BOOK REVIEW: Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood

*Disclaimer- I received a free electronic galley of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Sugar Scars by Travis Norwood

NetGalley Description:

Living after the apocalypse really isn’t that hard for most of the survivors. The virus killed all but 1 in 10,000. The few remaining people are left in a world of virtually unlimited resources. Grocery stores overflowing with food and drink. Thousands of empty houses to pick from. But one survivor, a nineteen year-old girl, requires more than simple food, water and shelter. As a type 1 diabetic her body desperately needs insulin to stay alive. With civilization gone, no one manufactures it anymore. She hoards all the insulin she can find, but every day marches toward the end of her stash of vials. She has a choice. Accept her fate and death, or tackle the almost insurmountable task of extracting and refining the insulin herself. Brilliant scientists struggled to make the first insulin. What hope does a high school dropout have?

My Review:
Confession: I LOVE dystopian books. They're my favorite! With that being said, Sugar Scars represents a topic that had never occurred to me- what happens to a diabetic when something catastrophic happens and the supply of insulin dwindles? This book was a perfect melding of shock (so many surprises!), bleak moments, and ultimately, hope. There were parts so beautifully written (the ending, for example), that I couldn't help but go back and read them again once I had finished this book. This book was also unique in the way it addressed science and mathematics. Norwood has to have done intensive research into the process of creating insulin; it was too well explained for him not to have. I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to vegetarians (animals are slaughtered), but other than that I'd recommend it to anyone who will listen. I will undoubtedly read this book again. I gave this book 5 out 5 stars.

BOOK REVIEW: Charmed by Jen Calonita

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Charmed by Jen Calonita (Fairy Tale Reform School #2)

Release Date: March 1, 2016

NetGalley Description:
Sometimes it’s good to be bad...

Charmed is the exciting sequel to the wildly popular Flunked -- second in the brand new Fairy Tale Reform School series where the teachers are (former) villains.

It takes a (mostly) reformed thief to catch a spy. Which is why Gilly Cobbler, Enchantasia’s most notorious pickpocket, volunteers to stay locked up at Fairy Tale Reform School…indefinitely. Gilly and her friends may have defeated the Evil Queen and become reluctant heroes, but the battle for Enchantasia has just begun.

Alva, aka The Wicked One who cursed Sleeping Beauty, has declared war on the Princesses, and she wants the students of Fairy Tale Reform School to join her. As her criminal classmates give in to temptation, Gilly goes undercover as a Royal Lady in Waiting (don’t laugh) to unmask a spy…before the mole can hand Alva the keys to the kingdom.

Her parents think Gilly the Hero is completely reformed, but sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Sometimes it’s good to be bad…

My Review:
This book was adorable! I had been wanting to try out this series for awhile, so when I saw it available on NetGalley, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. This series, "Fairy Tale Reform School", is all about villains who are trying to turn their lives around. This book, and the first book in the series, are perfect for fans of Disney's "The Descendants". In the battle between evil and good (or not quite so good), lines will be drawn.

BOOK REVIEW: The Inn Between by Marina Cohen

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen

Release Date: March 22, 2016

NetGalley Description: 
11-year old Quinn has had some bad experiences lately. She was caught cheating in school, and then one day, her little sister Emma disappeared while walking home from school. She never returned.

When Quinn's best friend Kara has to move away, she goes on one last trip with Kara and her family. They stop over at the first hotel they see, a Victorian inn that instantly gives Quinn the creeps, and she begins to notice strange things happening around them. When Kara's parents, and then brother disappear without a trace, the girls are stranded in a hotel full of strange guests, hallways that twist back in on themselves, and a particularly nasty surprise lucking beneath the floorboards. Will the girls be able to solve the mystery of what happened to Kara's family before it's too late?

My Review:
While I'm not sure that I'd recommend it for middle readers, the market for which it's targeted (it's really dark), this book was fascinating! Adults (or kids) who are familiar with mythology will catch the hints about what is really happening at the Inn. For example, the woman at the front desk is named Persephone, and the doorman is named Aides. You find yourself rooting for Kara and Quinn as they find adventure (and an evil dance party) amongst the rooms of the Inn. And maybe, just maybe, they'll survive their visit to the Inn Between.

BOOK REVIEW: The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

Release Date: February 23, 2016

Netgalley Description:
In Alaska, 1970, being a teenager here isn't like being a teenager anywhere else. This deeply moving and authentic debut is for fans of Rainbow Rowell, Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie, and Benjamin Alire Saenz. Intertwining stories of love, tragedy, wild luck, and salvation on the edge of America's Last Frontier introduce a writer of rare talent.

Ruth has a secret that she can't hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile her desire to dance, with the life she's always known on her family's fishing boat. Hank and his brothers decide it's safer to run away than to stay home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.

Four very different lives are about to become entangled. This unforgettable book is about people who try to save each other—and how sometimes, when they least expect it, they succeed. 


My Review:
The Smell of Other People's Houses, set in 1970s Alaska, was a beautifully interwoven tale of 4 narrators and how their lives connect. I was a little iffy on the book in the beginning, possibly because of assumptions based on the title, but was pleasantly surprised by how the story draws you in. I'd love to see a scratch and sniff version of this book, because the narrators describe smells so vividly that it's almost like you're there! I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars.

BOOK REVIEW: The House by the Lake by Ella Carey

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

The House by the Lake by Ella Carey

Publication Date: March 29, 2016

Netgalley Description:

Anna is content with her well-ordered life in San Francisco. But her world is turned upside down when her beloved grandfather, Max, reveals a startling secret: Anna is part of an aristocratic family who lost everything during World War II. What’s more, Max was forced to leave behind a precious item over seventy years ago in their estate in old Prussia. It’s now his ardent wish that Anna retrieve it.

Anna burns with questions as she heads for Germany: What memento could be so important to her grandfather? And why did he keep their history hidden? As she searches for answers, she finds herself drawn to Wil, a man who may hold the key to unlock the mystery. Together they discover that her family’s secrets are linked with an abandoned apartment in Paris, and these secrets go deeper than she ever imagined.

Alternating between 1930s Europe and the present, The House by the Lake illuminates the destiny of a family caught in the tumult of history.

My Review:

I don't even know where to start this review, except to say that I wish it was possible to give it 10 out of 5 stars! Perfect for fans of "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana De Rosnay, this compelling and beautifully written book alternates between the present day life of Anna and vignettes of Europe on the cusp of World War II. Honestly, I had a really hard time putting this book down to do other things. Ella Carey does a fantastic job at recreating what life would have been like in Germany and Paris during Hitler's rise to power, and the reader can't help but become emotionally invested in the life that Anna's grandpa, Max, lived during that time. There's also just enough romance to keep you hanging. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in World War II history, and historical fiction, but also for people who enjoy genealogy, as Anna spends a lot of time searching for answers to questions about her family's past. Check this out today- I truly don't think that you'll regret it!

BOOK REVIEW: The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

*Disclaimer: I received a free digital galley of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

The Square Root of Summer by Harriet Reuter Hapgood

Release Date: May 3, 2016

NetGalley Description:

This is what it means to love someone. This is what it means to grieve someone. It's a little bit like a black hole. It's a little bit like infinity.

Gottie H. Oppenheimer is losing time. Literally. When the fabric of the universe around her seaside town begins to fray, she's hurtled through wormholes to her past:

To last summer, when her grandfather Grey died. To the afternoon she fell in love with Jason, who wouldn't even hold her hand at the funeral. To the day her best friend Thomas moved away and left her behind with a scar on her hand and a black hole in her memory.

Although Grey is still gone, Jason and Thomas are back, and Gottie's past, present, and future are about to collide—and someone's heart is about to be broken.

With time travel, quantum physics, and sweeping romance, The Square Root of Summer is an exponentially enthralling story about love, loss, and trying to figure it all out, from stunning debut YA voice, Harriet Reuter Hapgood.

My Review:
It honestly took me awhile to wrap my head around this book and the idea of time loops. It seems like time travel is the "IT" thing right now.  Despite being at times confusing to read, the book was an enjoyable foray into the life of Gottie, who fell apart after the death of her beloved grandfather, Grey. Gottie and Thomas (Gottie's childhood neighbor/best friend who suddenly comes back into her life) are instantly likeable characters, and the reader founds theirself trying to figure out which version of reality will be the final result of Gottie's time jumps. I'd give it a 3.5 to 4 star rating.

BOOK REVIEW: The Girl in the Well Is Me by Karen Rivers

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Girl in the Well Is Me by Karen Rivers

Amazon Description:
"Longing to be one of the popular girls in her new town, Kammie Summers has fallen into a well during a (fake) initiation into their club. Now Kammie’s trapped in the dark, counting the hours, waiting to be rescued. (The Girls have gone for help, haven’t they?)

As hours pass, Kammie’s real-life predicament mixes with memories of the best and worst moments of her life so far, including the awful reasons her family moved to this new town in the first place. And as she begins to feel hungry and thirsty and light-headed, Kammie starts to imagine she has company, including a French-speaking coyote and goats that just might be zombies.

Karen Rivers has created a unique narrator with an authentic, sympathetic, sharp, funny voice who will have readers laughing and crying and laugh-crying over the course of physically and emotionally suspenseful, utterly believable events."

My Review:
"If a girl cries in a well and no one heaers it, is she really crying?"

Kammie Summers is trapped in a well, slowly being swallowed alive by the mud at the bottom. Her mean classmates, whom Kammie was trying to befriend, leave her behind to "find help". Deprived of oxygen and waiting for a miracle, Kammie finds herself imagining whimsical animals and remembering the unfortunate events that have led to her imprisonment.

This was, hands down, one of the best books I've read for middle readers in recent years. Rivers weaves lush images as she describes Kammie's hallucinations of silver coyotes, goats, and memories. Infinitely quotable and funny at the right moments, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat as you debate whether or not Kammie will escape the well unscathed. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

BOOK REVIEW: HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunajsky

*Disclaimer: I received a free electronic galley of this book in exchange for an honest review*

HELP ME! by Donna M. Zadunajsky

Amazon Description:

A novella about a boy named Mick and his struggles with life. His parent’s divorce and a friend’s suicide make his world unbearable. Each “cut” has a deeper meaning. A cry for help.

“I spin my dad’s Ruger SP101 revolver on the wood floor of my bedroom. Sometimes, just to see what it feels like, I place the tip of the gun against my temple, but I never once pull the trigger. NO!”
“I’m more into the slice of the blade against my skin and the blood running down my arm.”
“It relieves so much pressure.”
“And I can breathe again…”

My Review:
When I saw this book, I immediately knew that I needed to read it. As a recovering cutter who began doing so about the same time as the main character, I immediately identified with Mick. While this book would be a helpful resource to those who wish to gain insight into the mind of a suicidal teen, I would NOT recommend it to a teen who is dealing with self harm-- the descriptions of Mick's actions are both realistic and graphic and could easily serve as a trigger for some one who is trying to quit.

The story itself is told from two perspectives. First is Mick, the title character. He feels alone after his parent's divorce and his best friend's suicide. He moves to a new school after his best friend's death, hoping that there won't be bullies there. Much to his chagrin, there are bullies at the new school as well, but he latches on to Layla, his crush and friend. The second perspective in the book is Layla's. I loved getting to see both sides of every interaction, it left out a lot of the guess work about what was happening in each character's mind. Layla has a surprisingly strong relationship with her mother, who helps Layla help Mick throughout the book.

All in all, I thought this book had strong characters and a strong plot. I was a little disconcerted by the name dropping of apps and social media sites in HELP ME!, however. Considering how fast technology changes, it seems like it would make the book relatively obsolete in the next few years. Kik and Oovoo may very well be the next Myspace.

BOOK REVIEW: Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw

*Disclaimer- I received a free electronic galley of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Fifteen Lanes by S.J. Laidlaw 

Amazon Description:
"Noor has lived all of her fourteen years in the fifteen lanes of Mumbai’s red light district. Born into a brothel, she is destined for the same fate as her mother: a desperate life trapped in the city’s sex trade. She must act soon to have any chance of escaping this grim future.

Across the sprawling city, fifteen-year-old Grace enjoys a life of privilege. Her father, the CEO of one of India’s largest international banks, has brought his family to Mumbai where they live in unparalleled luxury. But Grace’s seemingly perfect life is shattered when she becomes a victim of a cruel online attack.
When their paths intersect, Noor and Grace will be changed forever. Can two girls living in vastly different worlds find a common path?

Award-winning author S.J. Laidlaw masterfully weaves together their stories in a way that resonates across class and culture. Fifteen Lanes boldly explores the ties that bind us to places and people, and shows us that the strongest of bonds can be forged when hope is all but lost."

My Review:
Let me just say that this was a book that I could not put down. I stayed up WAY later than I meant to last night (this morning?) because I was completely enthralled. When Noor, who spends her nights sleeping under her mother's bed in Mumbai's red light district, and Grace, who spends her nights in the lap of luxury, are brought together by a series of unfortunate events, they form an unlikely friendship. It's sort of fascinating to see naive Grace and street hardened Noor interact.

This is such a relevant storyline in a day and age where sex trafficking still spans the globe. The author's experiences working with the daughters of sex workers in India gave her an insight and authenticity for Noor's story that she wouldn't have otherwise have. Part of me thinks that the ending was too optimistic, but what do we have if we do not hope for a better tomorrow? I would recommend this book to mature teens and adults who are looking for a new perspective on the effects of sex trafficking across a generation.

BOOK REVIEW: If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle

Working at a public library has many, many perks. One of them being that my bank account is grateful for the break from spending copious amounts of money on books. I've gotten very interested in the idea of book reviewing lately (I mean, why not?), and ran across a website called NetGalley where people who recommend books to other people (librarians, bloggers, educators, etc) can have access to free digital galleys of books in exchange for honest reviews.

Without further ado, here is my first NetGalley review.

*Disclaimer- I received a free eBook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.*

If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle

Description from Amazon: "Sam just got a hamster for a pet. But the hamster is kind of boring ... he just eats and sleeps and gets his shavings wet. Inspired by her book of mythological creatures, Sam longs for a more exciting pet. But she soon realizes that taking care of these magical beasts might not be as wonderful as she thought. Sasquatches are messy, unicorns are shy, gryphons scare the dogs at the dogpark, and having a fire extinguisher handy at all times makes dragons seem like an awful lot of work. In the end, Sam realizes that her hamster is a pretty sweet and safe pet ... or is he? 
If I Had a Gryphon is a raucous rhyming read-aloud about fantastical beasts in everyday situations--and the increasingly beleaguered heroine who has to deal with them."

Seriously, how cute is this illustration?

Honest review: I LOVED this book, and can't wait to get a copy for our nephews! It combines whimsical rhymes with illustrations so gorgeous that I wouldn't mind having as art prints in a kids room. My only complaint about the eBook version that I viewed was that the formatting was all kinds of weird. Some letters were all strung together and others were too far apart (see screenshot on the left). Here's hoping that it's worked out in the final version, for the sakes of other people who were trying to view it on devices! I was using my MotoG though, so the small size may have made a difference. All in all, this was a fun, quick book, that I'll be recommending to our library for purchase, as well as adding it to my running list of good books for kids!