It may sound strange to combine Wild West with Middle Eastern influence but, somehow, it worked really well. The main character, Amani, is desperate to escape. Her life is boxed in by the dusty, rundown town where she lives and her remaining family doesn’t try to make things better. When a forced marriage looms in […]
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Up To This Pointe By Jennifer Longo
When I read the plot of Up To This Pointe I was a little skeptical about how a trip to Antarctica would tie in to dance, but I have to say that it did exactly that, and did it quite beautifully. Harper’s ancestor, Robert Falcon Scott, was one of the early antarctic explorers […]
Other Broken Things By Christa Desir
From the outside, Nat seems to benefit from her privilege; she got drunk, got in a wreck, her dad paid for a lawyer, and she got some court ordered rehab and AA meetings. As you dive deeper into the story, you see that Nat is a person who struggles under the weight of two unhappy […]
This Raging Light By Estelle Laure
Ever since I read Homecoming by Cynthia Voight, I have been fascinated by the story of kids being abandoned by their parents and having to make it on their own. I know that sounds a little messed up and perhaps that says something about me, but whatever it means, it was […]
The Last Leaves Falling By Sarah Benwell
When I got The Last Leaves Falling in the mail and read the jacket copy, I steeled myself for a cry-fest. Make no mistake, this book is very sad, but it is a peaceful sadness. Sora is a Japanese teen who is diagnosed with ALS, which is very rare in kids […]
Not If I See You First By Eric Lindstrom
I think all of the reviews I’ve read of Not If I See You First comment on how Parker’s voice is so funny, and they are right. She is quick-witted and completely unafraid of making people uncomfortable. She refuses to fit into a box so that others will feel more comfortable with her blindness. As […]
Winter By Marissa Meyer
Oh, what’s to say about Winter that hasn’t already been said? I’m not sure I can contribute anything very original to the giant chorus of voices lauding the last installment in this wonderful series. I loved it. It was long, yes, but I was glad for that. I was no ready for this series to […]
Ten Thousand Skies Above You By Claudia Gray
I am always skeptical going into a second book, perhaps even more so if I really loved the first book. Ten Thousand Skies Above You, much to my delight, provided more twists, more traveling, and more thoughtful romance that I could have hoped for. I’m not sure I have ever read a book with a […]
Breakaway By Kat Spears
Breakaway starts with the death of Jason’s (Jaz) sister, Sylvia, and the resulting grief winds its way through a book that I found engaging and refreshingly raw. The death of a sibling would derail any family, but Jaz’s family is barely hanging on as it is. While Jaz continues to go through the motions […]
Queen Of Shadows By Sarah J. Maas
Even though I pre-ordered this book, there was such a furor surrounding its release that I wanted to give it a little space before I read and reviewed it. I’m glad I did. Queen Of Shadows continues the high stakes game that Celaena, now Aelin, is playing in order to gain her freedom, her […]