Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun-filled day of tricks, treats, and spooky stories!

Need a last minute spooky story for a kid’s party or bedtime? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

This is a wonderful book for your shyest little ones who may need a little reassurance. From the Publisher: When Tomás and his family moved to a new house on a new street, he took it into his head that the new people might not like him. 
"Of course they'd like you," his mamá said. "Why wouldn't they? ¿Por qué no? "
But Tomás didn't answer.

Tomás's Mom encourages him to go out and meet the kids in his neighborhood, but Tomas is too shy. Instead, he sits on his stoop, watching the world go by. But on the night of Halloween, opportunity arrives in the form of a tiger costume, complete with a mask that hides his identity. He can go trick-or-treating without anyone knowing it's him. But Tomás will soon discover his costume doesn't hide him quite as well as he thinks...

This book is so cute! From the Publisher: Bonaparte is having a tough time. It’s hard for this young skeleton to just hang loose when he can’t keep hold of himself. 
 
When he plays catch, his throwing arm literally takes a flyer. Eating lunch can be a real jaw-dropping occasion. How can he start school when he has so many screws loose?

Luckily, Bonaparte hit the bone-anza when it came to his friends. Franky Stein, Black Widow, and Mummicula all have some boneheaded ideas to help pull him together. But will it be enough to boost his confidence and get him ready for the first day of school?

Not technically a Halloween book, but it’s wonderfully silly and creepy! From the Publisher: Jasper Rabbit is NOT a little bunny anymore. He’s not afraid of the dark, and he’s definitely not afraid of something as silly as underwear. But when the lights go out, suddenly his new big rabbit underwear glows in the dark. A ghoulish, greenish glow. If Jasper didn’t know any better he’d say his undies were a little, well, creepy. Jasper’s not scared obviously, he’s just done with creepy underwear. But after trying everything to get rid of them, they keep coming back!

Middle grade novel full of spooky ghosts and adventure. Best part-it takes place in Scotland. From the Publisher: Ever since Cass almost drowned (okay, she did drown, but she doesn't like to think about it), she can pull back the Veil that separates the living from the dead . . . and enter the world of spirits. Her best friend is even a ghost.

So things are already pretty strange. But they're about to get much stranger.

When Cass's parents start hosting a TV show about the world's most haunted places, the family heads off to Edinburgh, Scotland. Here, graveyards, castles, and secret passageways teem with restless phantoms. And when Cass meets a girl who shares her "gift," she realizes how much she still has to learn about the Veil -- and herself.

And she'll have to learn fast. The city of ghosts is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

It’s Neil Gaiman. Enough said.

Ok. Nobody Owens, or Bod, is a normal human boy. But his life started off in tragedy and he’s now being raised by the ghosts of the graveyard.

Beautifully drawn and masterfully told-it’s a classic.

Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta

Stuck in Manistique is a funny and heartwarming look at how seemingly simple decisions can lead to big consequences.
When Mark, an only child without any family, receives word that his only aunt has passed away heads to northern Michigan to handle the details of her estate. Mark's childhood was filled with stories of his adventurous and world traveling aunt who worked with Doctors Without Borders and lived in war zones. But what his life was not filled with was actual interactions and memories of his aunt. Without any contact for decades, Mark has no idea what he's getting himself in to.
Emily, a recent medical school graduate is getting ready to start her residency at a prestigious Chicago hospital and is planning on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend when a deer derails her plans. Stuck without a car and seriously considering her future, Emily ends up at the Manistique Victorian, a bed and breakfast formerly owned by Mark's Aunt Vivian. While Mark thinks he's only helping out a stranded woman for one night, he instead sets off a series of events that leads to friendships, break-ups, humor and sadness.
There was something about the beginning of this book that kept nagging at me and it took a while to figure out what it was-the dialogue is completely real and believable. There are no flowery speeches or quick come-backs. The characters have very real conversations with misunderstandings and jokes that fall completely flat.
Stuck in Manistique is full of quirkly characters. Mark meets Bear Foot, a local handyman who was both a friend to Aunt Vivian and her go-to guy to get things done. After learning of her death, he builds a fire to help guide her spirit and borrows a boat to take Mark out on the lake to spread Vivian's ashes. But of course, the fire doesn't go as planned and the boat doesn't start. There's George, an elderly man who has a fight with is wife and leaves his casino tour for a night of peace. But of course, George's wife died years ago and his struggles with dementia leave Mark and Emily constantly worrying about his safety. There's the couple who are trying to be the first to circle the lake in an electric car-but are they a couple?
Stuck in Manistique is a series of "what-else-can-go-wrong" that is equal parts humorous and heartbreaking. I really enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it for when you're in the need of some great, light reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Stuck in Manistique by Dennis Cuesta is available October 29, 2018 from Celestial Eyes Press.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Go-To Baby Shower Gifts

I love to give books as gifts to children of all ages, but I especially love books as baby shower gifts. It has been said over and over again, but it’s worth mentioning, reading to children is one of the best ways to help them develop language, empathy, and a life-long love of learning. Whether you read to them before nap time, bedtime, snack time, play time, or take them to your favorite local library for Story Time, reading to children should be a part of their everyday schedule.

When they’re still infants, you can get away with any picture book that is bright, colorful, and tells any story that interests the parents. It’s not until they develop their little grabby hands that you need to switch over to durable board books, and luckily many picture books are offered in board book formats.

Many of my go-to authors write humorous stories that are just as much fun for adults as they are for children. Not going to lie, if a book has dinosaurs or vegetables in underpants, it’s an automatic buy for me. In fact, the board book Vegetables in Underpants is my most checked-out board book at the Library.

The Baby Loves Science! series from Ruth Spiro is fantastic. It covers topics like thermodynamics, gravity, green energy, and coding. Very bright illustrations and simple language introduce young children to the science around us.

From the Publisher: Accurate enough to satisfy an expert, yet simple enough for baby, this book explores the basics of particle physics and chemistry – quarks, protons, neutrons, atoms and molecules – and ties it all to baby’s world. Beautiful, visually stimulating illustrations complement age-appropriate language to encourage baby’s sense of wonder. Parents and caregivers may learn a thing or two, as well!

With tongue firmly in cheek, the Baby Loves Science series introduces highly intellectual science concepts to the littlest learners.

Ame Dyckman writes hilarious children’s stories and Wolfie the Bunny is one of my favorites. Great illustrations and fast moving story make for enjoyable reading for everyone.

From the Publisher: The Bunny family has adopted a wolf son, and daughter Dot is the only one who realizes Wolfie can--and might--eat them all up! Dot tries to get through to her parents, but they are too smitten to listen. A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day?

Mo Willems, author of the Pigeon books, Elephant and Piggie, and the Knufflebunny series is back with a new gang of characters-Squirrels! I Lost My Tooth! is brand new and hilarious. I just used this one for storytime and the kids loved it! The oldies-and-definitely-goodies Elephant and Piggie are also excellent choices for little ones. They’re silly but kind, funny but teach a great lesson on friendship.

Ryan T. Higgins has created one of my absolute favorite characters-Bruce. Bruce is grumpy, likes to be alone, and loves to cook. Unfortunately for his, his gourmet goose eggs hatched and he’s now the not-proud mother to 3 geese. A colorful cast of woodland creatures enter Bruce’s life and he deals with it all in the grumpiest way ever. The illustrations are incredible and the stories are fantastic. So far, there’s four picturebooks in the series and at least one board book.

I was lucky enough to hear Dan Santant speak at the Illinois Reading Council’s conference just this month. Not only is he super funny, he’s an extremely talented illustrator. He has a newer book out, Drawn Together, that I highly recommend for grade school age children. After the Fall is all about how Humpty Dumpty fell and then got back up again in the most amazing way. It’s just beautiful to look at and adults will love the new twist at the end.

Do you have any books that you love to share with children? Share your favorites in the comments!

House of Gold by Natasha Solomon

House of Gold is a rich and sweeping tale of the Goldbaum family during the early 20th century.   Wealthy, beautiful, and full of rich-people problems, the Goldbaums are one of the wealthiest families in the world with the ability to make or break entire countries.  With all of that power comes impossibly high expectations of all members of the family. Greta, daughter to the head of the Austrian house is set to marry her cousin Albert.  Not only has she never met Albert, she has no say in the matter. Greta’s big brother Otto is brought up to lead his family and take his father’s place at the bank and has just as much say in his future as his little sister.  

As the years pass, Greta learns to tolerate her marriage, fall in love with her husband, become a mother, and learns the strength to survive a war.  With her family’s money being both a blessing and a burden, Greta lives her life as close to her own terms as possible.

This is one of those vast, multi-layered stories that is great for when you want to really immerse yourself for days on end.  The e-book version of House of Gold that I read clocked in at nearly 450 pages and takes you all the way from the wedding planning of Greta and Albert’s wedding to the birth of their second child.  It’s full of history, politics, religion, and the way that money really does rule the world. The detail given to the dresses, dinner menus, furnishings, and gardens is incredible. And the rich people problems-it’s a wonderful escape. Greta frets for months on how to plan a garden.  Who to hire, what to plant, the significance of every little stone-all while the Goldbaum kitchens are handing out food to the poor and starving. There is a side story of Karl, a young man who lives in the sewers of the city and stays as close to the Goldbaum mansion as possible because the food they give away is the best in the country.  

House of Gold also gives us insight into high-society arranged marriages.  I find the separate bedrooms, lack of communication, and the way they act more like a business partnership than a life partnership absolutely fascinating.  

I really enjoyed this one.  If you want to get lost for days in someone else’s life, I highly recommend this one.  

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:  

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

In the Vanisher's Palace by Aliette de Bodard

When an Elder’s daughter becomes ill, magic is the only cure. But drawing on the magic of the Dragons comes with a steep price. Yên, daughter of the village healer, is the one chosen to become the payment of the village’s magical debts. Assuming she will be given to the Dragons for their amusement, she is shocked to discover that she will be playing a different role-as tutor to the feisty and mischievous young dragon children of the dragoness Vu Côn. Now living in the spirit world in a magical palace that reshapes itself to suit the needs of the inhabitants, Yên worries that her death is always one misstep away. But it’s not her life that is at stake, it’s her heart. Vu Côn is more than a magical dragon, she is also a beautiful and powerful woman.

Dark and beautifully written, In The Vanisher’s Palace is a dark retelling of the classic Beauty and the Beast story. From the mysterious and powerful Dragon to the palace that is constantly changing shape, it has many of the elements of the original tale with a notable twist.

I loved the Dragon characters-they’re magical, powerful, and the children are still very much children, learning their boundaries and the consequences of their magic. There’s a magical medical ward where the children Liên and Thông definitely don’t see eye-to-eye with their mother.

The worlds are very complex and they blend history, contemporary elements and magic. The hospital beds in the spirit world are cryogenic chambers but the dragons still use magic to heal them. It can be a bit disorienting but the story moves on quickly enough for all to make sense and seem completely natural. I mean, why wouldn’t the walls just begin to shift and add windows? Of course we use magical spells to cure viruses.

Yên and Vu Côn begin as slave as master but quickly realize that there is much more going on. Even Vu Côn’s children can see that she is instantly smitten with their new teacher. They’re relationship is built on more than attraction-there is trust and also genuine concern for each other’s well being.

In the Vanisher’s Palace is dark but beautifully written. I really enjoyed dropping in to this world and I’d love to see what this author comes up with next.

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here;

Series Starters-Paranormal Edition

I’m a big paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy/urban fantasy fan. I have great respect for an author who can weave together magic and reality and create a new and intricate world. Getting lost in Post-Shift Atlanta or the dark streets of Caldwell is my favorite way to escape from reality. Vampires, faeries, shifters, witches and warlocks-I love them all. Full disclosure-I do own all of these books. Full disclosure- I hate when a publisher changes a cover style half way through a series. It makes my head spin. Just keep a cover consistent. That’s not too much to ask.

If you have any series that you love, please drop them in the comments!

This was my first introduction to the Steampunk genre and the entire series is great. It’s full of vampires, political intrigue, mechanical devices, and steam of all kinds!

From the Publisher: Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven as she hides from the Blue Blood aristocracy that rules London through power and fear. Blade rules the rookeries-no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single–handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood–craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal. When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel-or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

These books are proudly displayed behind glass in my living room. If we ever have a fire, someone better save all my boys! You can start your obsession for only $2.99 on Kindle.

From the Publisher: The only purebred vampire left on the planet and the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who killed his parents centuries ago. But when his most trusted fighter is killed—orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate—Wrath must put down his dagger and usher the beautiful female into another world.

Racked by a restlessness in her body that wasn’t there before, Beth Randall is helpless against the dangerously sexy man who comes to her at night with shadows in his eyes. His tales of the Brotherhood and blood frighten her. Yet his touch ignites a dawning new hunger—one that threatens to consume them both...

This series just wrapped up with Magic Triumphs, book #10 and is absolutely amazing. Plus, book 1 is only $2.99 on Kindle!

From the Publisher: When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
 Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles.
 The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate’s guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t have it any other way...

This series is hot!!! It’s also a great story about finding your inner badass.

From the Publisher: When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone—Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed—a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae. . . .
As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane—an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book—because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands. . 

This is only $1.99 on Kindle!

I just discovered this series this year and I really enjoyed it. If you loved Harry Potter, give this one a shot.

From the Publisher: Newly arrived in New Fiddleham, New England, 1892, and in need of a job, Abigail Rook meets R. F. Jackaby, an investigator of the unexplained with a keen eye for the extraordinary--including the ability to see supernatural beings. Abigail has a gift for noticing ordinary but important details, which makes her perfect for the position of Jackaby’s assistant. On her first day, Abigail finds herself in the midst of a thrilling case: A serial killer is on the loose. The police are convinced it’s an ordinary villain, but Jackaby is certain the foul deeds are the work of the kind of creature whose very existence the local authorities--with the exception of a handsome young detective named Charlie Cane--seem adamant to deny.

Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman

I have an apology to make to the YA community. I used to think that YA was overrated, dumbed-down, fluffy teen angst. It’s not. Some of the best books I have read lately have fallen under the YA marketing category-I do still believe that’s all it is-and I want to throw them into the hands of every adult patron who comes into the Library. The latest title to completely captivate me is Summer Bird Blue by Akemi Dawn Bowman. I read this at the kitchen table, in one setting, with my husband literally knocking down the walls around me. Home renovation is fun for one of us.

Rumi Seto’s entire life changes in an instant. Her best friend and sister Lea dies next to her in a tragic car accident. Overcome with grief and sadness, her mother sends her away to her aunt’s house in Hawaii for the rest of the summer. Feeling lonely and abandoned, Rumi struggles with the basic of tasks-getting out of bed, showering, eating. Her Aunt has never had children and her already strained relationship with her niece is made even more volatile as the two try to navigate life around each other.

Her new next door neighbor, a handsome and charming surfer named Kai, tries to become her friend and show her the sights of Hawaii but Rumi isn’t ready. Without her sister and the music they wrote together, Rumi has lost both her heart and moral compass. Her other neighbor, an eighty year old grump named George Watanabe is only slightly more successful in forming a friendship with Rumi. Laying on his living room floor listening to old records provides Rumi with the closest thing to peace she can find.

It is through her new friendships and her music that slowly allow Rumi to find her way back to herself.

Reader friends-grab your tissues and read this book. It’s incredibly emotional and raw. Rumi’s character already struggles with friendships and understanding how to react to social situations. Her relationship with her sister is what gave her life direction. When her mom ships her off to Hawaii, the betrayal and abandonment is more than she can handle and I spent most of this story crying my eyes out because she feels so lost.

Akemi Dawn Bowman writes her characters with such love-each character felt so real. I’d love for their to be a sequel to this story so I know everyone is living their best life. I really liked the way the author wrote about Rumi’s attempts to figure herself out. Rumi was very aware that she thought differently than others but even with that awareness, the way she view relationships really troubled her. Trying to decipher her sexuality was incredibly frustrating to her and the conversations about sexuality being fluid were really well written. This story really covers a broad range of difficult topics-death, grief, relationships, sexuality, mental health, abandonment. While that seems to be a lot of heaviness, it’s also full of hope.

I really enjoyed this one and I’m looking forward to see what the author puts out next.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Diet for a Changing Climate by Christy Mihaly and Sue Heavenrich

Just this week, the United Nations released a report on climate change that was filled with dire warnings. I won’t go in to the details because I am the furthest thing from an expert you will find. I did this article from the New Yorker to be the most accessible to my non-expert brain. Now that everyone is sufficiently scared, let’s take a more lighthearted approach to our problem.

Let’s eat bugs.

Diet for a Changing Climate is an interesting and informative read on how we can adapt our diet to positively impact our environment. This book is full of facts on "unusual" food sources such as insects, kudzu and foraging for wild greens. Who knew some of the most nutritious additions to our dinner salad are right in our yard? Unfortunately, most of us use toxic chemicals to remove those pesky dandelions and chickweed from our yards. Kudzu, which has taken over the southern states of the U.S. is also a tasty sandwich wrap, tea, and can be used to make jelly.

Did you know stinkbugs taste like apples? No clue. Crickets in your protein bars? I guess…just don’t tell me? I don’t think I’m ready to jump on the bug protein wagon, but if the idea sounds good to you, this book is full of recipes. From how to identify your insect, harvesting, and cooking, this book covers it all.

The authors have included some really great and colorful graphics in this book. There’s plenty of recipes, tips and tricks to incorporating climate friendly food sources into our daily lives.

Equal parts gross and fascinating, this book will show how to change the way we look at invasive species. This would be perfect for the science nut or a budding climatologist in your life. Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought by Christy Mihaly and Sue Heavenrich is available October 1, 2018.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Full disclosure: I received an advanced copy of this book from the Netgalley and the Publisher, all opinions are my own.

Consumed by J. R. Ward

J. R. Ward has given us another hot one! Full disclosure-I own the entire Black Dagger Brotherhood, Fallen Angel, and Bourbon Kings series. I fell in love with her writing with Dark Lover and I have been a devoted fan ever since.

Another full disclosure-I’m married to a firefighter. To The Chief. Of course I bought this book. He also dropped everything to grab his gear so I could play around with my camera.

Ann Ashburn comes from a family of firefighters and she has the skills and courage to be one of the very best. During a sketchy warehouse fire, Ann makes the decision to leave her partner and venture out on her own. Not only is this completely dangerous, it’s against protocol. When the building begins to collapse, Ann becomes trapped. Luckily, Ann is saved by her fellow firefighter Danny Maguire, but it’s how he saves her that changes them both forever.

Spoiler-not-a-spoiler: He cuts her hand off! With an ax! Her hand was completely trapped and there was no other way to get her out before the flames completely took them over.

But once Ann is safe, things become incredibly dangerous for Danny. After handing Ann out to the fellow crew members for medical treatment, the building collapses on Danny. When Danny is finally found, his injuries are so severe that no one can understand how he survived.

Both Ann and Danny required months and months to recover. Now that Ann has only the one hand, she can no longer work as a firefighter with her crew. Unable to leave the profession completely, she throws herself into her new career-arson investigator. Nearly a year later, Ann is investigating a series of suspicious fires that forces her to cross paths with her old crew, and most importantly, Danny.

This book was everything I was hoping it would be! Ward writes very strong female characters I really enjoyed Ann’s character. Ann is smart, tough, resourceful, and is willing to work to get what she wants. She’s fearless as an investigator and refuses to be intimidated. On her first investigation, she rescues a stray dog that is hurt and hungry. I love the way the relationship between Ann and Soot, the pup, is written.

Danny’s character is a little predictable-tough but injured guy is medicating himself with alcohol and OTC meds. After Ann’s accident, the two of them don’t speak for nearly a year but she is constantly on his mind. He becomes more and more dangerous and is constantly putting himself in danger. With that said, the way he is with Ann completely redeems all that. He is never pushy, never overbearing, and he completely appreciates Ann for her strengths and her mind and not just for her amazing abs.

If you’ve never read Ward before, I would highly recommend you start. Consumed just came out last week so you’ll have plenty of time before the next book comes out. If you’re into paranormal romance her Black Dagger Brotherhood books are amazing. They’re almost soap opera-ish ( I truly mean this in the best way) and follow a great group of characters across almost 20 books. Definitely start with the first one, Dark Lover.

Have you read this yet? Let me know what you thought of this one.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Water. It is everywhere in this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book more suited for a rainy, stormy night than this one. The atmosphere is so dark, dreary, gray, and just down right wet. There are constant rain showers, pounding a thunderstorms and horrific accident involving the backyard pond. Grab a rain coat and some tissues-this book is an adventure.

Moving to the countryside to escape an appalling-and it’s a doozy- scandal doesn't save the Montrose family from heartache and devastation. Lydia Montrose, the middle daughter with secrets of her own, does her best to keep the family peace by caring for her younger sister Emeline while also trying to save her family from her older sister Catherine’s scandalous antics.

In Catherine’s defense, the book is set during a time where smiling at a man could ostracize you from society. But that’s her only defense-the girl has some serious issues to deal with. Also, I really don’t like getting negative on here-we have way too much of that everyday-but the scandal they’re running from? I could really do without that. There are so many ways that society has deemed women’s behavior scandalous that the options were endless. I did not like this option. I just didn’t.

The family's new home has completely unnerved their neighbor, John Barrett. Barrett is very upset after finding out that the family has decided to stay in the house full time but doesn’t provide any reasoning for his reaction. Even more unsettling to Lydia is the house seems to be home to a malevolent spirit that calls to Lydia and her younger sister and fighting it is proving exhausting.

When the family attempts to gain the good graces of their neighbors by hosting a town hall and party, the family suffers a horrible loss. In that loss, Lydia discovers a power in her that is both frightening and alluring. It’s a power that has been hidden since her earliest memories. But is it real?

If Lydia isn't careful, she will lose not only those that she loves, but herself as well.

A dark and troubling story of sibling rivalry, family tragedy, and deceit. Richly told with twists and turns that will have you questioning your own sanity.

This read like it could be the first in a series-and I hope it does continue because more information needs told about many of the different plot points. It’s published by Graydon House for YA audiences but besides the age of the main character, it didn’t feel like a YA novel at all so don’t let that keep you from giving it a shot.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

After the Fire by Will Hill

This one is amazing!

After the Fire by Will Hill is a riveting story of how one girl survives a deadly cult in the deserts of Texas. Inspired by the events in Waco, Texas with the Branch Davidian religious sect, After the Fire follows the life of Moonbeam, a seventeen year old who has only known life surrounded by her Brothers and Sisters inside the walls of the Lord’s Legion base. Moonbeam spends her days working in the gardens, training, and helping the other Legionnaire’s keep the Base running smoothly.

But then comes the fire.

Now, Moonbeam’s life is a series of Before and Afters. Before the fire, she lived inside the fence. After the fire, she lives in a hospital. Before the fire, she was a promised wife to the Prophet. After the fire, she has to learn what real truth is.

Why did the Prophet change his name? What was inside the mysterious packages that the Prophet received. Why were the Servants of the Serpent after them? Why did they want them dead?

Moonbeam’s harrowing story is told through flashbacks and therapy sessions at the hospital she is sent to after the fire. Brought to the Base when she was only a year old, her parents were trying to find a better and simpler life. What began as a group of people trying to live purely for the Lord, quickly becomes something much darker when a new Prophet joins their ranks. Father John, Prophet of the Lord has declared that the Base must begin to train for the End Times. With Armageddon close, Father John imposes harsh punishments against those that refuse his orders. Training with guns become part of everyone’s daily life. Hand to hand combat is taught to children with severe consequences for anyone who doesn’t train hard enough. Young girls are promised as wives to the Prophet-the only father to future children.

This story is incredibly well told. From the first page I was completely sucked in. The story is raw and emotional, but because it’s told through Moonbeam’s point of view, the author does a wonderful job of not making her pain-or any other character’s-gratuitous. We find out at the very beginning that Moonbeam has a terrible secret-one so big that she can’t let anyone find out what it is. Her constant fear of someone discovering her secret impacts her healing and that of those around her. After the Fire is an incredible look at how easily power can corrupt and affect the lives of innocent people.

An amazing story-I can’t recommend it enough. After the Fire by Will Hill is available from Sourcebooks Fire on October 2, 2018.

Sincere thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Nightingale by Amy Lukavics

I could not put this book down! Suspenseful, terrifying, and with a mind-bending ending, this book kept me up way past my bedtime.

It’s 1951 and June Hardie wants to do more with her life than learn how to cook, clean, and be a good little wife. While her mother is determined to keep June powdered and lipsticked, June dreams of being a writer. Instead of supporting June’s dreams, her parents are using her to date the son of a potential business partner as a way to further her family’s place in society. But before June is able to leave town and pursue her goals, a horrible betrayal completely upends her life.

Now June finds herself in a mental institution surrounded by troubled young women. How did she get here? Why hasn't her family come to visit? Why don't the other women remember their lives before the institution? Why does she receive treatments without ever seeing the doctor? Will she ever leave? June is left with more questions than answers as she tries to survive in her new surroundings all while trying to investigate how she ended up in the institution in the first place.

This book was amazing! All of the twists and turns really keep the story moving. As it becomes more difficult to tell the truth from June’s delusions, the story goes from creepy to truly terrifying.

Nightingale by Amy Lucaviks is available September 25th from Harlequin TEEN. Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Changeling by Molly Harper

This was such a fun adventure! This is the first book by Molly Harper that I’ve read and it’s just delightful. It’s also the first in the Sorcery and Society series.

When Sarah Smith, housemaid to a magical Guardian household nearly knocks over a priceless vase, her world is completely turned upside down. Instead of the vase shattering, Sarah sets the vase spinning in midair. Only Sarah doesn't have magic powers. She is part of the Snipes, the non-magical working class of servants and caretakers. In order to avoid a complete scandal Mrs. Winters, the intimidating matriarch of the Winter household, invents a new identity for Sarah, a distant cousin named Cassandra Reed.

Now Cassandra must prove herself to be a haughty, well educated lady of the upper class. Sent to Miss Castwell’s Institute for the Magical Instruction of Young Ladies, Cassandra must hone her powers, avoid dancing at all cost, survive the social complexities of the upper class, and learn where her magical powers came from.

Cassandra has so much to deal with in this book. If anyone finds out that she comes from a Snipe family, her family could be in danger and the Winters could lose everything. Her sister Mary is madly in love with Owen Winters, heir to the Winter household and completely out of her league. When Cassandra and Mrs. Winters meet with the headmistress on the first day of school, Cassandra is dismissed to the library to write a lengthy essay. Left alone and without further direction, she sets off to explore other parts of the large library only to be attacked by a book. Only in a magical library would one need to worry about books attacking you. Only, Cassandra isn’t being attacked. She has been chosen by the Mother Book to become it’s Translator- a sort of magical interpreter of the spells within the book. Now she’s covered in magical tattoos and a mysterious metal dragonfly appears on her palms. Not only is she the mysterious new girl, she’s the Translator.

Luckily for Cassandra, she meets two girls, Ivy and Alicia, both of whom are the school’s social outcasts. Both girls come from wealthy and prominent families, but they have little desire to play the part in petty gossip and school drama. Together, the girls take on the school bullies, an evil Guardian, and learn the value of true friendship.

Full of witty dialogue, magic, and strong female characters, Changeling is a fun look at friendship and the power of kindness.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Thank you to Netgalley and INscribe Digital for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground by T. R. Simon

I have been on a real kid-lit kick lately and it hasn’t been intentional. Middle grade novels have gotten so good that it’s easy to forget that you’re reading a kid’s book. Honestly, if you find yourself in a reading slump wander over to the middle grade department at your Library. No one will think you’re weird.

Seriously.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is second book in an amazing series about author Zora Neale Hurston’s childhood. Told through the eyes of Carrie Brown, a young girl who is best friend to Zora Neale Hurston and who stays with Zora's family after her father dies and her mother has to go away to work for a short time. One night, the girls are woken up by the sound of horses outside their window. When the girls sneak out to discover why the horses would have run away from their home and owner, they discover that their neighbor Mr. Polk has been gravely injured. This is just the beginning of the girls' dangerous adventure to discover why someone would hurt Mr. Polk and how dangerous their world truly is.

Alternating between two time periods and two narratives, we learn the tragic history of America's first all black township. T.R. Simon provides an unflinching view of post-Civil War Florida and how deeply the effects of slavery shape individuals.

Zora and Me: The Cursed Ground is an incredible story of hope, community, and strength,.

I’ve ordered both of the books for my own children’s department and I’m excited to share with these with young readers. The books do cover some tough topics-slavery, abuse, and violence so be prepared to answer some heavy questions.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Thank you to Candlewick and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Born Scared by Kevin Brooks

Born Scared is a gripping and heartbreaking look at childhood mental illness. Elliott was born scared. Born premature and a twin, he loses his sister within moments of their birth and begins his life in terror of everything around him. People, cars, animals, and even colors terrify Elliott. But his mother has created a safe environment for him in his home where he lives of most of his life in his bedroom, rarely venturing out. But a mix-up at the pharmacy leaves Elliott with the wrong prescription and fixing that mistake will lead Elliott and his mother on a series of devastating events.

Born Scared was absolutely heartbreaking but also very inspiring. I spent much of the book thinking of Elliott's mother-there isn't much written about her because the focus is on Elliott-and how she must cope with Elliott's fears. Elliott is literally scared of everything. Everything but the three people closest to him. But even through Elliott's fears, he is still able to gather the courage to leave the safety of his home to find out what has happened to his mother and aunt.

Excellent, excellent story.

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here:

Thank you to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Med Medina

Growing up is full of complicated changes and Merci Suárez is learning how complicated life can get. Dealing with changing friendships, harder classes, and a changing family life is proving to be overwhelming. Merci is starting sixth grade at Seaward Pines Academy, a private school that she attends on a scholarship. Merci isn't showing up to school in a fancy SUV, she's showing up in her father's work van he uses for his painting business. Instead of expensive vacations at the beach, Merci spends her weekends working alongside her dad or babysitting her cousins. Also, no fancy houses for the Suárez family-they live in a group of three pink houses where are all family members come and go, regardless of who lives where. All of this is starting to make Merci frustrated about the things she doesn't have but when her grandfather's dementia becomes worse, Merci learns that her tight-knit family has everything they really need.

A wonderful story that shows the pressures children feel in school to be successful and how that pressure is amplified when you're constantly trying to prove that you belong. The author did an excellent job of depicting real childhood friendships and how popularity affects everyone. The Suárez family felt so real-the way they worked together, ate together, shared childcare, and how events in the story really impacted them. It was all written with such heart and feeling. Meg Medina created a thoroughly enjoyable read that I can't wait to add to the shelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read and review this delightful book. 

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: 

Lemons by Melissa Savage

Library copy of the incredibly touching, Lemons by Melissa Savage

Full disclosure:  I didn't mean to get this book.  I was hurriedly putting new graphic novels on hold for The Kid when this title popped up.  Someone had mislabeled it as a graphic novel and when I tried to hand it over to The Kid, he just handed it right back.  I thought the premise was too cute to not give it a quick read, and three hours and a box of tissues later, I finally put it down.  

It's incredible.

I also bought a copy for my Library. 

Things are not going as Lem would like.  But as her mama as always said, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."  But now with her mama gone, how will Lemonade Liberty Witt ever be able to make lemons into lemonade again?  Instead of staying in San Francisco with her school and friends, she is sent to live with her grandfather, a man she has never met, in a tiny town in the woods.  Once there, Lem meets Tobin, the towns official Bigfoot investigator and CEO of Bigfoot Detectives Inc.  What begins as a temporary assignment as Tobin's assistant turns into an incredible adventure.  The two detectives spend their summer days investigating calls of Bigfoot sightings, ignoring the neighborhood bullies, and trying to keep the peace between Lem and her grandfather.  

When a particular Bigfoot sighting leads to actual evidence of a mysterious entity roaming the woods, the children discover something much bigger than they ever could have imagined. 

This story does such an amazing job of showing how childhood grief and loss can affect a child.  Lem has lost everything:  her mother, her home, her school and friends.  Now she's expected to just move in with a person she has never met and someone she knows her mother hasn't spoken to in years.  On top of her own grief, Lem's grandfather is also trying to deal with losing a daughter and now trying to raise a granddaughter he has never met.  Slowly, the two begin to find common ground.  Lem begins to notice her favorite snacks in the pantry and in turn, tries to be more patient with her grandfather.  Tobin is also dealing with his own trauma.  His father was captured during the Vietnam War and kept prisoner for several years.  But when he was finally recused and on his way back home, he suddenly went missing.  No one had seen or heard from him after his plane landed in the states.  The stress that Tobin was dealing with on a daily basis of not knowing where his father was or why he wouldn't come home must have been immense.  Whether the children really knew or not, it was their loss that bonded them together.  

These children are allowed a lot of freedom in the story and I think many children will find that very appealing.  They're only eleven but are left to roam around town and investigate Bigfoot sightings all their own.  Our two detectives even spend an entire night by themselves in the backyard of a neighbors house watching for a Bigfoot sighting.  There's also a lot of hot dog eating going on.  

This is a beautifully written story of love, loss, and finding family where you least expect it. 

You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: 

I'd Rather Be Reading by Anne Bogel

I’d Rather Be Reading:  The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life is a love letter to readers everywhere. It’s a reassurance that it’s ok to have overflowing bookshelves and never ending piles of books that we couldn’t let languish on a sale rack. It’s an affirmation that no matter how you read-audio, physical, e-reader, book club,in a coffee shop or in line at the store-it’s all equally important.

And, perfectly ok. 

Anne covers everything reading related. From how to select books, proper shelving techniques, and how to not force books on others no matter how good your intentions are. Oh, and how to rearrange your books because the first shelving system didn’t work. And then, change it again. 

Her words on never ending TBR piles spoke volumes to me. I have 37 physical books I want to read on the two shelves next to me right now. 37! That I have paid for and can’t wait to get to. I also have 7 advance digital copies and 4 paperbacks that come out next month to read-and hopefully they’re great so I can share them with you. Not to mention Book of the Month and oh, yeah, I work at a library. So I completely understand never ending TBR lists.

Anne writes of her love of the library and how living next door to one shaped her as a reader and an adult. How a library can help fuel passions and help discover new interests. 
I’d Rather Be Reading is a slim volume about the true love of reading life.

Anne has another book, Reading People:  How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, that was published last year and definitely worth checking out.  Not only does Anne have a thing for long titles, she has a gift for gorgeous book covers that look amazing on your shelves.  

You can also find her on one of my favorite bookish podcasts, What Should I Read Next, where she provides book recommendations to readers facing the biggest obstacle-what should I read next?  It's actually the first book related podcast I started listening to and it is truly a delight to listen to other readers gush about the books they love.  

I'd Rather Be Reading is available now, and available wherever you buy books. You can get your copy, and help support the site, here: 

Also, as of this morning, Anne's book Reading People is available on Kindle for $2.99 this morning!