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Everything Sad is Untrue
by Daniel Nayeri

The voice of middle school student Khosrou is beautiful and heartbreaking. The story jumps from his present day Oklahoma classroom to his past life in Isfahan and occasionally takes a detour into myths of demons and palaces and magic carpets. It took me a while to get invested in the story but it was well worth persisting. I only hope that the students who read this will also read enough to get themselves hooked. This is a memorable refugee story, one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

Uncaged by John Sandford and Michele Cook

8/9/2015

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Shea worries when her brother Odin goes missing because she knows that his social skills are severely lacking. She decides to head to L.A. to find him, and when she does, she is dragged into quite the adventure. Odin has broken into an research lab that experiments on animals, and while escaping, manages to acquire a bionic dog. Shea ends up getting some help from a fellow named Twist, and together they go up against the ruthless Singular Corp. Fast paced and entertaining. Will be enjoyed by reluctant older readers, especially boys. Rated mature due to violence and language.
I've been waiting quite a while for book two to come out, and I'm almost out of patience.

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Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

8/8/2015

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Alina Starkov and her childhood playmate and fellow orphan, Mal are drafted into an army and sent to cross the Fold, a place of darkness where terrifying creatures called volcra threaten the life of the soldiers. When she and her friends are attacked, Alina reveals a power she had no idea she possessed, and after unknowingly saving everyone, is subsequently whisked away to meet the Darkling and be trained as a Grisha. Separated from Mal, envied by some, feared by others, and treated with suspicion by most, Alina is easily lured by the luxury of her new life, the ability to control her power and the allure of the Darkling. She discovers a secret however, and she is the only one with the power to battle head to head with the most powerful force in the kingdom. Warning. This is book one. You are going to want to buy book two and three just to have it on hand for when you finish the first one. It's REALLY good.

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Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan

8/8/2015

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I hope that I'm wrong, but I think that this will be one of those classic books that is loved by adults and not really appreciated by the younger audience of teens that it targets. I think the size of the book will intimidate many potential readers and I think the confusion of the fairy tale set up story, and then the three stories (Germany, 1933 with Friedrich Schmidt during Hitler's rise to power, Philadelphia, 1935, with two orphaned brothers, Frankie and Mike Flannery and then the home of migrant workers in Southern Caifornia, 1942 with Ivy Maria Lopez) will be enough to confuse all but the most avid readers. I've already recommended the story to our music teacher, because of the music talk and quotes that are embedded throughout the tale. Will be REALLY interested to see what 11, 12, 13 year olds think of it. There's no question that it's a spectacular story, but I'm just not convinced that it will be beloved by our tween/teen readers.

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When We Wake by Karen Healey

8/8/2015

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Imagine waking up 100 years from now; the boy you loved has had an entire life without you and has died, your parents are long gone, the house you grew up in probably doesn't even exist anymore, the language and slang of your youth has become old school, and everything you do feels unfamiliar. That's the existence Tegan Oglietti starts to live when she is brought back to life in 2027, 100 years after she died. She finds out that she has signed away any rights she thought she had, and she is the property of the government. Worse then that, they clearly have a plan for her, and it is not something she wants for herself. Tegan finds friends and romance where she doesn't expect it, but also finds out that what she was told was her purpose is not really the truth. Tegan is one of those take no prisoner kind of girls, and you'll be cheering for her throughout the entire tale.

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The Way Back From Broken by Amber J. Keyser

8/6/2015

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The Way Back From Broken captures the pain, bewilderment and betrayal felt when a younger sibling dies. Two children, each of whom has experienced the death of a sibling, end up taking a canoe trip with one of their moms. She injures herself, and the two children must make the four day trip back to civilization to get help for the injured adult they were forced to leave behind. Although the content deals with the heartbreaking topic of death of young children, the tale is not depressing and contains what feels like authentic descriptions of the feelings of the surviving children. Much of their canoe journey is metaphoric for having the courage to continue on. I was able to read this through an advance digital copy provided by Net Gallery. One warning is that early on in the story there is reference to a friend who wants to get laid, so it is probably best read by those who are older.

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    Janice’s quotes


    "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."— J.K. Rowling

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    Middle School former Teacher Librarian - then MYP math and science. Update... VERY recently retired! Still adjusting that I'm not just on summer vacation!!! 
    I believe there is no such thing as a non-reader; just people who haven't discovered what they want to read.
    If you read my reviews, please leave me a comment - I'd love to know that you're out there.

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    Janice's bookshelf: read

    Siege and Storm
    liked it
    Siege and Storm
    by Leigh Bardugo
    Just didn't enjoy it as much as Shadow and Bone. I just felt like the author was really trying a bit too hard to draw this story out. I was able to put it down several times and I couldn't put Shadow and Bone down so there's the differen...
    Ruin and Rising
    really liked it
    Ruin and Rising
    by Leigh Bardugo
    The Grisha triology is a fantasy series that I really enjoyed. I reread the last book because I thought I wasn't remembering something. I'm a bit confused because I've started King of Scars and Nikolai isn't as I remembered. Don't want...
    Don't Wake Up
    it was ok
    Don't Wake Up
    by Liz Lawler
    A Very Large Expanse of Sea
    it was amazing
    A Very Large Expanse of Sea
    by Tahereh Mafi
    I’m not usually someone who enjoys a story that is predominantly about the attraction between two people BUT I did like this one. The setting is one year after 9/11 and 16 year old Shirin, an American born Muslim whose family moves freq...
    Two Can Keep a Secret
    really liked it
    Two Can Keep a Secret
    by Karen M. McManus
    I love a good mystery, and although I correctly guessed the murderer in the first chapter, I still thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns.

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