Description: Shane has been doing college all wrong. Pre-med, stellar grades, and happy parents...sounds ideal -- but Shane's made zero friends, goes home every weekend, and romance...what's that? Her life has been dorm, dining hall, class, repeat. Time's a ticking, and she needs a change -- there's nothing like moving to a new country to really mix things up. Shane signs up for a semester abroad in London. She's going to right all her college mistakes: make friends, pursue boys, and find adventure! Easier said than done. She is soon faced with the complicated realities of living outside her bubble, and when self-doubt sneaks in, her new life starts to fall apart. Shane comes to find that, with the right amount of courage and determination, one can conquer anything. Throw in some fate and a touch of magic - the possibilities are endless.

Review: I do not pick up books written by Youtubers because they do not interest me. I did pick up Again, but Better because I am a fan of Christine Riccio's booktube channel. I love her energy, enthusiasm, and candidness in expressing her joy and frustration with books and life.
  Shane Primaveri is a shy, introverted, and socially awkward college student who feels she has done college wrong. When a chance to study abroad catches her eye, she immediately signs up and vows to become more confident, outgoing, and possibly get a chance at love. The roommate-assigning fates gift Shane with instant friends, she meets a flirtatious boy named Pilot, and she excels in her classes. Every thing is going swimmingly well until Shane admits she’s lying to her parents about continuing her pre-med track when she’s really studying writing. At a surprise visit and a horrendous dinner, Shane's scary, controlling parents discover her deception, and Shane returns to America dejected. Fast forward six years later, Shane has walked the path of her parents yet she still feels hollow and regretful. She looks up Pilot and they accidentally stumble back in time at the exact moment they both study abroad for a second chance.
   Again, but Better is a charming story that made me smile, laugh, and cringe at the awkward moments. Shane is utterly relatable. She keeps to herself, is haunted by self doubt, awkward, and distant until she warms up. I love that she lectures herself in interior monologues to be more confident and to take chances. Her personality is very much like Christine's Youtube persona. Pilot is an endearing love interest though I did find him to be frustrating at times from withholding information and towing the lines of flirtation and disinterest. Though the characters are in their twenties, teens can easily see themselves in the characters. I liked watching Shane's character arc go from socially awkward "new adult" to a confident woman who knows exactly want she wants. I also enjoyed the scenic views of London, Rome, and Scotland that are in the book and appreciated the diversity nod in the secondary characters.
  I did have a few quibbles about the book. I found the extensive use of "um" and "likes" to be annoying and distracting in the dialogues. I also wanted to know a bit more of future Shane before we are bumped back in time and more about the secondary characters, especially about their future selves.  

 Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language and a fade to black sex scene. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

 With the school year coming to a close in a couple of days, I thought I would catch up on some reviews of books that I read earlier this year.


Description: Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is. She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

Review: I thought Emerald Green was a solid ending to a great time traveling series. We get a lot of our answers regarding Gwen's birth and a shocking revelation that the other characters have been dancing around but haven't officially addressed it. Gwen is still a delight, full of sass, wit, and handles her problems with ingenuity. It was lovely watching her grow throughout the series. The romance is still prevalent as Gideon sorts out his own issues and feelings for Gwen. I liked Gideon though I wanted to smack him upside the head for being an idiot for most of this book. Overall, I definitely felt satisfied with this ending though I'm sad the story is over and I have to say goodbye to these characters.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence and minor language. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White, Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray,



Description: Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.
  Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was: a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.
  Being a Keeper isn't just dangerous—it's a constant reminder of those Mac has lost, Da's death was hard enough, but now that her little brother is gone too, Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself may crumble and fall.

Review: I loved the premise of this book and intrigued me right away, however, much of the book felt unfinished. I had many questions that weren't addressed such as why does the Archive need the actual bodies and what happens when the Archive gets full? Though these unanswered questions didn't stop me from reading and enjoying the book, they did nag and bother me. While we are taken to the various layers of the Archive, but I didn't really have a firm grasp on the image in my head.
  Mackenzie is an interesting character, who is forced to lead a double life due to her role in serving the Archive. In order to make her approachable and human, we watch as she wrestles with how to grieve the death of her little brother, which was fine but I'm a bit surprised that she didn't mourn heavily for her grandfather as they had a very close relationship. Though I liked seeing the vulnerable side to Mackenzie, I thought it took too much page time and slowed down the book's pace for me. I wanted to get to the action, which finally happens when Mackenzie stumbles upon an old murder mystery and befriends a dead boy named Owen who shouldn't exist outside of the Archive. There is also plenty of humor provided by the a great secondary character named Wes that also works for the Archive and is Mackenzie's peer. I would have loved to get to know Wes better as his personality and stories intrigued me. Though the action moves the plot along, more questions keep popping up which makes me wonder if the author intended this to be a series. I know there is a companion book to The Archive which I'm interested in reading in hopes that some of my questions will be answered. Overall, I do recommend picking up The Archive if you are looking for an unique fantasy with a mystery that discusses the afterlife without any supernatural forces and beings.  

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images and minor language. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: The Unbound by Victoria Schwab, In the Shadows by Kiersten White


Description: An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions.
 Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP. For this improvised family and the others who are spared, it’s now a question of who can be trusted and who is no longer human.

Review: Ashes is a book that I wanted to DNF after I made the 100 pages mark, but I continued because this was my student book club's pick for our dystopian read. While the book had an okay start with an adventure/survival story as an electromagnetic pulse that may have taken out the entire world and have solved Alex's brain tumor that was deemed incurable by her doctors. Alex soon meets new companions- an obstinate eight-year-old orphan named Ellie and a young soldier named Tom-as they try to make sense of things. While I was getting interested in watching how this group interacts with one another and find out what had caused the electromagnetic impulse, the book then takes a horror turn with the appearance of zombies that are soon called the Changed. I'm not a zombie fan so this part of the "action" and gore was not my cup of tea.This is why I wanted to DNF the book, fortunately this portion of the book didn't last long. Soon the book morphs yet again into a weird cult novel leaving the questions and plot threads in the first two sections of the book unanswered and/or completely ignored. Overall, this was my least favorite book club pick and I can definitely see why I was hesitant to pick it up. I honestly can't recommend this one nor am I interested in continuing this series. 

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some gruesome and gory scenes along with some strong language. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Maze Runner series by James Dashner, Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Mayberry, The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

 Dawn of Arcana has been on my manga reading list for quite some time. The series is now complete with thirteen volumes. It is also my first foray into fantasy shoujo and I thoroughly enjoyed it. This review is for all thirteen volumes.

Description: Princess Nakaba of Senan is forced to marry Prince Caesar of the enemy country Belquat, tantamount to becoming a hostage. While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!

Review: Dawn of Arcana is a light fantasy that has the usual tropes of a shoujo manga. The plot is very easy to follow and the characters are quite likable. The heroine, Nakaba, has been discriminated all of her life. Her grandfather denies her royal status and stows her away in a tower where she is treated poorly by many except her loyal servant Loki. Nakaba is a strong heroine, a person always seeing the good in everyone. She has been gifted a power called the Arcana, which allows her the ability to see the past and the future. She struggles to find a balance to use her gift to make a good decision rather than abusing it.
  In another kingdom, Caesar is born as the second son to the king of Dequat. His desirable black hair makes people believe he is fit to be the next king. There is hidden deceptions and factions working to make Caesar the next king. Caesar doesn't crave power, but just wants the love of his family. He is played like a pawn in the politics of the castle and thus grows into a young man who has a negative outlook and distrust of people. Caesar is not a great guy we are first introduced to him, but I like the way his character changes throughout the series. He really grows up and takes his role as a prince seriously and fights for Nakaba.
  Nakaba and Caesar were married only to keep a treaty between the two warring kingdoms. At first Nakaba and Caesar have an antagonistic relationship, but it slowly develops into trust, loyalty, friendship and eventually love to  much of the kingdoms surprise and disgust. Their relationship is tested the true motives behind their respective kingdoms are revealed as well as their individual opinions on how the Aijin should be treated. Aijin are creatures who share traits with various animals with uncanny fighting abilities and skills. Due to their physical appearance, they are horribly treated and used as slaves.
 This series also has a great cast of secondary characters that are given sufficient page time, well flushed out and quite complex as the story continues. I absolutely loved Loki, Nakaba's Aijin servant, who I couldn't quite figure out. I loved reading about his background and the surprise ending which fits everything quite nicely. The artwork is also quite stunning and it was easy to differentiate all the different characters, which can be difficult sometimes in mangas. I highly recommend Dawn of Arcana to anyone who enjoys fantasy with a nice romance and a strong heroine.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution:  There is some violence, brief nudity and scenes of sensuality in the later volumes. Recommended for teens and up.

If you like this book try: Arisa by Natsumi Ando, Sakura Hime by Arina Tanemura

Description: While picking up milk for his children's cereal, a father is abducted by aliens and finds himself on a wild adventure through time and space.

Review: A little boy and his little sister awake one morning with milk for their cereal. Their mother is away on business and their father is buried, reading in the paper while the childrens' sit impatiently and hungry for breakfast. The siblings concoct a plan to persuade their father to drop his paper and go get milk by telling him his tea isn't as good without milk. The father reluctantly makes a trip to the story, but takes a very long time from coming back to the story with their coveted milk. When he does finally arrive back home, he has a story to tell, a story involving aliens; pirates; ponies; wumpires (not the handsome, sparkly ones but the brooding kind); and a stegosaurus professor who pilots a Floaty-Ball-Person-Carrier (which looks suspiciously like a hot-air balloon). Fortunately, the Milk reminds me a lot of Douglas Adams' bizarre plots and humor. There is a lot of things that young readers will enjoy: time travel, treachery, and tongue in cheek humor and narrative twists as the father goes to great lengths at rescuing his bottle of milk at every turn. The illustrations by Young fills the pages with sketchy, highly stylized and exaggerated images, stretched and pointy, bringing the crazed creatures father meets on his perilous journey to life. Many kids just like siblings in the book will scratch their head and wonder if they believe the father's wild stories at all. I think this would make a great read aloud.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Sideway Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar, Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

 The Time of Fireflies may have an innocent, non-assuming book cover, but it has a very eerie and sinister story lurking within the pages. This is a perfect children's read for Halloween. Many thanks to Scholastic and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book.  

Description: When Larissa Renaud starts receiving eerie phone calls on a disconnected old phone in her family's antique shop, she knows she's in for a strange summer. A series of clues leads her to the muddy river banks, where clouds of fireflies dance among the cypress knees and cattails each evening at twilight. The fireflies are beautiful and mysterious, and they take her on a magical journey through time, where Larissa learns secrets about her family's tragic past -- deadly, curse-ridden secrets that could harm the future of her family as she knows it. It soon becomes clear that it is up to Larissa to prevent history from repeating itself and a fatal tragedy from striking the people she loves.

Review: For those readers who prefer creepy over the over-the-top violence read for Halloween should look no further than The Time of Fireflies. I was slowly drawn into this haunting story and once I discovered the core mystery, time traveling, and a family curse I had to keep reading to find out the answers at the end. Normally a slow pace story is a sign of a bad read, but Little uses the slow pace to her benefit as she establishes the creepy setting of the Bayou Bridge in which Larissa Renaud nearly drowned and got a horrible scar down the side of her face. The Bayou Bridge is the same bridge where her aunt Gwen drowned as a young girl.The scar warns Larissa not to play with or talk to any of the kids in the town who forced her off the bridge. The scar also makes Larissa think that her Mamma, pregnant and anxious, doesn't think she is beautiful anymore. There is another thing that bugs Larissa who hasn't told anyone: her scar burns every time the porcelain doll her Mamma keeps locked in the upstairs cabinet looks at her. Is that real or is it all in her head?
  Things get even stranger when Larissa starts getting phone calls on an ancient telephone in her parents' antique store-a phone that has long been disconnected from the wall. "Trust the fireflies," the voice tells her. Believing that the message is a matter of life and death for her family, Larissa lets the fireflies swirl her across the dangerous river to travel back in time to her ancestor's rich sugarcane estate. Bouncing through the generations, we learn how valuable the doll becomes in Larissa's family. Larissa begins to piece together the history of the blue-eyed heirloom doll, Anna Marie, that her mother keeps. The doll has been at each tragic, untimely death. Is that a coincidence or is the doll somehow involved?
 Larissa is a great narrator and someone that I felt sorry for as she tried to come to terms of her scar. Her confidence grows and her insecurities diminish as she tries to solve and break her family's curse. The time traveling element was a nice surprise and worked well in bridging the gap between the past generations and the present. The large cast of characters were fleshed out well and interesting. Though it takes a while to get the different pieces of the puzzle together, the plot picks up speed and suspense as we try to figure out how everything fit together. I'm glad that I didn't figure out the mystery ahead of time and I will say that this story doesn't make me feel comfortable around porcelain dolls.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Doll Bones by Holly Black, The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

  I first heard of The Shining Girls while listening to the author being interviewed on NPR. The phrase "time traveling serial killer in Chicago" is what drew me to this book. Reviews for this book have been all over the place. Some readers thought it was a well written genre bending book that mixes time traveling, horror, suspense and mystery while others thought the premise was very cool but it was ultimately dissatisfying. I'm in the latter group.

Description: A time-traveling serial killer is impossible to trace-- until one of his victims survives. In Depression-era Chicago, Harper Curtis finds a key to a house that opens on to other times. But it comes at a cost. He has to kill the shining girls: bright young women, burning with potential. He stalks them through their lives across different eras until, in 1989, one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, survives and starts hunting him back. Working with an ex-homicide reporter who is falling for her, Kirby has to unravel an impossible mystery.

Review: The Shining Girls is an ambitious, genre bending novel that doesn't quite pan out. Harper Curtis isn't your ordinary serial killer. He gets to time travel from the 1920s through the 1980s, killing girls in different decades, all to satisfy a compulsion. We aren't given any explanation or clues how the time traveling works or where does Harper's compulsion originate from, which is very disappointing since that's the only reason why I continued to suffer to finish this book when I should have given up. All we know is that Harper is compelled to track down and murder specific shining girls that he gets in visions in gruesome ways (usually evisceration), and he gets away with it since he can escape across time; except in 1989 when one of his victims, Kirby Mazrachi, miraculously recovers from the vicious attack and knows of him. Harper and Kirby play cat and mouse. Harper wants nothing more to fix his mistake while Kirby dedicates her whole life in tracking down her assailant, even if the police consider it a closed case.
  There are a lot of interesting tidbits found in this book, but unfortunately the author doesn't take advantage of it. Despite its action filled premise, the book moves very slowly and I was bored for most of the time. We don't really get to know Harper before he became a serial killer and we are lead to believe that a very creepy, abandoned Chicago bungalow (much like the hotel in Stephen King's The Shining) is causing him to be evil but we are never sure. Unlike Harper, we do feel bad for Kirby and want her to get her justice but she comes off as an angsty, whiny teen when in fact she's very much an adult. There is an attempt of a subdued love story between Kirby and Dan, a reporter at the Sun-Times, but I never really felt their connection. It almost came off as Dan being more like a father figure to Kirby rather than a love interest. Things start to get a little interesting as Dan and Kirby slowly uncover odd clues left behind in a dozen unsolved murder cases; it turns out Harper has been leaving behind items from the future.
 Needless to say I wasn't thrilled with The Shining Girls. It's clear that Buekes did a lot of research to make the Chicago setting authentic but she doesn't really take advantage of a very cool premise. Definitely for not all tastes, especially those with a sensitive stomach for gore and violence. Fans of the supernatural and a different spin on the horror genre might enjoy this one.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is strong language, strong graphic violence, and some sexual situations. Recommended for adults only.

If you like this book try: The Shining by Stephen King, The Rosary Girls by Richard Montanari, Three Days to Never by Tim Powers

  I've heard lots of buzz about All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill and when the hype got to be a bit much, I pushed the book further down in my reading pile in fears that it wouldn't live up to my high expectations. When I picked it up earlier this year, I had forgotten about the hype which in turned helped me to read it without any predetermined opinions. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to do the same with Lydia Kang's popular Control. Please note these reviews are based on the advanced reader's copy of the books provided by the publishers in exchange for an honest opinion. Both books have been released and can be found in either in your libraries or bookstores.


Description: "You have to kill him."

Review: All Our Yesterdays is one of the better time traveling books that I've read recently. The time-travel paradigms and a dual narrative combine in this fast-paced tale. The book is told by two voices are that of the same character: Marina, in the present, and Em, in the future. Thankfully, the present and future version of the girls are very different and distinguishable.
  Future Em and present Marina run parallel courses as Em tries desperately to change present circumstances enough to alter future horror. Marina's longtime crush James, a teen genius who discovers how to manipulate time travel, intends to use that discovery to save his assassinated congressman brother. Em and Finn (her future romantic interest and James's good friend) travel back to the present to change their own and the world's fate, but their multiple efforts result in imprisonment and torture by the mad scientist James becomes. Em/Marina's parallel stories converge in a violent confrontation where characters from the present meet their future selves. Serious readers of time traveling books may find lots of holes in Terrill's reasoning, but I'm not exactly sure how the time traveling in this book works but I was so invested with the characters and the action that I didn't really mind my confusion.
  The characters definitely made the story for me. I loved how completely different Em and Marina are and it actually took me a few pages to realize they were the same person. I loved how Em was a strong heroine who hasn't lost her sensibilities and the way to empathize with others. It took me a while to warm up to Marina, as her codependency tendencies got on my nerves but I do see a potential of growth in her. The love interests in this book were also appealing. James is a brilliant monster and Finn is consistently levelheaded and appealing. The romance dilemma in this one is definitely complex. The built-in tension provided by knowledge of the world that will result if they fail makes Finn and Em's efforts compelling and the escalating suspense kept me turning the pages into the shocking cliffhanger. I had to run to the author's website to make sure there was a book 2 and was relieved to find out there is one. The philosophical question is intriguing: What price is too high to change fate? I will definitely be reading the second book to see how things turn out for our characters.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, a scene of underage drinking, and an allusion to sex. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Pivot Point series by Kasie West, Tempest series by Julie Cross


Description: Set in 2150 -- in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms -- this is about the human genetic "mistakes" that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.
   When their overprotective father is killed in a terrible accident, Zel and her younger sister, Dylia, are lost in grief. But it's not until strangers appear, using bizarre sensory weapons, that the life they had is truly eviscerated. Zel ends up in a safe house for teens that aren't like any she's ever seen -- teens who, by law, shouldn't even exist. One of them -- an angry tattooed boy haunted by tragedy -- can help Zel reunite with her sister. But only if she is willing to lose him.
Review: I picked up Control based on the tagline that fans of the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld would enjoy it. I loved Westerfeld's imaginative take on physical beauty and consumerism in his series, but unfortunately I didn't find Control as intriguing. Control features a teenage scientist who struggles to rescue her abducted sister. After their father dies from injuries sustained in a freak accident, Zelia and her younger sister, Dylia, are left orphaned in a dystopian future America. They've scarcely begun to grieve when they are violently separated: Dylia is kidnapped by strangers who want to profit from her DNA, while Zelia ends up in Carus House, an underground organization that shelters people whose genetic mutations make their very existence illegal.
  My biggest problems with Control was its uneven pace and the lack of character development. The book moves too quickly when it should slow down so we can see the characters develop their relationships and their own personalities. We don't see Zelia spend much time with Dylia and we can't really feel the suspense nor the void when Dylia is abducted. Similarly, when Zelia becomes the new resident of Carus House she builds friendships a bit too quickly with others. The romantic tension with the bad boy Cyrad is nonexistent and when they do acknowledge how they feel towards one another it feels forced. Throughout the novel, Kang's scrupulous attention to scientific detail adds authenticity but also contributes to a lot of technologies that don't really make much sense. While I appreciated the fact that the protagonist is a girl who actually enjoys and is brilliant at science, I wished the author would spend some time in building the world she created. I had so many questions of why when I was reading this story such as why is gene manipulation outlawed in the first place? What caused it?
  The book works as a stand-alone, but the ending leaves the door open to a sequel. Control is another forgettable addition to an overcrowded field of dystopians, but for die-hard dystopian fans who wouldn't mind an Xmenish story line it might be worth picking up. I, however, will not be continuing this series.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language, allusion to sex, and underage drinking. Recommended for strong Grade 8 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepard, Delirium series by Lauren Oliver, Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Divergent series by Veronica Roth

    Sue Macleod's Namesake is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story grabbed me right away. If you are in the mood for a well written and suspenseful historical fiction read, be sure to check this book out! I'm also doing a giveaway of the book so if you're interested, be sure to check out the giveaway information at the end of this post.

Description: It started with a history project. Mr. Gregor assigned a research paper on a figure from the Tudor era, and of course Jane Grey had to pick her namesake—Lady Jane Grey, the fifteen-year-old girl whose parents schemed to place her on the throne of England, then abandoned her to face the executioner. The project is engrossing from the start, but when Jane opens a mysterious prayer book and finds herself in the Tower of London in 1553, she ends up literally drawn into her namesake’s story. Soon, Jane is slipping into the past whenever the present becomes too unbearable, avoiding her mother’s demands, her best friend’s fickleness, her crush’s indifference. In the Tower she plays chess with the imprisoned Lady Jane, awed by her new friend’s strength and courage. And it is in the Tower, keeping vigil as the day of the execution draws near, that Jane learns that she, too, must have the courage to fight for her own happiness.

Review: Namesake is an absorbing read that combines the excitement of time traveling, realistic fiction, and historical fiction. In the present day, our heroine Jane Grey is dealing with her own tenuous situation at home. Her father has passed away and her mother seeks solace by drinking heavily, leaving Jane in the dark with her wild mood swings. At school Jane is wrapped up in an assignment for her history class, detailing the life of Lady Jane Grey who was the Queen of England for just nine days until she saw her horrible end.
  I really liked present day Jane, she is an ordinary girl who has insecurities and doubts just like all of us, but by no means is she boring. Jane is sympathetic to Lady Jane's dilemma, recognizing the similarity in the extent of their dire circumstances and inability to change them. Jane is ashamed of her mother's drinking habit and would like to get help but doesn't want to exacerbate her mother's wild mood swings. Not surprising that Jane has concerns when her history group must meet at each other's homes for study and editing sessions. And with best friend Megan hanging out with the tactless, arty Crisco and wrapped up in a boyfriend situation, Jane is feeling more and more isolated and unable to find support. For Jane, slipping back into 1553 gives her an opportunity to exert some control.
  The way the time traveling works is very interesting. Lady Jane's Book of Prayers is Jane's portal back to time. While Namesake may be initially seen as a standard time-slip novel, with a contemporary character going back in time to learn something which she could apply to her own life, the book goes beyond trope by having both Janes interact and take active roles in each other's lives, even to the point of altering history if that could save their friendship. Jane educates Lady Jane on the vernacular and popular culture of her Halifax and Canada. And while Lady Jane does begin to try to wrap her head around the modern vernacular, I like how the author chose Lady Jane to use it as a foreign language instead of jumping back to modern language. Lady Jane's voice is authentic and learning modern English provides for some much-needed humor in a dark story. Her voice is true and melodic, never wavering from that of a sixteenth-century young woman. I really think you get a sense of who Lady Jane was as as person, a girl who died for her beliefs and who couldn't fight to changer her fate.    I'm really glad that the author chose a figure in the Tudor history who isn't necessarily scandalous and who isn't all that removed from the main character's age, to share their lives and their stories, and developing their new friendship which both of them needed desperately. Though the ending of Lady Jane's story is heartbreaking, it sparks a change in present day Jane and delivers a light romance along with a hopeful open ending. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some minor language in the book and there are allusions to the mother's alcoholism. Recommended for strong Grade 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Anastasia Secret by Susan Dunlap

  Books about time traveling are very popular. It is very interesting to see how different authors approach the concept of time. The Loop by Shandy Lawson is very much like the movie, Groundhogs Day, where the characters relive the same day over and over until they find a way to break their loop of time. Thank you to Disney Hyperion and Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of the book!

Description from the Publisher: Ben and Maggie have met, fallen in love, and died together countless times. Over the course of two pivotal day--both the best and worst of their lives--they struggle again and again to resist the pull of fate and the force of time itself. With each failure, they return to the beginning of their end, a wild road trip that brings them to the scene of their own murders and into the hands of the man who is destined to kill them.
  As time circles back on itself, events become more deeply ingrained, more inescapable for the two kids trapped inside the loop. The closer they come to breaking out, the tighter fate's clutches seem to grip them. They devise a desperate plan to break free and survive the days ahead, but what if Ben and Maggie's only shot at not dying is surviving apart?

Review: The Loop is a perfect example of a really clever premise marred by flawed execution. Ben and Maggie are two teenagers who relive their violent deaths over and over when they find themselves stuck in a time loop. Ben and Maggie have met several times, but they just don't quite remember. Both experience a very strong sense of deja vu when they accidentally bump into one another at a mall in New Orleans. Their innocent and awkwardly cute encounter leads to attempted murder, 24 hours on being on the run from authorities, an envelope full of racetrack winnings and a final showdown in a dirty storeroom, where they are shot in cold blood by the same criminal over and over for their misbegotten cash. Like many novels involving the themes of fatalism and time traveling, each time Ben and Maggie attempt to change the circumstances that lead to their demise, they are thwarted by fate, which keeps placing them in the bullets' paths. Is escape possible, or are Ben and Maggie doomed to repeat the worst day of their lives forever?
   The Loop does not lack in action. The pace is relatively quick with short chapters, however, the author doesn't seem to take time to fully develop it. We are given rash explanations of what stated the time loop. For example Ben finds out about being in a time loop by a weird psychic on the street named Steve and quickly seems to accept it. Steve, like Ben, is also part of a time loop of his own but we are never told what happens to him before and after he meets Ben. Ben and Maggie supposedly meet at the racetrack and receiver their large sum of money, however, we never see this happening. Their loop is only regulated to meeting one another and are quickly confronted by a man who basically tells them to give him the money (which seems to magically appear) or die. Big questions surrounding Ben and Maggie's time loop are either lightly touched upon or never addressed. The unimaginative answer to Ben and Maggie's time loop trouble is completely unsatisfying and frustrating.
  While I was somewhat okay with a weak plot as I didn't have any great expectations of it, I was completely disappointed with the lack of character development of our two protagonists. Since the book starts in medias res, I kept hoping for more background to flesh out Ben and Maggie. While we do get a little bit more about Maggie, I would have liked a lot more. I was never convinced that these two characters were romantically linked but they rather had been stuck together at the wrong place and wrong time. I really think that focusing on the characters a bit more would answer a lot of the questions I had the plot. For example, why are two teens at a racetrack to begin with? How did they meet and decide to place their bets together? Why was there only one person who is after them? Unfortunately by the time I finished the book, I didn't really know Ben and Maggie much better than I did at the beginning of the book. As a result, I didn't really care a whole lot about them and the book. If you're looking for a good book about time traveling, I suggest looking somewhere else.

Rating: 2 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong language. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: Tempest by Julie Cross, The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher

 I thoroughly enjoyed Kerstin Gier's romantic time traveling book, Red Ruby, and highly recommend it to readers looking for a fun, quick read that encompasses adventure, a sweet romance, humor, and historical trivia. Red Ruby is the first book in the trilogy. Sapphire Blue is the second book and steers clear from middle book syndrome. I found it to be equally enjoyable.

Description (from the Publisher): Gwen's life has been a roller coaster since she discovered she was the Ruby, the final member of the secret time-traveling Circle of Twelve. In between searching through history for the other time-travelers and asking for a bit of their blood (gross!), she's been trying to figure out what all the mysteries and prophecies surrounding the Circle really mean.

Review: Gwyneth is trying to reconcile her role as the Ruby, the final member in the Circle of Twelve, a secret time-travel society, with being a normal London teen. No one takes her seriously and they all think she completely incapable of undertaking a huge project and not to mention dark prophecy that may get her or her loved ones killed. What's the project and prophecy? Well, the Circle of Twelve won't discuss anything thing with her and hush matters between themselves in a locked room. Complicating matters even more are her feelings for handsome Gideon de Villiers, a fellow time traveler who gives Gwyneth mixed signals-wavering between kissing her and ignoring her.
 The secrecy surrounding the Circle, whose distrust of Gwyneth is both unfair and frustrating. What I love about Gwyneth though is that she is adaptable, engaging, funny, and sweet. She doesn't waste her time moaning about how no one trusts her, but she uses her intuition and ingenuity to circumvent the authorities who refuse to be honest with her yet send her on dangerous mission in the past. She makes secret trips through time to conspire with her much younger (and living) grandfather or asks a delightful gargoyle ghost, who she can only see and talk to spy for her.  I love Xemerius! He is so adorable and funny with his spot-on critiques on people. He definitely was a welcoming addition to this book. Unlike many books where going against the authorities is a stupid and bad idea, I can't blame Gwyneth for taking this route since the authorities are supposed to be looking out for her, but their intentions are murky at best. As Gideon points out to Gwyneth, their lives are dictated by their supernatural genes; they will never be free from the confines of their birth, forced to stay local, so as not to be in constant danger.
   Speaking of Gideon, I was so conflicted about him. I found his inability to tell Gwyneth how he feels about her to be sweet. Even though he appears as if he knows all the answers, he really doesn't and he can't seem to think straight with Gwyneth around. There are definitely some sweet moments between them, but their romance does have a few stumbling blocks in this book.
  Hilarious and delightful, Sapphire Blue explores new mysteries and raises new questions, which we don't have any answers yet but I'm very hopeful that we will get them in third and final book. Ruby Red isn't necessarily a series that I would read immediately, but it is a series to look out for and enjoy on vacation or if you are in reading slump.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Some minor language and a scene of underage drinking. Recommended for strong Grades 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier (October 2013), Paranormalcy trilogy by Kiersten White, Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda, The Time Traveling Fashionesta by Bianca Turetskey

 Ruby Red is a delightful romantic comedy with a good dose of a complex, unresolved time-travel mystery that can be enjoyed by a wide range of audience. Readers new to this series won't have to wait long for the sequel as it is expected to be released later this month.

Description (from the publisher):  Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
  Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Review: Gwen is a contemporary English teen who lives in London with her mother's eccentric family. She has the girl next door flair to her along with a wonderful sense of humor. Gwen has always heard of the time traveling gene that her family possesses, but she really can't understand why her cousin Charlotte thinks having the gene is such a big deal. You see, Charlotte is the expected carrier of the family time-travel gene that has been passed along the female line in the girls' family since the 16th century and has trained her entire life for this one opportunity, but it never happens. Unexpectedly, Gwen experiences the symptoms of the time traveling gene in the middle of her class.
  Everyone including Gwen is surprised and utterly shocked when Gwen is not only the gene carrier but a very special time traveler. Gwen quickly realizes that her mother has fabricated her birth date in order to protect her from the Guardians, the old, powerful and dangerous secret society obsessively watching over the time travelers and protecting the chronograph, a device for negotiating time travel. To the Guardians, Gwen is not your ordinary time traveler but the Ruby, the crucial last link in their Circle of Twelve. To complicate matters more, Gideon, Gwen's handsome, insufferable and arrogant fellow time traveler in the male line, is the Diamond. Together Gwen and Gideon are expected to complete the Circle and solve an undefined mystery involving Count Saint-Germain, a malevolent time traveler from the 18th century, that is if they can work together without killing each other first.
  As she narrates her adventures, Gwen convincingly conveys her bewilderment, fear and excitement of a being an ordinary teen who is comfortable with her mundane routine and then suddenly finds herself transported and disorientated into an unknown past. Though she has absolutely no idea of what to do, she manages to think quickly and surprises everyone including Gideon who has her pegged as an inferior time traveler and doesn't waste an opportunity to let her know that.
  What I loved about Ruby Red is the attention to the historical setting from the fashion to the mannerisms, especially since the book is originally published in German and then translated into English. While reading the book, I had no idea it was a translated copy of the book. It seems as if the author did a great job with historical accuracy.
  Of course I have to mention the relationship between Gwen and Gideon. They both share the tensions found in a love/hate relationships that are common in most romance stories, but the romance doesn't instantly happen for these characters. Gwen and Gideon have to overcome their prejudices of one another to not only solve the mystery they are both assigned to, but also to show the various layers of their personalities. Their relationship grows slowly but realistically and while we don't have a full blown romance we can see it budding.
 With engaging characters, a chaste but sweet romance, and unique plot line involving time traveling, Ruby Red is a sure fire hit and would be a great selection for a vacation read. I really look forward to going on more journeys with Gwen and Gideon  and to seeing how this mystery unravels.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. This is a relatively clean book with a chaste budding romance. I would feel comfortable in giving this book to a very strong Grade 5th reader.

If you like this book try: Saphire Blue by Kerstin Gier, The Time Traveling Fashionesta by Bianca Turetskey, Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda

  Today I finished Hope Larson's latest graphic novel called Mercury. I have heard of Larson's name before as she was awarded the Eisner award in 2007 but not have read anything by her before. Mercury has received critical acclaim and lots of glowing reviews by many review journals such as Booklist and School Library Journal.

Description:  In 1859 Josey fell in love with a mysterious man named Asa Curry, who claimed to be a gold dowser. In the present, Tara Fraser, a teen who is forced to living with relatives and being once again the new girl in school after her home burns down. A necklace that reportedly has the power to find gold serves as a link between these two descendants.

Review: Larson's Mercury is a multiple genre graphic novel that contains magic realism. Set in Nova Scotia, this graphic novel connects two coming-of-age stories and shows how the past influenced the present. In alternating chapters, we meet Tara and Josey. In the present, Tara and her mother have lost their old farmhouse in a fire. Tara's mother, who is presence is restricted by phone calls, is struggling to financially support her family from far away while Tara lives with relatives. Tara loved the old house and wants to rebuild it, but her mother feels it is unrealistic and is pressured to find a job elsewhere and sell the land. In 1859, Josey, Tara's ancestor, falls in love with a gold dowser, Asa Curry, who has persuaded her father to open a mine in order to find the undiscovered and unclaimed gold.
  The stories collide as Tara retrieves the necklace, once worn by Josey, from her mother's old and unused jewelry box and goes searching for the gold said to have been hidden on her property. There are elements of supernatural powers, however, how the powers are achieved are never explained which I found disappointing. The graphic novel moves at a slow pace, taking it's time to unfold for its readers, which may deter some readers looking for a quick read but those who are hooked should be satisfied.
   I really liked Larson's storytelling. Each timeline feels and looks distinct, however, if you take a closer look you can find similar physical features of her characters, particularly of Tara's relatives. The graphic novel also portrays the history of Nova Scotia by wordless pictures in the first few panels. Despite the alternating timeline and stories, I didn't have a problem following the story. I did find myself more vested in the past than in the present, which is why I felt that the ending was a bit abrupt. Things are left dangling for Tara and her mother's future, however, I think there might be enough information to predict that the family will be financially well off.  Despite these short comings, I still enjoyed Mercury and I would recommend it for readers looking for a different type of graphic novel to read. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some language and some sexual comments. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: This War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks

  Sometimes I wish life came with a manual or better yet a set of instructions of how to go through the small and large bumps in the road that we all face. Would we even pick it up or even read it? All I know is that there are many times in my life where I wish I had a redo option, where I could change my choices and see what would happen. Sadly, hindsight is really 20/20, isn't it? I couldn't help but think of these things while I read Lauren Oliver's debut novel Before I Fall. 

Description: February 12th is a very important day for Samantha Kingston. It is Cupid Day, a day where the number of roses indicate how popular you are in school. It is the day where Sam plans to lose her virginity to her popular boyfriend. It is the day that Kent McFreaky has a party at his house. It is the day that Sam dies..well kind of. Instead of going to the afterlife, Sam relives the day over and over again. She soon discovers that the only way out of this funk is to re-examine her choices and do what is right even if that means losing everything.

Review: As you can probably tell from the book's description, Before I Fall is a combination of the movies Ground Hog Day and Mean Girls. Although the same elements of each movie are present in the novel, I think Before I Fall is much more provocative and seems to stay with you long after you finish the last page.
  Reading Before I Fall was an unique experience. When I began the book, I was completely appalled by Samantha. She is shallow, obnoxious, mean, and a sheep who blindly follows the queen bee. It was hard for me to feel sorry for her when she dies and returns to live the same day over and over again. Thankfully, Sam does change and so did my opinion of her, when she discovers that her choices alter what happens on the February 12th. It is through her choices and her epiphanies that I see Sam's complexities. While she mocks others 'below' her, she realizes her own insecurities as well as the shortcomings of others around her. It is these 'ah ha' moments that allow her to re-examine how she behaves, talks, and see her relationships for what they really are. Sam's gradual movement from being so self centered to putting others before her is compelling and believable. One of the book's strongest and my favorite moment is where Juliet, a girl who Sam's clan has mercilessly bullied, relays her feelings of what it feels to be mocked to Sam. It is this single moment that Sam realizes how much Juliet has been wronged and can only begin to understand what it means wear Juliet's shoes.
  Despite its slow pace in the beginning and the repetitive plot points, Oliver has written a book where teens can not only relate and connect, but also define and argue as to what constitutes popularity and the harmful effects of bullying. I think this book would be an excellent book club selection.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is a underage drinking party scene that occurs over and over again. There is also a scene where the main character smokes pot. There is some language and suggestions of sex throughout the book. Recommended for grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: You by Charles Benoit, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin, Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin

  Before I start my Banned Book Reading Challenge in a few days, I wanted to put up a couple of reviews. I just finished the first book Margaret Peterson's latest Missing series called Found. Found is also listed on the Rebecca Caudill book list this year for grades 4 through 8. Children looking for a quick and engaging read will love Found and the rest of the Missing series.

Description: A plane suddenly appears with 36 unattended babies. All are adopted and grow up in contemporary America. When Chip and Jonah, who are both adopted, receive mysterious letters, they search for clues about their origins. Together with Jonah's sister Katherine, they find ties to the FBI and unexplained characters that disappear right before their eyes. Could Chip and Jonah be one of those unattended babies on that airplane thirteen years ago? How do unexplained characters just disappear right before their eyes? What's going on? 

Review: I enjoyed Found. I found it be a very quick and fun read. In fact, I finished it in practically one sitting. I liked how the plot, though I felt it was pretty predictable, unfolded for the characters. Jonah, Chip, and Katherine are well liked protagonists and it is very easy to root for them. The author puts a positive spin on adoption and for once, there are no evil parents that are the villains. It is not until the climatic ending, that the story and mystery comes together. Found is definitely plot driven and in my opinion, didn't have much character development. Although the ending leaves the reader with more questions than answers and a big cliffhanger, I'm sure many will eagerly anticipate the next installment in the series. I would highly recommend this title for high elementary and middle schoolers who enjoy science fiction and mystery. I think this book would make a great book club discussion.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Words of Caution: None. I'd recommend this title for kids who love science fiction, mystery, or suspense. Grades 4 and up.


If you like this book try: Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2nd book in the Missing series) or Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix.

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   Things were so simple when we were young, weren't they? I don't understand why we thought growing up was so alluring. Sure, we get to drive, vote, and be independent, but we also have to worry about how to support ourselves. The older that I get, the more I wish I could go back to being a kid. I wouldn't mind being 11 years old again, where my primary concerns would be school and friends. Wouldn't that be nice? Since I know that's impossible and a time machine hasn't been invented yet (What's the deal with that? We're in 2010 already. Could someone start that project?), I would have to live vicariously through Amanda and Leo, the protagonists of Wendy Mass's sweet and adorable book called 11 birthdays.

Description: Amanda and Leo have literally been best friends since birth. See, they were born on the same day and have celebrated their birthdays together for 9 years. They had a fall out on their 10th birthday and haven't spoken to each other for an entire year. Now when they prepare to celebrate their 11th birthday separately, strange things are starting to happen. They began to celebrate their birthday over and over again! What's going on? Will Amanda and Leo become friends again and solve the mystery together? 

Review: 11 birthdays is an adorable, sweet, clean, and enjoyable read. It's basically the kids' version of the movie, Groundhog Day. The writing is fresh and all of the characters were delightful. The universal themes of doing well in school coupled with the power of changing friends rings true in the novel. Amanda and Leo take advantage of the time warp to try different things to see what the outcomes would be and to see if their actions would fix time so they could see Saturday. It was refreshing to see how Amanda and Leo's thought process changed while they try to solve the mystery. I would recommend this book to children in 3rd grader and up.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Absolutely clean.

If you like this book, try: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

    I’ve been a bit behind on reading the award winning books for children’s literature. When I found out that this year’s Newberry winning book, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, was inspired by one of my all time favorite books as kid, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engline, I knew I had to move this book up in my queue of ‘to be read books’.



Rating: 3 stars

If you like this book, try: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle