The Fourth Ruby by James R. Hannibal

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Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review The Fourth Ruby by James R. Hannibal! This sequel to The Lost Property Office finds the Buckles siblings, Jack and Sadie, relaxing by the fireplace. The siblings begin another quest with Gwen while they search for a thief together and the item the thief is after, the fourth ruby. The Mongolian history was interesting to read about and I liked how the author tied it into the Buckles’ lives. Jack continues and is determined to help his father throughout this new adventure even though many dangers are lurking. Fun steampunk mystery! 4 stars.

Protected by Claire Zorn

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Hannah lives with her mother and father. The three of them are mourning Katie, Hannah’s sister. Katie, Hannah and their father were in a car accident and Katie did not survive. Hannah struggles with having friends and fitting in at school, just as she did before Katie’s fatal accident. Hannah and Katie have very different personalities and their lives unfold as the story is told. I like Josh and his sense of humor and adventurous spirit. He helps Hannah loosen up and she learns to enjoy life. The heartbreak of loss and the pain of overcoming that loss seem unbearable and Hannah and her family fight to move forward and beyond the pain. This book holds the messages of bullying, grieving and also the importance of relationships. 5 stars for this realistic fiction story!
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read and review Protected by Claire Zorn.

Where I Found You by Heidi R. Kling

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Where I Found You by Heidi R. Kling. Sienna is still reeling from her mother’s disappearance that occurred five years ago. Her father is trying to move forward, but still honor his lost wife at the same time. It’s assumed that she went down in a plane crash over the Indian Ocean. Sienna reluctantly agrees to go with her father to a community across the world in Indonesia that has been struck by a Tsunami which caused disaster. While there, Sienna’s eyes are opened and her empathy for those who have suffered through the Tsunami and lost so much overcomes her own feelings of loss. She meets and helps several people and gains a close, wonderful relationship with a young man named Reni. She discovers that Reni is searching for his father and she does everything she can to help him. This touching, beautiful realistic fiction story opened my eyes to the horrible tragedy and suffering of the Tsunami victims, many things I had never thought about or heard of. I enjoyed learning about another culture also. I’m anxiously awaiting the sequel!!! 5 stars.

Strange Alchemy by Gwenda Bond

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Capstone for the opportunity to read and review Strange Alchemy by Gwenda Bond. Miranda and Grant both have a special connection to Roanoke Island and when over one hundred citizens come up missing, Miranda and Grant feel like they are destined to help solve the mass disappearance. The two of them do not share a happy past and their resolve is tested over and over while trying to help each other. The further they dig into the mystery, the stranger things become. They discover supernatural forces controlling people and spirits from the past. Throughout their struggles, Grant and Miranda only have each other to count on. 4 stars for a historical fiction read with a paranormal twist!

The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente

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Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for the opportunity to read and review The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente. The story got its start because of the creative imagination of the Bronte siblings. Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne travel to and begin the adventure they share in Glass Town. The prose is whimsical and sweet and made me think of Roald Dahl in parts. This book is an adventure that I wish the Bronte children could have actually been a part of. The charming illustrations, sprinkled sparingly throughout the book, bring Glass Town to life. 4 stars for a book that is reminiscent of and starts an interest in the history of the Bronte family.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary review consideration.

Turtles All the Way Down

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Turtles All the Way Down by John Green opens with Aza as she struggles with self-confidence and feeling like she never belongs. Her best friend and support is Daisy and the two of them set out to earn a reward for finding a missing billionaire. This mystery brings more interest to the story and the dynamic characters are fun, humorous and entertaining as well deep thinking. The three main characters, Aza, Daisy and Davis all bring a lot of interest to the story plus the side characters add an extra depth. I appreciate how John Green portrays mental illness with realism and deeply detailed prose. The author’s note at the end offers insight into his own personal struggles and also help and hotline information. 5 stars for a great portrayal of the human mind and its struggles!

All Things New by Lauren Miller

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Three Saints Press for the opportunity to read and review All Things New by Lauren Miller. Jessa struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. She can’t seem to deal with life very well. After her accident, she’s dealing with so much more than she was before, plus the scars on her face. She refuses to talk about why she’s angry with Wren or anything that’s bothering her. Jessa agrees to move to Colorado with her dad and attend an art school. She makes some friends and builds a relationship with her dad while learning to deal with the aftermath of the accident. Along with her anxiety and scars, Jessa sees bruises and scars on people even though their faces are blemish free. She realizes that she’s hallucinating and her mind is seeing what isn’t there. Jessa works on her confidence, the relationship with her father and building friendships and trust in others. As she’s doing these things, Jessa grows and understands more than the eye can see. 4 stars for this eye-opening realistic fiction novel for young adult readers!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

 

The First Kiss Hypothesis by Christina Mandelski

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Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled: Crush for the opportunity to read and review The First Kiss Hypothesis by Christina Mandelski! Nora has a sound scientific hypothesis that she created based on her loving grandparents, their wonderful marriage and a kissing booth where they first met and kissed for the first time. Nora has a huge crush on Eli and he’s also her best friend and neighbor. She tried testing her hypothesis once on Eli but he had just taken a big gulp of soda, so it didn’t turn out well. Now she’s even more determined to prove her first kiss theory. The ups and downs of the relationship between Nora and Eli are funny, frustrating and everything in between. The story is fun, cute and romantic with entertaining secondary characters and main characters that are impossible not to root for. 5 star worthy!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration!

Remember Me Always by Renee Collins

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read this book! Remember Me Always by Renee Collins is a bit of a dystopian because of the mind memory erasing. Shelby is the victim of an accident she can’t remember because of a memory-erasing treatment. In her latest treatment session, Shelby sees a young man that she doesn’t remember. Later, as she sits waiting for a capture-the-flag game to end, that young man approaches her and cautiously says hello to her. His name is Auden. Little by little, Shelby gets to know Auden and he helps her fill in parts of her memory that she’s lost. Complex, dynamic characters help build this into a strong story that’s hard to put down. The story is mysterious because everyone seems to be hiding something from Shelby and suspenseful as she begins to unravel the mystery surrounding her missing memories. Justice and the importance of faith in one’s self come through in this realistic fiction for young adults. 5 stars!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.

The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook

Posted on by lynndellwatson

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Thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for the opportunity to read and review The Hanging Girl by Eileen Cook! On the front cover of the book is a nailed sign stating “TRUST NO ONE. DECEIVE EVERYONE.” I was immediately interested in the book’s contents! The synopsis is even more intriguing. Skye, a tarot card reader, has absolutely no money and doesn’t want to let her best friend Drew down. The two of them plan on living together in New York after high school but Skye doesn’t know how to make that happen. Because of money problems, Skye becomes part of an elaborate kidnapping scheme and, even though she wants out, Skye keeps getting pulled in even deeper. The mystery has many twists and keeps changing until the end of the book. An impressive mystery worth 5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy of this book for voluntary consideration.