I have been waiting forever, it seems, for a second book from Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The Language of Flowers sticks in my mind to this day, so I was eager to start reading We Never Asked For Wings. Once again, Vanessa Diffenbaugh has created a family that is flawed and struggling, and I was captivated by […]
Category: 3.5 Birds
Between The Notes By Sharon Huss Roat
I have always thought that while we are talking about diversity in books, we need to include income level as a part of diverse reading for all ages. In that way, Between the Notes was able to write a story that provided some insight into a family that is struggling economically. It did a pretty […]
Jesse’s Girl By Miranda Kenneally
It was so great to read a book about Grace Henry who, if you’ve read the other Hundred Oak books, you know as Sams younger sister. She loves music and I loved her style, which was 100% her own. (Her love of 80s music was also a big part of the reason I liked […]
The Wrath And The Dawn By Renee Ahdieh
The Wrath and the Dawn was an entertaining twist on a very old story. Drawing upon the story that framed all of the others in One Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn creates a Shahrzad who volunteers to marry the murdering king in order to avenge the death of her best friend. […]
Review + Giveaway: Stone Rider By David Hofmeyr
I don’t usually pay too much attention to the comparisons that publishers make when describing books, but in the case of Stone Rider, Mad Max meets The Road is a very accurate description. With a bare bones narrative style, Stone Rider tells the story of three riders who take on a no holds barred race […]
Apple And Rain By Sarah Crossan
Apple and Rain was not what I would call an action-packed story, but it was a very emotional and layered snapshot of of one teen’s grasp for a relationship with a mother that was a larger-than-life figure, in her mind. Apple experiences one of those ever so painful friend break-ups […]
The Thunder of Giants By Joel Fishbane
I love books that combine historical facts with fiction, and The Thunder of Giants was such an unusual story, that I couldn’t pass it up. In alternating stores, we read about two “giants” Anna and Andorra, both over seven feet tall, who lived in different centuries. Their lives had many similarities, however. I think I […]
Hotel Moscow By Talia Carner
Based loosely on the author’s own experiences, Hotel Moscow paints a very interesting, but somewhat terrifying, portrait of a country undergoing violent and profound change. Right away, Brooke learns that being an American will not protect her in a country that seems to be without laws or governance. The dangerous experiences continue as she faces […]
The Tragic Age By Stephen Metcalfe
The set-up for this story was one that seemed to pit extreme luck against extreme sadness. The death of Billy’s twin sister is set against the mega-wealth of his parents due to a lottery win and good investments. If ever there was an illustration of money won’t buy you happiness, this is it. Billy’s depression […]
Mist Of Midnight By Sandra Byrd
With a Gothic style mystery, a handsome Hussar, and a mysterious imposter, Mist of Midnight was a book I was very interested in reading. Rebecca returned form India reluctantly after the tragic death of her family and feels very much like a fish out of water. Like many repatriated citizens, the manners and social rules […]