you about the plot :)

I see it compared to Heist Society and while I suppose they are both thrillers, they aren't that similar (but I didn't really like HS). I also saw a comparison to the show 24, which I would say is better. But really, if you like political thrillers with secrets and twists and a fast moving plot, read The Fixer!

Review: Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels by Ann M. Martin & Raina Telgemeier

Publish date: 2015 (First published 2006 and 1986)
Source: School media center
Format: Paperback
Length: 192 pages
"Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Baby-sitters Club. Whatever comes up -- cranky toddlers, huge dogs, scary neighbors, prank calls -- you can count on them to save the day. But baby-sitting isn't always easy, and neither is dealing with strict parents, new families, fashion emergencies, and mysterious secrets. But no matter what, the BSC have what they need most: friendship.

Raina Telgemeier, using the signature style featured in her acclaimed graphic novels SMILE and SISTERS, perfectly captures all the drama and humor of the original novel!" (Goodreads)

As a kid, I was obsessed with the BSC. I started reading them in 2nd grade and didn't stop for years. I've been reminiscing about them lately (more than usual!) by listening to the podcast "The Baby-Sitters Club Club." Two guys in their 30's discuss the books one by one, analyzing one book per podcast. It is HILARIOUS. I absolutely love it and it's been making me think about how much I loved all the BSC books. During all my reminiscing, I remembered that the media center at my school has the graphic novel adaptations and ta-da, my next two reads.

I ended up reading Kristy's Great Idea and The Truth about Stacey, which are considered #1 and #2 of the graphic novel quartet. It was a fun reading experience since I know the stories, of course, but haven't read them in years so it was a nice little trip down memory lane. Of course, not every single detail was in these versions, but I thought it was enough. I think these would be fun for someone who read the BSC books as a kid and for someone completely new to the series.

As usual, I enjoyed Raina Telgemeier's illustrations. I've read her previous GN Smile and liked it a lot. Her drawings are simple but effective and work well with the story and overall series. If I see the other two in the series at the library, I will definitely pick them up!

Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Publish date: 2009
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Length: 466 pages
"Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child.

So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes.

Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over." (Goodreads)

I had never read a Liane Moriarty book before this, despite her being pretty popular. I know my friend Elizabeth is a fan and we usually have similar tastes, but I still never read anything by her. My book club (the adult one, not the student one!) chose this for our April/May-ish book, so I started reading it toward the end of spring break and stayed up really late one night to read a big chunk of it! Oops (but not really).

What Alice Forgot is about a woman named Alice who falls at the gym and when she wakes up, cannot remember the last 10 years of her life. Like the blurb says, she thinks she's 29 and pregnant with her first kid, but is actually 39, divorced with 3 kids. Sometimes amnesia type books can be really frustrating, but this one was very fun and enjoyable. I loved that Alice had no clue how to take care of kids and laughed out loud a few times at those scenes. 

Some of the book felt slightly frustrating (like, Alice, just ASK what happened on this occasion or to this person), but the majority of it was a fun journey to go on with her. I liked Moriarty's writing style and can definitely see myself reading more of her books. There was a lot to discuss with my book club and although I/we felt like the ending seemed rushed, we still liked it overall. I flew through reading it and like I said, stayed up way too late one night reading the first half! This would be a great pick if you need a quick, easy read and is definitely a good vacation book. 

What Liane Moriarty book should I read next? The Husband's Secret?

Audiobook review: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Narrator: Rebecca Macauley
Publish date: 2006
Source: audiobooksync.com
Length: 8 hours 53 minutes
"I'm dreaming of the boy in the tree. I tell him stories. About the Jellicoe School and the Townies and the Cadets from a school in Sydney. I tell him about the war between us for territory. And I tell him about Hannah, who lives in the unfinished house by the river. Hannah, who is too young to be hiding away from the world. Hannah, who found me on the Jellicoe Road six years ago.

Taylor is leader of the boarders at the Jellicoe School. She has to keep the upper hand in the territory wars and deal with Jonah Griggs - the enigmatic leader of the cadets, and someone she thought she would never see again.
And now Hannah, the person Taylor had come to rely on, has disappeared. Taylor's only clue is a manuscript about five kids who lived in Jellicoe eighteen years ago. She needs to find out more, but this means confronting her own story, making sense of her strange, recurring dream, and finding her mother - who abandoned her on the Jellicoe Road." (Goodreads)
Wow. Just wow. I liked this book SO much more than I thought I would. It was so completely confusing at the beginning and I thought about maybe trying the print version, hoping it would be less confusing, but I was assured that it would be confusing either way. I kept plugging away with the audio and lo and behold, I got hooked maybe 2 hours in. Like, completely hooked. I wanted to do nothing but listen to this story. 

Part of the reason I really liked Jellicoe Road was because it was really fun. It is plenty of other adjectives too (sad, funny, touching, lovely), but it was still fun. I loved the territory wars and plotting against each other and general hijinks that happened the whole way. There were lots of characters to keep track of, especially with the two narratives, but I loved how everything came together and made sense at the end and along the way. I found myself gasping a couple times while listening and had to remind myself to tone down the emotions since I finished the last couple hours on the plane and didn't want my seatmate to think I was crazy!

Jellicoe Road also has one of my new favorite, definitely top five ever, OTP's because I absolutely loved Jonah Griggs. I've seen people talk about him on Twitter and in blog posts before, so I knew he was a character in the book, but I didn't know I'd love him so much. I loved everything between him and Taylor so much that I actually bought the ebook (only 1.99 right now!) so I could reread my favorite scenes! I don't think I've ever done that before, but it seemed completely justifiable for these two <3

I really enjoyed the audiobook and would recommend it. It is currently FREE on audiobooksync.com for one more day, so make sure you download it soon! I definitely see myself reading the print version too at some point. I'm not a big rereader, so that should say something! 

PS: I really hope the movie version of this actually happens!

Review: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Publish date: 1997
Source: Library
Format: Ebook
Length: 337 pages
"A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into Thin Air, Krakauer's epic account of the May 1996 disaster." (Goodreads)

Into Thin Air might seem like an odd book for someone like me to read, as a person who reads mostly YA and not a lot of nonfiction, but I read one of his other novels, Into the Wild, a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I read it because I was going to teach it, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I actually enjoyed it. I'd meant to read Into Thin Air ever since then, but didn't pick it up until recently when I was trudging through a book I needed to read for my student book club, but was not enjoying it at all. I look through the ebooks my library had available, saw Into Thin Air, and promptly downloaded it. I read it over 3 days and loved it!

Into Thin Air is about the May 1996 disaster on Mt. Everest in which 5 people died. Jon Krakauer was one of the climbers, but he was actually sent as a journalist (who actually had a lot of mountain climbing experience) to write a story about the expedition. I have zero desire to climb a mountain (I mean, it's interesting and I'm interested in it, but not in actually doing it), but I still found this book so intriguing and satisfying. 

Jon Krakauer writes the kind of nonfiction that I just greedily gobble up. I love how much research he pours into everything he writes: everyone's backstories, lots of historical information, scientific information, and just lots of honesty in everything. I also love his writing style itself. It's so compelling that it reads just like fiction and a very exciting piece of fiction at that. I never wanted to put this down!

There were some afterwords added to this that I appreciated a lot. Some people on the expedition didn't like how Krakauer explained this, so they told their side to people and the afterwords were basically explanations of that. If you plan on reading this book, definitely read everything included!

I highly recommend Krakauer's work, especially Into Thin Air. Even if you think you don't like nonfiction or stories about mountain climbing, I would still give this a shot. 

Review: Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor

Publish date: May 2014
Source: Conference
Format: ARC
Length: 288 pages
"Sky and River have always lived on Island, the only world they’ve ever known. Until the day River spots a boat. Across Ocean, in a place called California, Sky is separated from River and forced to live with a grandmother she’s just met. Here the rules for survival are different. People rely on strange things like cars and cell phones. They keep secrets from one another. And without River, nothing makes sense. Sky yearns for her old life where she was strong and capable, not lost and confused. She must find River so they can return to Island, but the truth behind how they ended up there in the first place will come as the biggest shock of all." (Goodreads)

I had never heard of Searching for Sky until I was given some books from a conference to put in my classroom library (which I am incredibly grateful for!). Of course, I brought a couple stacks home to read over the summer (plus the library, plus my kindle, plus I buy books...oops) and read Searching for Sky on my recent camping trip. I liked it!

Basically Sky and River have spent their whole lives on Island until they are taken away back to California. Sky lives with her grandmother and has to learn about our lives here in the US while trying to figure out what happened to her, why she was on the island, and why she was taken from it.

The plot is intriguing in itself--how can it not be? It was interesting to watch Sky learn how to do basic things here, like use a fork, and I was curious the whole time about her family's backstory. The book is a quick read and I was completely sucked in until about 75% through, when things started to get a bit too dramatic for me. Before that point, it was a 4 star read for sure.

I think my students will like this one a lot, especially those that like dystopian stories. Has anyone else read this? Thoughts?

Review: Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Paperback
Length: 324 pages
"Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she's a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she's a disgrace; to design mavens, she's a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom.

Then Bernadette disappears. It began when Bee aced her report card and claimed her promised reward: a family trip to Antarctica. But Bernadette's intensifying allergy to Seattle—and people in general—has made her so agoraphobic that a virtual assistant in India now runs her most basic errands. A trip to the end of the earth is problematic.

To find her mother, Bee compiles email messages, official documents, secret correspondence—creating a compulsively readable and touching novel about misplaced genius and a mother and daughter's role in an absurd world." (Goodreads)

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a strange book. It sounded really intriguing to me, almost like a Gone Girl-esque novel, but it was very different. I ultimately gave it 3.5 stars rounded to 4 on Goodreads.

It was very readable because of the different narrative formats. There are conversations between characters, musings of a few, and letters/emails from one character to another. The different types kept the story moving and kept me intrigued the whole time.

I didn't give it a higher rating than 3.5 because I felt like most of the action happened right at the end. There was a lot of build up to Bernadette's disappearance and I wanted it to happen earlier so I could read more about Bee looking for her mom. The ending seemed a bit abrupt because of that but it was still entertaining.

You should check out Where'd You Go, Bernadette if you are looking for a quirky mystery or something different from the usual. I'm not sure if I would call it YA, but it definitely has YA appeal and I'm looking forward to recommending it to students this fall.

Review: Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Publish date: 2013
Source: Library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 388 pages
"It's Spring Break of senior year. Anna, her boyfriend Tate, her best friend Elise, and a few other close friends are off to a debaucherous trip to Aruba that promises to be the time of their lives. But when Elise is found brutally murdered, Anna finds herself trapped in a country not her own, fighting against vile and contemptuous accusations. 

As Anna sets out to find her friend's killer; she discovers hard truths about her friendships, the slippery nature of truth, and the ache of young love.

As she awaits the judge's decree, it becomes clear that everyone around her thinks she is not just guilty, but dangerous. When the truth comes out, it is more shocking than one could ever imagine..." (Goodreads)

Over the past year, I saw one or two reviews of Dangerous Girls, but never thought much about it until my friend Elizabeth read it and really liked it. I was able to get it through my state's inter-library loan system (which is very useful! Thanks MeLCat!) and devoured it in two days. I easily could have read it in one day because it was THAT addicting!

I don't want to say too much about the plot because you get the basics in the blurb and I don't want to give anything else away. Essentially, Anna goes to Aruba for spring break with her BFF Elise, her bf Tate, and some other friends. They are all having fun until Elise is found murdered and Anna is a suspect. I was completely sucked in by the plot and never wanted to put it down so I could keep reading and find out what actually happened. I felt completely anxious and just needed to keep reading to see if my suspicions were correct (and I'm not telling if they were!).

If you are looking for a page-turner or something to pull you out of a slump, I highly recommend Dangerous Girls. It reminded me of Gone Girl in terms of my general anxiety and need to keep reading, so if that appeals to you, go for it! Definitely one of the best books I've read this year.

Review: The Taking by Kimberly Derting

Publish date: April 2014
Source: Conference
Format: ARC
Length: 368 pages
"When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day. 

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?" (Goodreads)


I went through a bit of a reading slump recently and was trying to find something that would grab my attention to help pull me back into reading. I knew I didn't want fantasy but after a string of contemps, I wanted something with a little more to it, so I decided to try The Taking. I had previously tried reading The Body Finder but gave up a few pages in, so I was a little leery going into another Derting novel. I did end up liking it but didn't love it (as seems to be my theme).

I read a few reviews before starting The Taking and liked that Lisa said it had an X-Files vibe to it. As a fellow X-Files fan, it definitely does, so if that's you, you'll probably like The Taking. Things are mysterious and we, along with Kyra, have no idea what happened to her in that five years. I loved that she hadn't aged at all. Definitely added more intrigue as to what might have happened to her.

Unfortunately, there were some aspects of this book I didn't like. There was major insta-love going on with Kyra and Tyler. I can handle most insta-love, but this kind was almost insane. He was 12 when she disappeared and now she's falling for him when it's only a day later for her? I don't believe that. I also wanted more closure at the end, but I get that this is the first in a trilogy.

If you're a Derting fan already or like your contemps with a splash of paranormal, try The Taking! If you want more than an easy read, though, I'd skip this one.

Review: Crewel by Gennifer Albin

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 368 pages
"Incapable. Awkward. Artless. That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: She wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen to work the looms is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to manipulate the very fabric of reality. But if controlling what people eat, where they live, and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and used her hidden talent for a moment. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her dad’s jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because tonight, they’ll come for her." (Goodreads)

I really thought I would love Crewel. It's been in my classroom library for a while, the subject seemed really interesting, and the cover is pretty. It all added up to what I thought would be a win for me, but I didn't end up loving it as much as I wanted to.

Gennifer Albin has created a really interesting world here with Crewel, but I spent a majority of the book confused about what was happening. The idea of weaving time with matter is really interesting, but I didn't think the concept was explained enough. I also wish there was more background with Adelice's family at the beginning of the book. Apparently I needed more explanation about everything!

That all said, I don't think Crewel was a bad book by any means, just not my thing. I have many students who absolutely loved it and we even considered it for a book club pick last year. I was intrigued by the very end though; will I like Altered more than Crewel? Feel free to advise in the comments!

Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 352 pages
"Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . . ." (Goodreads)

Let me start by saying that this cover is weird! It's creepy and so white and the 2 colored eyes just weird me out. I know they redid the covers for Enders and I don't think they're any better. Just had to get that off my chest!

I read Starters because it's been popular in my classes. One of my students gave a book talk on it and when I asked how many others had read it, a lot of hands went up. Whenever my students really like a book and I haven't read, I always make a point to get to it soon. I read it over a couple days and enjoyed it, although it wasn't my favorite.

In a time with a lot of similar sounding science fiction/futuristic novels, I thought this plot was pretty original. Callie rents her body out to Enders so they can kind of relive their youths in younger bodies. I was entertained throughout most of the book, but felt like the writing started to falter a little toward the end. It was basically just an ok book for me; nothing outstanding but still a fairly fun book. I would say read it if you like the genre!

Review: Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 272 pages
"The Congo is a dangerous place, even for people who are trying to do good.

When one girl has to follow her mother to her sanctuary for bonobos, she's not thrilled to be there. It's her mother's passion, and she'd rather have nothing to do with it. But when revolution breaks out and their sanctuary is attacked, she must rescue the bonobos and hide in the jungle. Together, they will fight to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

Eliot Schrefer asks readers what safety means, how one sacrifices to help others, and what it means to be human in this new compelling adventure." (Goodreads)

Endangered is a great example of a book that seems totally not for me. The setting, the storyline, the cover, all of it just screams a great book for someone, but that someone isn't me. Obviously, though, I did read it. I kept seeing it on my shelf at school and saw that a few Goodreads friends had given it good reviews, so I brought it home and read it over a few days last December. To my surprise, I liked it!

Even though I didn't absolutely love Endangered, I did like it, and can think of students I would recommend it to. It's a great example of a survival story: Sophie has to survive in a jungle by herself with a group of bonobos and no other humans for the most part. I wouldn't have made it, that's for sure, but I still like reading survival stories (apparently they teach me I wouldn't make it). It was interesting to learn about bonobos and animal sanctuaries, two things I know very little about.

Just like my Under the Never Sky lesson last week (right book, right time), this book gave me a another mini-lesson for my students (and me): leaving your reading comfort zone can be scary and uncomfortable, but is often really rewarding. I'm definitely glad I read Endangered and expanded my world a bit. I'm looking forward to exploring Schrefer's other work!

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Publish date: 2012
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Length: 374 pages
"Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland--known as The Death Shop--are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild--a savage--and her only hope of staying alive. 

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile--everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky." (Goodreads)

Under the Never Sky and I have a history. I bought it from Anderson's when I went to the Spring into the Future signing the night before RT Teen Day in Chicago. It was in 2012, but I swear it was just last year! Anyway, I bought it and had Veronica Rossi sign it without having read it, just assuming I'd like it. I tried reading it for the first time during a readathon and quit after 100 pages. I was completely lost and just wasn't getting into it at all. I was especially bummed because I loved meeting Veronica and thought she was hilarious and fun to listen to.

Fast forward to last month when we had a two snow days to start the week and I'd run out of books to read, having brought home and read Starters and The Caged Graves from my classroom library. Nothing sounded good on my kindle, so I was looking through my own books, hoping something would jump out at me, when I decided to give UTNS another shot. Amazingly, I got really into it and loved it!

The beginning of Under the Never Sky is really confusing, to me at least, and if you are thinking about reading it, just push through and keep going. Once you get about a third in, things really click and it becomes hard to put down. I read it over 2 days and was happy I picked it up when I didn't have to work--it would have been hard to stop reading! I was sucked into the story and found it to be a fresh take on the dystopian/futuristic science fiction genre. I still have a lot of questions about the world building, but I'm hoping they will be answered in Through the Ever Night (which I am currently reading).

I used my experience with Under the Never Sky as an example to my students of reading the right book at the right time. The first time I tried to read it, it didn't work out at all, either due to readathon burn out or just not feeling the genre. After a long break and needing a new book though, UTNS clicked! I definitely am wondering now if I should go back to any books I DNFed to try again...

Review: The Caged Graves by Dianne K. Salerni

Publish date: May 2013
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 329 pages
"17-year-old Verity Boone expects a warm homecoming when she returns to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 1867, pledged to marry a man she has never met. Instead, she finds a father she barely knows and a future husband with whom she apparently has nothing in common. One truly horrifying surprise awaits her: the graves of her mother and aunt are enclosed in iron cages outside the local cemetery. Nobody in town will explain why, but Verity hears rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Perhaps the cages were built to keep grave robbers out . . . or to keep the women in. Determined to understand, Verity finds herself in a life-and-death struggle with people she trusted.

Inspired by a pair of real caged graves in present-day Catawissa, this historical YA novel weaves mystery, romance, and action into a suspenseful drama with human greed and passion at its core." (Goodreads)

I first heard about The Caged Graves when I was at ALA and was immediately sucked in by the cover and title while walking around one day. It came out in May, so we got copies for our classroom libraries this fall and I can't believe I waited until now to read it! I absolutely loved it!

The Caged Graves is basically my favorite kind of historical fiction, in that the setting doesn't overwhelm the story. I love historical fiction, but find that sometimes the setting takes over, which usually means I'm not a fan of the book. Instead, the time period of just after the Civil War was a great complement to Verity's story. I loved Verity herself and all of her intelligence and curiosity. Also: she decided to come back to Catawissa to enter her marriage. I think the blurb makes it seem like the was forced into it. Nope.

I really love that there are actual caged graves in Catawissa. Author Dianne Salerni found them in an abandoned graveyard and after not being able to find out why the cages were there, decided to write a book about them. It's just the best when historical fiction makes me want to learn more about actual events, so you better believe if I ever go to PA, I will be going to see these cages!

If you are in the mood for addicting and interesting historical fiction, check out The Caged Graves! I don't think it's gotten the attention it deserves and I look forward to pushing it on people :)

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio (January Adventures through Awkwardness)

Publish date: 2012
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 315 pages
"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels." (Goodreads)

So obviously I've heard of Wonder...who hasn't? Everyone loves this book but I still didn't feel the need to read it, probably because of the age of Auggie. What can I say? I tend to be drawn to books with older protagonists. I figured it would make a good choice for January's Adventures through Awkwardness challenge, since the genre is contemporary, and I was right!

Wonder is the story of Auggie, born with a facial deformity and starting 5th grade. He's never been to a real school before and is afraid of being the new kid, like we all would be. The story is essentially his 5th grade school year, taking us through the ups and downs of being the new kid and him trying to show his classmates that he's just a normal person too. Some of the kids were predictably terrible to him but some were surprisingly nice and providing some good moments in the book. Auggie's parents were very supportive, which was nice to see as well. I didn't really have any issues with the storyline.

The one thing that kind of confused me while reading was the multiple points of view. I liked reading from Via's POV but didn't think any of the others were necessary. I thought they took away from the story, especially a few that only were around for a few pages. I also had issues with certain conflicts not being resolved, but instead just forgotten about (but maybe that's just me reading this as an adult reader).

Overall, I think Wonder has huge appeal for late elementary and middle school readers. I know some teachers are starting to include this in their curriculum, which is great, and should provide some excellent conversations in class. If you've read it, what did you think?

Audiobook Review: Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Narrator: Natalie Moore
Publish date: 2006
Source: Library
Length: 6 hours 7 minutes
"When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Harsh words indeed, from Brian Nelson of all people. But, D. J. can’t help admitting, maybe he’s right. 

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Stuff like why her best friend, Amber, isn’t so friendly anymore. Or why her little brother, Curtis, never opens his mouth. Why her mom has two jobs and a big secret. Why her college-football-star brothers won’t even call home. Why her dad would go ballistic if she tried out for the high school football team herself. And why Brian is so, so out of her league.

When you don’t talk, there’s a lot of stuff that ends up not getting said. Welcome to the summer that fifteen-year-old D. J. Schwenk of Red Bend, Wisconsin, learns to talk, and ends up having an awful lot of stuff to say." (Goodreads)

I'd been meaning to read Dairy Queen for quite a while, mostly because of people's reviews and not because the book necessarily sounded like my kind of book. I'm usually a tough sell on contemps, so it took me a while to decide to read it. I actually picked up the audiobook at the library, which is a good way for me to read books I'm feeling iffy about. Dairy Queen, though, ended up being great and I really wish I hadn't waited so long to read it!

One of the reasons I liked Dairy Queen was not the sports aspect of it, as I'm not a football person, but it was where D.J. lived and what her family did. I live and teach in a rural area myself (although did not grow up in one) and really enjoyed that a lot of this book took place on a Wisconsin dairy farm. Farming and rural areas are not well represented in YA, as far as I can tell, so it was refreshing to take in that setting and read about those activities.

I thought the narrator, Natalie Moore, was a great choice for D.J. Her voice definitely sounded like a teenager and I loved her accent. Listening to this book was the right choice for me since D.J. rambles sometimes and I think that would have gotten a little boring to read. It was also just over 6 hours, making for a nice, quick read.

Basically this was a solid contemp that had lots of great elements: family dynamics, friendship issues, romance but not too much of it, and really D.J. just trying to figure out what she wants. I've already requested the audio of book 2 from the library and I love the cover with the cow!

Review: Pivot Point by Kasie West

Publish date: 2013
Source: Classroom Library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 352 pages
"Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without." (Goodreads)

I had heard of this book earlier this year, but didn't pay much attention to it. However, after seeing consistently high ratings from friends on twitter and Goodreads, I decided it was time to try it out. I brought it home over winter break from my classroom library and spent a few hours kicking myself, wondering why it took so long for me to read this! Pivot Point was excellent and I think it deserves more attention.

First of all, I like the concept of the advanced psychological abilities and Addie's skill of Searching. How many of us have wanted to see into our futures to see if we're making the right choices? I know I have. I liked that each chapter alternated between her potential future with her mom at the Compound and another life with her dad in the real world. It was interesting to see what Addie knew about in the real world in terms of what we know is normal and to see what abilities other people at the compound had. All fun to read about!

I also really liked that this book wasn't just about meeting guys and falling in love. Addie has complicated relationships with boys, her parents, and her friends, making the book that much more enjoyable. I think I initially didn't pay attention to Pivot Point when it came out because the synopsis makes it seem like it's all about boys, but the book is about much more than that.

If you are looking for an interesting take on powers, but a book that reads more like a contemporary, try Pivot Point! I would not consider myself a big paranormal fan, but I was very pleasantly surprised by this (and it really does seem like realistic fiction!).

Review: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Publish date: August 2013
Source: Classroom library
Format: Hardcover
Length: 384 pages
"Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life... until now.

Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy. This extraordinarily odd, but extraordinarily endearing, girl manages to push through her grief. Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read." (Goodreads)

I will be honest: I would not have read Counting by 7s if my coworker, another English teacher, hadn't mentioned how much she loved it. I obviously noticed it as I shelved it in my classroom library, but it didn't jump out at me, screaming to be read. I decided to read it because I trust her recommendations and wow, was she right! This book was amazing!

Counting by 7s is middle grade, but don't let that deter you (if it does). I would not call myself a reader of MG by any means, but I absolutely adored this and it changed my mind about what MG lit can be. I was completely sucked into Willow's story and could have easily read this in one day if I'd had the time. I essentially loved every single thing about this story and wish I could spend more time with the characters.

I also loved Holly Goldberg Sloan's writing style here, which definitely fit with Willow's quirky characteristics. It wasn't like the book was narrated by her, but the third person omniscient just fit so well here. Typically that style does not mesh with me, but not the case!

It's hard for me to explain exactly why I liked this one so much, so just take my word for it. This is a solid, wonderfully written middle grade about the power of family and friendship and finding your people that everyone should read. Quite possibly my favorite book of 2013!

Audiobook review: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Narrators: Steve West & Fiona Hardingham
Publish date: 2011
Source: Library
Length: 12 hours 6 minutes
"It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen." (Goodreads)

This book and I have a bit of a history. I downloaded the ebook last year in March and tried reading it a while later. I gave up about 30% in because the story just seemed to go nowhere and I was completely bored. Then later, I heard audio was the way to go and after Heidi and Monica went on and on about it at ALA, I knew I had to try it! Of course Heidi and Monica were right :)

I enjoyed the audiobook, but the story was just not what I expected at all. I never would have read this if not for rave reviews and a Printz Honor, so I'm not surprised that it's not my favorite book ever, but I also liked it more than I thought. Even on audio, the story was still slow, but it was much more enjoyable to listen than read. I do agree that Maggie Stiefvater is great at describing setting--at times I really felt like I was on Thisby. I do like books set on islands, so I think that helped my unexpected enjoyment.

The audiobook aspects of The Scorpio Races were amazing and I would highly recommend listening to it over reading the print. The narrators for both Sean and Puck are amazing, with each having different voices for all the characters found in their chapters. I especially liked Steve West's narration and look forward to listening to more stories read by him. If you are thinking about reading this, please try the audio. You won't regret it!

I am honestly not sure yet what I think of the book as a whole. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I still think most of the book was really slow, with the exception of the last 25%, which zipped by. I'm torn, because I think I more enjoyed the audiobook production than the actual story. I know I definitely would not have finished the print. For now, I'm saying 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: The Program by Suzanne Young

Publish date: April 2013
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Length: 408 pages
"Sloane knows better than to cry in front of anyone. With suicide now an international epidemic, one outburst could land her in The Program, the only proven course of treatment. Sloane’s parents have already lost one child; Sloane knows they’ll do anything to keep her alive. She also knows that everyone who’s been through The Program returns as a blank slate. Because their depression is gone—but so are their memories.

Under constant surveillance at home and at school, Sloane puts on a brave face and keeps her feelings buried as deep as she can. The only person Sloane can be herself with is James. He’s promised to keep them both safe and out of treatment, and Sloane knows their love is strong enough to withstand anything. But despite the promises they made to each other, it’s getting harder to hide the truth. They are both growing weaker. Depression is setting in. And The Program is coming for them." (Goodreads)

My student book club picked The Program as one of their summer books, along with The 5th Wave. I would have read it regardless, but maybe not as soon if not for book club. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am really looking forward to reading more from Suzanne Young.

I really love the premise behind this book and think it has huge appeal for teens. Being a teenager can be so hard and I think most go through rough periods, similar to some situations that characters go through in The Program. Teens (and adults) will definitely be able to relate to this and think about what they would do in Sloane's situation. This books raises tons of interesting questions and I can't wait to discuss them with students. The question that stuck with me the most after finishing was: if I could, would I want to erase bad/sad memories? Interesting to think about...

I honestly can't think of anything I didn't like about The Program. I thought the writing was great and it was hard to put the book down. I read it over two days, not wanting to stop. The pacing was good and I was really curious about the characters and who to trust. I am definitely looking forward to the sequel and reading more by Suzanne Young!