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4 frosted brownies.

Cover Love:
Yes.  This has such a creepy feel to it.  I love the font and I love the tagline at the top.  It all works!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis caught my eye right away.  It seemed like such a weird and scary idea.  Here it is from GoodReads:

On Marin’s island, sunrise doesn’t come every twenty-four hours—it comes every twenty-eight years. Now the sun is just a sliver of light on the horizon. The weather is turning cold and the shadows are growing long.

Because sunset triggers the tide to roll out hundreds of miles, the islanders are frantically preparing to sail south, where they will wait out the long Night.

Marin and her twin brother, Kana, help their anxious parents ready the house for departure. Locks must be taken off doors. Furniture must be arranged. Tables must be set. The rituals are puzzling—bizarre, even—but none of the adults in town will discuss why it has to be done this way.

Just as the ships are about to sail, a teenage boy goes missing—the twins’ friend Line. Marin and  Kana are the only ones who know the truth about where Line’s gone, and the only way to rescue him is by doing it themselves. But Night is falling. Their island is changing.

And it may already be too late.

Romance?: We come in at the start of a possible romance between Line and Marin.

My Thoughts:
The world of YA and MG books has been so saturated with dystopian books that I forget there are straight up fantasy/sci-fi books that aren't dystopian.  This is a fantasy book, set in a world vastly different than ours.  It's not futuristic, it's just not our world.  And I loved that about this book!  I loved the setting and getting to know the rules right along with Line, Marin and Kana.  But I felt it moved a bit slowly in letting us learn anything.  It didn't dissuade me from wanting to know, though.  I just wish information would've come a little bit quicker.

I like the little added mystery, it was the kind that an experienced reader (adult) picked up on pretty quick, but a younger reader would be wowed with the twist!  I liked all three characters with Kana being my favorite.  The circumstances that lead up to them being left on the island were plausible.  The only thing that made me question is why they ever go back to the island.  They live 14 years away, why would they even both coming back after that time.

There was enough darkness and things that go bump in the constant night that I was having a few nightmares.  The ending was very satisfying for me and it wrapped everything up.  I would like another book in this world, but I don't have to have the same characters.  I would love to know why they feel the need to go back to the island after 14 years away!

To Sum Up:  This one is going to be a big hit in my library.  Creepy, but with some good twists, I think that middle schoolers will love reading this story!

Book from my personal and school library.

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Art by Chris Goff

Sci-Fi Experience
Host: Stainless Steel Droppings (sign up) (share reviews)
Duration: December 2015 - January 2016
# of Books: I hope to read at least 4 books, maybe more!

I must admit the Sci-Fi Experience is one of my favorite non-challenges to participate in. There is just something so comfy-cozy right about settling in with a good sci-fi.

My list of "planned" reads:

Wool, Hugh Howey
Shift, Hugh Howey
Dust, Hugh Howey
Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

There are so many books I want to reread, like many Orson Scott Card novels, for example. But I'm not sure which I'll actually get to!

© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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3 frosted maple cookies.

Cover Love:  OH YES!!  I just completely adore this cover.  I want to be on that park bench with Jackson and Crenshaw!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
Because of the cover and the synopsis.   I am not as in tune to childhood hunger and I think I need to be for someone who works at a middle school so I was hoping this would give me some more insight.  Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times. There's no more money for rent. And not much for food, either. His parents, his little sister, and their dog may have to live in their minivan. Again.

Crenshaw is a cat. He's large, he's outspoken, and he's imaginary. He has come back into Jackson's life to help him. But is an imaginary friend enough to save this family from losing everything?

Beloved author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

Romance?: Nope.

My Thoughts:
I haven't read The One and Only Ivan, a travesty I know,  nor any of the Animoprhs, so I think this is my first Katherine Applegate story.  The writing is wonderful, fluid and descriptive.  It was easy to stay in this story once I was there.  Jackson is very sympathetic and is his little sister.  His parents, however, are not.

I know there are mixed reviews on this book.  I can totally understand that.  It's a very real situation that Jackson's parents find themselves in, and you just want to shake the pride right out of them.  I mean, how can someone be too proud to ask family members for help or to go to local services for help, yet not too proud to stand out with a cardboard sign.  That just seems super false.  Jackson's dad was diagnosed with MS.  He has a medical issue.  The fact that he is not going to his parents or siblings or that Jackson's mom isn't makes me scratch my head.  I know that the one thing either set of my husband's or my parents would do is make sure that our kids are fed.  Even if they didn't help out with rent, they would  make sure my kids had food.  Jackson's parents seemed so immature and childish.  It was very frustrating to read. 

Not only that, they don't let their kids know what is going on, yet their kids know.  The parents need to open up, Jackson is way more wise than give him credit for!  He is so stressed out by what is happening that his mind conjures up his imaginary friend from his younger childhood.  I loved Crenshaw and his relationship with Jackson was very sweet, there just wasn't that much of it.

In the end things for Jackson and his family seem to get packaged up nicely, however, with the way Jackson's parents act I don't imagine it will be that good for long!

To Sum Up:  I think this would be an important book for some of those kids that you know are in weird transition with their families.  They are in and out of our school every year.  It would be nice for them to see that they are not alone, however, most of them are probably in way worse situations than Jackson.  I also think many kids who are no where close to Jackson's situation would enjoy this because it is a glimpse of a life that hopefully they will never know.  I will be buying a few copies for my library.

Book requested and sent from Macmillan.  Thanks so much!!

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5 freshly baked oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies.

Cover Love:
It's alright.  Not my favorite cover ever, but it's fine.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I liked the synopsis and have been hearing good things, so I checked it out and gave it a go.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

Romance?:  Yes!

My Thoughts:
I adored Simon.  I want him to be in my life.  He's darling and funny and loyal and sweet.  Seriously, I just loved him!

I loved Blue too.  Their emails back and forth were so sweet and flirty and fun.  It was easy to see how well matched they were.  One of the things I liked about this book is there wasn't any of that angst that comes with a lot of contemporary teen dramas.  Yes, there was a little misunderstanding, but it was still all over email so there weren't awkward scenes where Blue and Simon weren't talking to each other in the halls and their friends weren't having to pick sides.

I like to think that Simon's coming out is more like how it would be today, with the majority of people being just fine with it.  Yes, Martin was an ass, but even he knew he'd gone too far and while there were a few assholes, on the whole most everyone was just fine with his being gay.

I adored Simon's family and how supportive and wonderful they were.  Even though Simon hated how they made a big deal out of everything, Simon's mom's talk to him hit me hard.  That's exactly how you feel as a mom, when you aren't allowed into your child's everyday life anymore.  It's so hard and so sad, but you are also so excited to see what kind of person they are becoming!

This book made me cry a bit and smile a ton.  I went back and re-read sections as soon as I was done.  I just loved it.

To Sum Up:  Some language and situations are a bit mature for my library, but I will be recommending that the high schools in my district get a few copies each!

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4 chocolate chip cookies with nuts.

Cover Love:  Yes!  I love this cover but it definitely made me think it was going to be a light story.  It wasn't.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I have read a few other Cherie Priest books and was excited to see her writing a YA book.  And I loved the cover.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Once upon a time, two best friends created a princess together. Libby drew the pictures, May wrote the tales, and their heroine, Princess X, slayed all the dragons and scaled all the mountains their imaginations could conjure.

Once upon a few years later, Libby was in the car with her mom, driving across the Ballard Bridge on a rainy night. When the car went over the side, Libby passed away, and Princess X died with her.

Once upon a now: May is sixteen and lonely, wandering the streets of Seattle, when she sees a sticker slapped in a corner window.

Princess X?

When May looks around, she sees the Princess everywhere: Stickers. Patches. Graffiti. There's an entire underground culture, focused around a webcomic at IAmPrincessX.com. The more May explores the webcomic, the more she sees disturbing similarities between Libby's story and Princess X online. And that means that only one person could have started this phenomenon---her best friend, Libby, who lives.

Romance?: No.  I thought there was going to be, but there wasn't.  I liked that choice the author made, it makes the book seem a little more mature than an average YA book.

My Thoughts:
This book was a quick and easy read.  The pacing was good and story interesting.  I found myself reading late because the story just kept feeding me--bit by bit.

Once May was onto the idea that Libby might be alive she had to go find someone to help her.  She found a computer hacker named Patrick who was willing to help her.  There were times I felt this partnership would end in romance, but the author didn't go that way at all.  Not even a little bit.  May was focused on finding Libby and Trick was just along to help her.  The real "relationship" was Libby and May.  When Libby died May became half a person.  At the same time things happened in her family life--parents divorcing and her mom moving--that threw her even more off kilter, but she never fully recovered from losing Libby.  It makes me wonder what would have happened to her further down the line without Libby.  Would she have ever gotten stronger on her own?

There was a lot of action, with May being convinced there were clues in the webcomic that would lead her to Libby.  It was a good mystery and May and Trick were put into several dangerous positions.  It's tough to really review this because I don't want to give anything away.  I think that if you are in the mood for a mystery and a YA book with no romance, give this one a try!

To Sum Up: Fast paced and very enjoyable.  I think this is a read that many readers would enjoy!  I will be ordering this one for my library.

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 4 lemon Oreos.

Cover Love:  I like this cover a lot.  It's eye catching and each pane tells a little about each character.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I didn't.  I passed it up when I had the opportunity to read an egalley and didn't give it another thought...until the movie was made and got such stellar reviews at the Sundance Film Fesitval.  Still I wasn't sold, then the trailer was released.  Now I am a bit obsessed with it.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

Romance?: No. Just the usual teenage boy obsession with girls.

My Thoughts:
Lots of teenage boy talk.  Lost of it.  Like to the point I think even a high school library would think twice about putting this in their collection (However, a quick check tells me that my son's high school has it their collection).  This is not to say that teenage boys don't talk this way, I am sure a lot of them do.

Greg's voice is awesome.  I had very many laugh out loud moments, and a few good chuckles.The book is from Greg's point of view and his world is funky.  I am not sure why Greg wants to go around being invisible at all times, but he has some issues to say the least.  I would say it all developed when he was in high school, but it seems like he was always this way.  Never really puts himself out there and is very, very private.  But he is sharp and funny and observant.

I love Earl, or at least Greg's version of Earl.  And we don't really get to know Rachel, which is mirrored in Greg's eyes later in the book when he realizes he doesn't really know Rachel either.  Because the book is written from Greg's point of view I can see why some people would get frustrated by him as a character.  He really, really doesn't want to get involved in anyone's life.  He has to be forced to by his mom and he doesn't have a clue how to be a friend to someone.  He;s a weird guy, but very funny, guy!

I would have given this book a five cookie rating, because it was so funny and I enjoyed the heck out of reading it, except there isn't a lot of resolution or growth for Greg by the end.  With what he experienced with Rachel and seeing how she handled everything, you would think he would take more positive steps in the end towards making a change.  But I guess this was more true to life than some coming of age books, he was taking baby steps.  I just wanted more for Greg!

To Sum Up:  So glad I read this book, it kept me very entertained.  Can't wait for the movie!  Watch the trailer!

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 3 M&M Cookies.

Cover Love:
It's cute and probably very eye catching in the right environment, just not my favorite cover.

Why I Wanted to Read this:
I liked the synopsis and saw some really positive reviews.  It was also compared to The Breakfast Club, which is one of the best movies of all time. Here the synopsis is from Good Reads:

Top Five Things That Are Ruining Chloe’s Day

5) Working the 6:30 a.m. shift at GoodFoods Market

4) Crashing a cart into a customer’s car right in front of her snarky coworker Sammi

3) Trying to rock the “drowned rat” look after being caught in a snowstorm

2) Making zero progress with her crush, Tyson (see #3)

1) Being accused—along with her fellow teenage employees—of stealing upwards of $10,000

Chloe would rather be anywhere than locked in work jail (aka the break room) with five of her coworkers . . . even if one of them is Tyson. But if they can band together to clear their names, what looks like a total disaster might just make Chloe’s list of Top Ten Best Moments.

Romance?: Yes, but nothing that over takes the book.

My Thoughts:
This book was definitely a take on The Breakfast Club, and I really liked the more diverse group of kids.   I also like the fact that it happened outside of school.  Work environments always tend to allow different types of kids so, unlike The Breakfast Club, I can see this group remaining friends of awhile.

There was one thing really holding me back from giving myself over to this book: I just didn't like Sammi.  At all.  I would kind of cringe when I was reading a scene with her in it, and, unfortunately, the author wrote a lot of scenes with her in them.  Sammi kind of takes over the book.
And it's not like her behavior was never explained, it kind of was, but not very well.  Chloe brings up a few good points, "Can't you be different without being mean?" 

I am glad the romance was not a main focus or that Chloe let it control her. I loved her lists though.  I am a list maker, but not to Chole's level, she is just awesome.  I did get frustrated with her not telling anyone that she had diabetes, even when she was obviously having issues because of it.  There has to come a point when health is more important than pride!

I loved the little mystery as well.  I didn't guess who the culprit was, but I wasn't surprised by who it was either.

To Sum Up:  Great read with mostly a great cast of characters.  Will be a hit in my library!

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4 crunchy peanut butter cookies.

Cover Love:  Yes.  This cover is wild and fantastical and pretty.  Perfect for this story.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
This one wasn't high on my radar until I was offered a chance to review it.  I got a copy and gave it a try.  I was so glad I did!  here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Sarah has always been on the move. Her mother hates the cold, so every few months her parents pack their bags and drag her off after the sun. She’s grown up lonely and longing for magic. She doesn’t know that it’s magic her parents are running from.
When Sarah’s mother walks out on their family, all the strange old magic they have tried to hide from comes rising into their mundane world. Her father begins to change into something wild and beastly, but before his transformation is complete, he takes Sarah to her grandparents—people she has never met, didn’t even know were still alive.
Deep in the forest, in a crumbling ruin of a castle, Sarah begins to untangle the layers of curses affecting her family bloodlines, until she discovers that the curse has carried over to her, too. The day she falls in love for the first time, Sarah will transform into a beast . . . unless she can figure out a way to break the curse forever.

Romance?:  There is a lot of romance, or love, talk in this book but there really isn't a romance.  That makes it sound weird but you'll understand once you read it.

My Thoughts:
At first I felt this was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast and while there were elements of that story in here, it was actually it's own fairytale, very original.  (At least, it doesn't follow any traditional one of which I am aware).  This was beautifully written and very descriptive.  Even though the castle and wood where Sarah is taken are horrible and crumbling and messy, I wanted to be there. I wanted to help Sarah solve the mess of the curse placed upon her family.

I loved that in this tale the evil people weren't necessarily evil, but they were stubborn.  Never underestimate how petty people can be when they feel like they have been made a fool of.  Time passed weirdly in this book so I was never sure when we were at, but grudges were held onto tightly.  Because of one little mistake, generations were cursed.  Doesn't seem hardly fair to me.

The story works because of the writing.  This is a new kind of fairy tale and written so wonderfully that pages went by without me even realizing I was reading that much.  It just wormed inside me and kept me going.  

To Sum Up:  This modern fairy tale is written so wonderfully that you will not be able to put it down.  Going to add it to my school library for sure!

Book sent to me from Nicole at Macmillan.  Thanks Nicole!

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4 soft sugar cookies.

Cover Love:  Yes.  Eye-catching and romantic.  Love it!

Why I Wanted to Read This:  The synopsis was what it was all about.  How could two teens, whose parents died in a car wreck when they were having an affair, find their way to each other?  I was intrigued by this idea!
Here it is from GoodReads:

Abram and Juliette know each other. They’ve lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don’t really know each other—at least, not until Juliette’s mom and Abram’s dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don’t speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a few months later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite her to Taco Bell. To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.

Romance?: Yep. On every page!

My Thoughts:
First of all, both of these characters are intriguing.  They are two teens who have had a traumatic thing happen to them (Juliette's mom and Abram's dad were having an affair which came out when they were killed in a car wreck) and their parents are no help at all.  Juliette's dad is barely functioning and Abram's mom is reliving her youth.   They are just doing the best they can.  But their best isn't not very good.  Juliette, for one, is super controlling and closed off.  She can't find her way to feeling anything.  Abram is obsessed with Juliette from the get go, but it hadn't reached a creepy level yet.  More like he wanted to be involved in her life because he had questions.  But he had given up on things that used to make him happy because they reminded him of his father (like tennis). 

This is a book where the main characters get together pretty early on, not romantically right away, but they forge a friendship early on.  And it's like two drowning people clinging to a life raft.  I am not sure how long their romance will last but its very clear they need each other.  They help each other heal and start to look forward.  They give each other purpose and that's what I loved.  Abram is so good for Juliette and she helps him too.  It;s a very sweet, nice little romance.

To Sum Up:  Adored this story and romance.  In my mind Juliette and Abram stay together for awhile and heal and grow and then separate when they are ready.  It might not be the best relationship for longevity.

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5 soft and warm chocolate chip cookies.

Cover Love:  I do love this cover.  It's eye catching and non gender.  I love the font and colors.  It works!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis interested me, but honestly I am not sure why this one ended up being the one I read last weekend.  I just started it and couldn't put it down.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Everyone knows Bone Gap is full of gaps—gaps to trip you up, gaps to slide through so you can disappear forever. So when young, beautiful Roza went missing, the people of Bone Gap weren’t surprised. After all, it wasn’t the first time that someone had slipped away and left Finn and Sean O’Sullivan on their own. Just a few years before, their mother had high-tailed it to Oregon for a brand new guy, a brand new life. That’s just how things go, the people said. Who are you going to blame?

Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the cornfields by a dangerous man whose face he cannot remember. But the searches turned up nothing, and no one believes him anymore. Not even Sean, who has more reason to find Roza than anyone, and every reason to blame Finn for letting her go.

As we follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and the people of Bone Gap—their melancholy pasts, their terrifying presents, their uncertain futures—acclaimed author Laura Ruby weaves a heartbreaking tale of love and loss, magic and mystery, regret and forgiveness—a story about how the face the world sees is never the sum of who we are.

Romance?: Yes, a couple of them.

My Thoughts:
The first part of the synopsis was kind of misleading.  Not everyone in Bone Gap does know there are gaps you can slip through.  And the people were only surprised that Roza disappeared because of how she had appeared earlier.  However, it is a small town and everyone thinks they know what is going on with everyone else.

I loved Finn.  He was spacey, but he was good hearted and ready to step up and take care of things instead of being the one who was always taken care of.  And there was an issue with Finn that I didn't see coming and was brilliant.  Just brilliant.  The author didn't hint at it AT ALL, so when it came out I was very surprised.  I was glad there was no foreshadowing and it tied a lot of things together.

Petey was a great character as well, once she started to see beyond the huge chip on her shoulder.  I could see how people in the twin thought Finn was just using her, but he never gave her an indication that he wasn't genuine, nor did he have that reputation.  She should have given him the benefit of the doubt. 

The mystery of Roza was interesting and weird, but the author made it work very well.  I liked the chapters from her point of view.  I wanted her to find her way back to Sean because she was good in his life and he really needed her.

Sean's attitude (or Finn's perception of his attitude) bothered me.  If he was as in love with Roza as everyone thought, he should have fought for her and kept looking and looking.  Instead, he gave up way too quick because everyone always leaves so why would Roza be any different.  It wasn't like he thought Finn had anything to do with it, I think he thought that the story Finn had told him was made up so that Sean wouldn't think Roza just left him.

An author that can write this clear and beautiful no matter whose point of view we are reading is rare.  Each chapter was from someone else's point of view with Roza and Finn being the main ones.  This was all around a beautifully written novel.  It made me want to read more of Ms. Ruby's books.

To Sum Up: An interesting story with rich characters, a great twist and a perfect setting.  Might be a bit mature for a middle school library but young adult readers would love this one!

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Host: Stainless Steel Droppings
Name: Once Upon A Time, sign up post, review site,
Dates: March 21 - June 21, 2015
# of Books:  Quest the First, 5 Books, (They might all be fantasy, or folklore, or fairy tales, or mythology…or your five books might be a combination from the four genres.)

What I Read:

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

What I Plan on Reading:

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale
The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale
Valiant by Sarah McGuire
Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff
Mark of the Thief by Jennifer A. Nielsen
A Plague of Bogles by Catherine Jinks
Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen
Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen
Lion Heart by A.C. Gaughen
Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
Dragon Flight by Jessica Day George
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George
Bringing Narnia Home by Devin Brown
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis
The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander
The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander
Magic by the Lake by Edward Eager
The Time Garden by Edward Eager
Book of Earth by Robin Brande
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
Peter Pan in Scarlet by Geraldine McCaughrean
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
Legends of the Shadow World by Jane Johnson


© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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5 yummy oatmeal butterscotch chip cookies.

Cover Love:
I don't love this, but I think it works for the story and the intended audience.  However, I think boys might be turned off because of the girl on the cover and this is a book that boys would thoroughly enjoy.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
When this came up as an egalley on Edelweiss I wasn't interested.  Then I started seeing review pop up on Good Reads.  One of those reviews raved about the audio version so I checked that out from my local library.
Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making.

Romance?:  No.   

My Thoughts:
First off, I adored the narrator for the audiobook.  She was amazing.  Her voice got me interested in the story right away and she made Ada come alive for me.

I loved Ada.  There were times when I wanted to shake her and make her see the good in front of her, but I think she was way more true to life than a typical middle grade character because she couldn't acknowledge the good.  And the conflicting things she felt, which she didn't have the right words to name, weren't overcome with a tidy bow.  She would take two steps forward and fours steps backward.  She had lived 10 years of her life with severe neglect and abuse, of course it would be hard to trust another person.  And when her position as Jamie's main care giver is threatened, of course she would wonder if she had a place anymore.  Thankfully she had Butter, a pony she could connect with and take good care of.  She was able to replace Jamie with Butter, which gave her purpose.

Susan was also a great character.  This was a woman who never felt accepted by the village, and who had recently suffered her won loss that she was having a hard time getting over.  She needed these kids as much as they needed her.  And she never sugar coated anything.  The fact that she took them in and did for them the basic, decent things that they needed having done for them, while their own mother never did those basic things was just heart breaking.  This was something Ada grappled with as well.

When I was a kindergarten teacher I would see many kids who had little background knowledge and didn't know words to many simple things or ideas.  But being in school helps them build that knowledge.  When Ada and Jamie come to Susan the don't have words for some of the most basic things.  Jamie is a little better off than Ada, having been outside in his life, but Ada is building from the ground up.  The author doesn't shy away from this and I am glad it's put in there because for them to suddenly be worldly would have been hard to swallow.  They had so much to learn.

I love the tiny subplot of Stephen and the Colonel.  It was so good to see what having a purpose in life did for him as well.

All along you knew that this wonderful life the children have been developing wouldn't last, but towards the end I couldn't help but silently plead "Stay strong Ada," over and over.  While the ending is not all sunshine and roses, it does give Ada and Jamie hope.

To Sum Up:  Just adored this book.  I will booktalk the heck out of it for my library and hand it to anyone needing to read a historical fiction book for their genre wheels. 

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3 soft & chewy snickerdoodles.

Cover Love:
This is one of those covers that I feel would be better in person than a digital file.  I don't love it, but I think if it was in my hands I would feel different about it.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I was asked to participate in the blog tour for Witherwood and Obert Skye is a popular middle school author so I decided to join up!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:
After a slight misunderstanding involving a horrible governess, gravy, and a jar of tadpoles, siblings Tobias and Charlotte Eggars find themselves abandoned by their father at the gates of a creepy reform school. Evil mysteries are afoot at Witherwood, where the grounds are patrolled by vicious creatures and kids are locked in their rooms. Charlotte and Tobias soon realize that they are in terrible danger—especially because the head of Witherwood has perfected the art of mind control. If only their amnesiac father would recover. If only Tobias and Charlotte could solve the dark mystery and free the kids at Witherwood—and ultimately save themselves.

Romance?: Not that kind of book!

My Thoughts:
This story started out laugh out loud funny.  The first chapter when Tobias and Charlotte played their prank on their "nanny" was at times both funny and sad.  For a dad who seemed to love his children as much as theirs did, he was certainly clueless when it came to his children's needs and who was watching them.  But the description of the prank was gross and funny.  It would make a good read aloud.

I loved the author's style of writing.  I am not sure that authors like being compared to Roald Dahl, but that is was kept coming to mind as I got started reading this.  Fortunately kids really don't get tired or reading the wacky and unbelievable if there is a good dose of humor with it.  I haven't read any other Obert Skye books but was pleased at this style of writing. And a boarding school is always a good setting for the fantastic to happen.

I liked Tobias and Charlotte, very relate able characters. Tobias dives right in without thinking ahead and Charlotte observes more, but goes along with Tobias. They are fiercely loyal to each other and when they find themselves at Witherwood they are worried, scared and lonely.  Kind of like kids starting middle school for the first time!

Witherwood is a great setting, perhaps evil, certainly not normal and a little scary. I loved the illustrations and glad they were included. This book could get away without the, because of the authors clear descriptions, but I felt they added to the reading for me.

This is a series, so intends with no real resolution, which I didn't love. It's a reason I never read the whole Series of Unfortunate Events. I like a little more of an uptick at the end of my books, even ones that are series.  However, it never seems to bother young readers. This one will fit comfortably on my middle school library shelf, but not for long because I think it will be very popular.

To Sum Up: I think this would be a great beginning of the school year read aloud, but also just a fun read for older elementary and younger middle school readers.

GIVEAWAY!
Macmillan is offering a copy of Witherwood Reform School to one of my readers. Please fill out the form below to enter to win.  US residents only, contest runs through March 15.

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Please visit the other blogs involved in this tour:
2/18: Little Red Reads
2/19: A Reader’s Adventure
2/20: Stories & Sweeties
2/23: The Hiding Spot
2/24: Bumbles and Fairytales
2/25: Manga Maniac Café
2/26: The Book Monsters 
2/27: Mundie Kids
3/2: Milk & Cookies: Comfort Reading
3/3: Green Bean Teen Queen

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3 chocolate no bakes.

Cover Love:  Yes, it's pretty cool.  Definitely eye catching!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
The synopsis really intrigued me.  It sounded like a cross between fantasy and dystopian.  Here's it is from GoodReads:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Romance?: A little bit.

My Thoughts:
This was a book I really enjoyed reading--it kept me interested and kept me picking up the book all the time.   I was interested in the plot and felt for Mare being stuck in a world she wasn't born into.  However, I mostly was interested in reading it because I was pretty sure of where a few of the relationships were headed.

The whole idea of Reds and Silvers was intriguing, but I wish the author would have gotten into why or how the division came about.  Was it because of something environmental?  Was it aliens?  I know that most dystopian books don't go into what happened to change the world from what we know now, but it would have helped me buy into the story more. 

I didn't love Mare very much, she was so full of hate and so judgmental.  I did like the love triangle between Mare and Cal and Maven a lot.  Cal was wonderful and Maven was understanding.  Mare was a better person when she was with either of them.  I could kind of see the writing on the wall for the love triangle, but I did hope my suspicions wouldn't come true.  They did and it was written well enough to turn my stomach.  Love it when a book gives me a physical reaction.

So, I liked the world and the love triangle, not the main character so much, and I didn't mind the cliff hanger, but for some reason, I don't feel that anxious for book two.  I am not sure how quickly I want to go back into that world.  I am going to get this for my library because I know that many of my students will love this book. 

To Sum Up:  A good start to a new series, one that I am sure will be very popular with it's intended audience.

eGalley requested and received from HarperCollins via Edelweiss.  Thanks!

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4 thickly frosted sugar cookies.

Cover Love:
I don't love this.  It makes the book look too fantasy, which it is, but it might not be as eye catching to some readers who would end up loving it.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I have heard so many positive things about this book and saw that the sequel was coming out soon, so I decided to give it a try.  Plus it is part of my library collection so I was able to fit it in that challenge!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.

Romance?: Yes. Sigh!

My Thoughts:
I gave this book only four stars rather than five because I found the fist third pretty slow moving.  There was a lot of set up with world building, lots of new vocab, politics and characters to introduce.  It was a lot to take in and there were times I almost gave up.  Luckily the author introduced a few very interesting characters quickly on and that caught my attention and kept me reading.

I have to say, I love dragons.  Always have and always will.  I don't seek out every book about dragons, but I do really like them.  I don't love the idea of dragons as human and wonder why that had to come along.  However, it really works for this book because there would be no Seraphina if there weren't dragons as humans.

I loved the characters!  Seraphina was awesome and even though she thinks everything she did was to hide her secret, she also really wanted to know the answers.  And to help others, especially those like herself.  Princess Glissenda will prove to be an amazing queen--she is loyal, smart, trusts her instincts, but is very open to learning from others.  (I am hoping that what I am reading between her and her lady in waiting turns out to be true.)  Prince Lucian Kiggs--oh man!  So smart, inquiring, noble, sweet.  Everything you would want in a Prince.  Orma, no matter how much he strove to keep himself above the emotions of humans, he was such a good uncle.  So kind-hearted and wise.  What a good teacher for Seraphina.  Even the people in Seraphina's garden that we got to know were great characters.  Such a wealth of awesome.

The set up for the conflict between the dragons and the humans was very good, almost too much with the politics but I am glad I know about it.  It will make the second book go even faster and this is a world I want to return to.  I want to know what happens with Seraphina's "romance" and how this war gets resolved, but I would also want to read about how the treaty came about or how Seraphina's mother and father fell in love.  This is a rich world with a lot of possibilities for stories. 

And the romance.  I am such a sucker for romance.  I loved the build up, it was slow and they became friends first.  And even though we could see it coming from miles away, the ending was both satisfying and heart breaking.  But I didn't mind it.  And I think the third part of this triangle knows it is happening and is pleased because they are two of the people she cares about and trusts the most. 

To Sum Up:  This book is part of my middle school library collection, but I think it has to be a pretty mature reader to stick with it.  The set up is slow, necessary but slow.  I will be recommending it to the fantasy lovers I know.

Side Note:
Sometimes I give up on books too early.  A book like this reminds me that the climb might sometimes be slow, but the other side makes it SO WORTH THE TIME!  This is one I almost gave up on and I am so, so glad I didn't!

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Host: Chunkster Challenge
Title: Chunkster Reading Challenge 2015 (sign-up)
Dates: January - December
# of Books: I'm aiming for 6
What counts: Any book (adult/YA, nonfiction/fiction) over 450 pages

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© 2015 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

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