The Paper Girl of Paris by Jordyn Taylor

 Teen Historical Fiction. This book quickly pulled me into the French Resistance during World War II. The story alternates perspectives from 1942 and modern era Paris as Alice and her family travel to Paris to find an apartment that was owned by Alice's grandmother and that hasn't been touched since 1944. It's like walking into a time capsule and Alice is shocked to find out her grandmother had a sister that neither her or her mother knew about. Her grand-aunt Adalyn's story unfolds through her diary that Alice finds and through Adalyn's own narrative living in German occupied France. 

A wonderful quick glimpse into the horrors and heroes of the people who were brave enough to be the French Resistance. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well by Sam Sifton

I've looked at and tried dozens of turkey recipes over the years and they all seemed to turn out the same-not bad, little dry, but very edible. I saw this book at the library and thought, why not look at another turkey cookbook. First of all, this book is not just a list of recipes for Thanksgiving dishes. The author, Sam Sifton, is a former restaurant critic, and food columnist for the Sunday Times Magazine.  He used to do a helpline for those with "turkey emergencies" around Thanksgiving. He has seen and heard all the horror stories of ruined dinners. He has also cooked a turkey in every conceivable way-roasted, fried, grilled, deep fried, and smoked. His writing style is a joy to read as he recounts his experiences and imparts his turkey wisdom. (No garlic, no salads, and gravy is THE most important item to get right.) 

I tried out a few recipes the week before Thanksgiving to see if I could get them right. I tried the butternut squash recipe and decided it was fine, but everyone preferred sweet potatoes. I tried cornbread (presumably for making my own cornbread stuffing) but decided stove top was just so much easier. In the end I followed his simple roast turkey recipe too the T and the gravy recipe as well. Both turned out incredibly and surprisingly delicious, better than I've ever done in the past. To quote Sifton, "This is my testimony: You can make a better turkey than anyone has ever served you in your life." Guess what?  I did just that!  Best book I've read this year! I may have to actually buy a personal copy. 

Recommend: Yes!

*Side note--I emailed the author because I was so happy with my turkey and gravy results and he emailed me back to say thank you!  I'm a fan now!

A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz

 Mystery. This is the third book in this mystery series by Horowitz with detective Daniel Hawthorne, the first two being titled, The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death.  These are unique because Horowitz puts himself in the story as the side kick to Hawthorne who has asked him to write books about him as he solves cases. Horowitz goes everywhere (almost) that Hawthorne does as the case unfolds. The reader gets a unique look into the frustrations and insights of a somewhat unobservant companion to a brilliant detective. These are highly enjoyable mysteries and I look forward to the next installment!

Recommend: Yes

Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

 Junior Historical Fiction. This may be one of my top reads for the year. It is loosely based on the author's father-in-law's experience in fleeing Afghanistan when the Soviet's took over in the 1970s. It's told from the son's point of view who is around 12 or 13 years old. The author puts this story 30 years after her father-in-law left, right before the attacks on 9/11 in 2001. She describes well the details of their harried escape and the adjustment to life in the states and the family unity that is central to who they are. It helped me get a glimpse into their life, beliefs, and values. 

Recommend: Highly

It's the End of the World as I Know It by Matthew Landis

 Junior realistic fiction. This book opens on three friends that appear to be building a shelter to withstand the end of an epic, end of the world, natural disaster. Derrick, the main character, is obsessed with the upcoming Doomsday, even though he is only in 8th grade. As the story unfolds his neighbor, Misty, enters who wants to help him build the shelter and for some reason Derrick does not want her help. Derrick's sister and father seem to tolerate his obsession, but don't try to dissuade him. 

This was a fascinating story as the reasons behind Derrick's behavior comes to light. I won't spoil the plot by revealing what he and Misty are dealing with, but it is a wonderful story that left me pondering how I deal with hard things and how others can best support those going through difficult times. 

Recommend: Yes

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling

Junior realistic fiction.  Dusti Bowling may becoming one of my favorite authors. She wrote the two Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus books which I adored. Her books take place in the hot desert of Arizona and address bullying and not succumbing to peer pressure to be someone you are not, two really important subjects for young readers and for adults as well. 

Nowhere is a town in Arizona that tops all the charts: highest poverty rate, lowest high school graduation rate, most likely place to die by cactus impalement among others. Gus is stuck there like most everyone in the town and sees dead ends everywhere he looks, but within a matter of 24 hours hope blossoms in a most unexpected way. Gus discovers truths about others and himself and things don't look so bleak anymore, even though they are in the middle of Nowhere. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Blue Mountain by Martine Leavitt

Martine Leavitt wrote one of my most favorite books, Keturah and Lord Death. I've read other books by her as well and they are all very different from each other. This one was a gift from my sister because she knows that we like big horn sheep. This is a short story from the viewpoint of Tuk, a big horn sheep. He is born on the mountain and then as he grows he becomes obsessed with finding new grazing land free from predators of all kinds. 

I really enjoyed his point of view and the interactions within the herd. A great little story!

Recommend: Yes!

Sunkissed by Kasie West

 Teen fiction. I have a wonderful sister who surprises me by sending me books.  I recently moved states and states away and one day as I came home found a package on my doorstep with three books inside. I love coming home to packages! 

Kasie West writes teen romance novels. I acknowledge that these can be trite and formulaic, but they still have an appeal to many a teen girl. I've read several of West's books and they are entertaining, clean, and cute. I liked this one, but if you'd like a better one by her try By Your Side.

Avery and her family spend their summers camping, this year they are at a camp that has many amenities but Wi-Fi is not among them. Avery and her sister are not amused, but as they meet the camp employees and find some cute boys among them that changes. This book isn't just about flirting, although there is plenty of that, Avery finds out how to step out of her comfort zone and try things that have scared her in the past. She finds her voice (literally and figuratively) and by the end of the summer the lack of Wi-Fi is not among her least favorite things. 

Recommend: yes

The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

 Teen Fiction. This book had an interesting beginning and an engaging middle. Avery is a teen who has lost her mother and lives with her half sister and her sometimes boyfriend. Her father has been MIA since she was small. Her life is less than ideal. She soon discovers that a billionaire has left her all his fortune and she has no idea why a man she never remembers meeting would disinherit his own family in favor of her. Thus begins an intriguing discovery of clues to solve this mystery. I enjoyed listening to it, but was extremely disappointed in how everything was wrapped up. So much so that I really can't recommend it, which is sad because it had some really good plot points. 

Recommend: No

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

 Non-Fiction. The Olympics have been a favorite of mine since I was a child. I like watching sports I would never have exposure to and to cheer for the underdog and marvel at the skill and talent of the athletes. The Boys in the Boat is a wonderful true Olympic story of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany and a rowing team of boys whose world view began and ended with the farms they grew up on. They all had hard lives trying to survive in the middle of the Great Depression and found strength and support in each other as teammates. I listened to this audio book and felt myself being inspired by the grit and determination faced by the boys. 

Highly recommend!

The Romantics by Leah Konen

 Teen fiction. I drove to Utah and back twice in the past week or so and to prepare for these trips I downloaded about 10 audio books to listen to during the drive. I normally listen to one for about an hour and then grow tired of it and choose another one. This one held my interest and I finished listening to it after the drive was over. 

It seems at first that it will be a typical teen romance novel, but there is one thing that keeps it from being cliche and predictable and that is it's narrator. It is written from the point of view of LOVE, meaning that love is an entity that influences all relationships. LOVE understands what people are thinking and feeling and what relationships will work and which ones won't. Of course the people involved don't know any of these things and often make poor choices. This story focuses on one family, specifically the 18 yr. old son, and his attempts at having good relationships with his friends, girlfriend and his family. 

Recommend: Yes. 

The Hundred Dressed by Eleanor Estes

 Junior Fiction. This is a wonderful very short book with an enduring message. I've read it several times and decided to listen to the audio version on a drive back home this past week. It won a Newbery Honor Medal in 1944 and was inspired by a true story from the author's childhood. Wanda Petronski is a poor girl who only has one dress she wears every day to school. One day she tells the other girls she has one hundred dresses in her closet. The girls know she is lying and start to make fun of her for constantly affirming that she has one hundred dresses. Wanda is missing from school one day and the class finds out her father pulled his children out of the school and moved to another town because his family was being bullied. Two of the girls in Wanda's class feel miserable about it and attempt to make things right. A wonderful story about how we treat others. 

Recommend: Yes. 

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Emily lives on a boat and has many questions about her life. She has never known her father, in fact her mother can't even speak about him. Her mother also refuses to let her take swimming lessons or even get into the water and there is this slightly creepy man who has coffee with her mother every Sunday. She finally convinces her mom to let her take swimming lessons and gets the shock of her life when she gets into the water, and yep you probably guessed it, turns into a mermaid!  

This is the first in a long series of adventures that Emily has. It's a pretty simple story with simple characters, but a nice mermaid read for younger kids. 

Recommend: If under 14 yes. 

The Fairy Rebel by Lynne Reid Banks

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Lynne Reid Banks wrote the popular children's book, The Indian in the Cupboard. I saw this title by her as I was browsing what to read on my Kindle. In this story a young couple cannot have a child until a fairy makes it possible. However, the child possesses some fairy qualities and the Queen of the Fairies is none too pleased to find out a fairy helped a human. 

It's a quick simple story, but the characters are well developed and I enjoyed reading it. 

Recommend: Yes.

The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. I received the box set of The Chronicles of Narnia when I was in elementary school. I instantly loved them and reread them multiple times. I even had a "wardrobe" of my own to read them in. Okay, it was a sleeping bag in my closet, but still I lost myself in wonder in that closet as I read of the adventures in Narnia. 

I listened to this one as I was driving home and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one takes place chronologically before The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but it was published after it. I think you should read it after reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as that is how Lewis wrote them. As an adult I see the symbolism behind Lewis' writings, but the fantasy element of his books still appeals to the child like wonder in me. 

Recommend: Yes!

The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen

 Fiction. Josey, Della Lee, Chloe, Margaret. Four women, trapped in their circumstances, all unknowingly connected to each other. This book is a good mix of fantasy and romance and chick lit with some mystery thrown in there for good measure. Each woman comes to understand who they are and who they want to be and thankfully make changes to become their better selves which happens because of their connections to each other. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Punished by David Lubar

 Junior Fiction. Quick short book, but very pleasant. Logan runs into a librarian as he is chasing his friend through the library and gets cursed. His curse is "punny"!  Every time he opens his mouth a pun pops out! He finds the librarian and he gives him three word tasks to break the curse. This is a great book that makes wordplay fun and teaches about oxymorons, palendromes, and anagrams. It reminded me of the books by Andrew Clements, another great author. 

Recommend: Yes

In the Land of Second Chances by George Shaffner

 Fiction. Ebb, Nebraska is a fictional small town with people who have a history of tragic happenings in their lives. They are a close knit community, but also as is the case with many a small town, have their noses in everyone's business. Along comes a man, Mr. Moore, an old fashioned traveling salesman. He seems to be selling games of chance, but what he's really selling is hope. 

This was an interesting read for me. Mr. Moore "sells hope" in an afterlife without using religion as a context. He's a philosopher of sorts. His arguments for life after death are compelling. More significant than his philosophical discussions with the towns folk is the way they change their lives as they buy into what he is saying. They are kinder, they help each other out of a desire to help rather than a desire to change people. The overall theme of the book seems to be that relationships are the most important thing in this life, it's what makes this life valuable and precious. I agree. 

Recommend: yes. 

The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson

 Junior historical/fantasy fiction. In 1927 fifty-eight handmade dolls from Japan were sent to the United States as ambassadors of friendship. In this fictional account one of the dolls, Miss Kanagawa, interacts with four different children in many time periods from New York to Oregon. In each case she helps these children by putting thoughts into their minds to help them through some tough times they are experiencing. 

This was an easy quick read that I enjoyed. Each story gave a taste of what it was like for a child to live during the Depression, in the hollers of Kentucky, and traveling from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl days to California. It was a great way to spend part of my Memorial Weekend.

Recommend: Yes. 

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

 Teen realistic fiction. As I was browsing what to listen to as I was working I saw this title and remembered reading another book by the same author, Fat Cat, that I enjoyed and so I downloaded it and started to listen. This story starts out with some major fallout that is happening to a freshman girl, Mena. All of her friends from the church she attends hate her and her own parents are very upset with her. It takes at least halfway through the book to find out why, although there are hints thrown along the way. Without spoiling the plot Mena and her family attend a church whose tenets are very restrictive to the point of bullying those who do not follow said tenets. This comes to a head when the high school science teacher starts the unit on evolution. The pastor of Mena's church and the youth stage a protest against the curriculum.  Mena ends up in the middle of it all and for most of the book is completely at a loss as to how to fix her life and find happiness again with her faith, her church, her parents, her friends. 

This narrative was frustrating to listen to at times as I was trying to see each situation from multiple points of view, i.e. Mena's former friends in her church, her parents, her science teacher, her new friends, and Mena herself. The situation seemed impossible to resolve, but did somewhat in the end, although not completely. It had me thinking how I react to different viewpoints as Mena seemed to give everyone the benefit of the doubt even when she herself was being bullied. Many of the characters beliefs where complicated and multi-layered, which is how all of us are I believe. 

Recommend: Yes

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman

 Realistic Teen Fiction, romance. I picked up this book while I was spending a week or so with my daughter and husband and their brand new baby boy. It has the hallmarks of a typical teen romance, but has some good character development. It took a bit to get me interested in it, but I pushed through to see the ending. I liked the teen characters a lot, but the parents were a little irritatingly clueless. In spite of that it wasn't a bad read. 

Recommend: maybe

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eager

 Junior Fiction. Seeing family members age and lose some of their abilities can be difficult. It's even more difficult when you meet them for the first time at the end of their life. Carol meets her grandfather when they spend a few months in the summer on his New Mexico ranch getting him ready to move into an assisted living facility. She has an immediate connection with him and is drawn into the stories he tells about bees and the draught and his lovely wife Rosa who has passed away. Carol thinks his stories are just the dementia talking, but maybe they are true!  Such a good story with a wonderful ending!

Recommend: yes

Trixie Belden and the Mystery of the Blinking Eye by Kathryn Kenny

 Junior Mystery Fiction. The Trixie Belden mysteries were published in the 1960s, the first six were written by Julie Campbell. After that various writers wrote installments under the name of Kathryn Kenny. The books follow a group of young teens who form a club called the Bob-Whites. They find mysteries wherever they go and end up solving them when the local police cannot. These books are very formulaic and predictable. Yet, they are always enjoyable to read, perhaps their predictability is what makes them one of my comfort books!  

Recommend: Yes

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman

 Junior Realistic Fiction. I've enjoyed other books by Korman so I was excited to try this new one that was published in 2019.  It tells the story of a group of middle school kids who are considered "unteachable" and are lumped into a classroom together and forgot about. The teacher that is assigned to these kids is at first as disengaged as his students. Through some unexpected chance encounters both the teacher and the students see past the labels that have been applied to them and surprise everyone, most importantly themselves. 

Recommend: Yes!

How to Get Away with Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce

 Junior Mystery. I love reading mysteries mostly because the detective characters are so fascinating!  This book is the second in the Myrtle Hardcastle mystery series, the first one was checked out so I started with the second and it didn't seem to matter that I missed number one. Myrtle Hardcastle is a 12 year old girl living in England at the turn of the century. She has a love of science and well, murder. The problem is not a lot of people take her insights seriously. That doesn't stop her from calling out the murderer when she sees the clues!  I listened to this book and it was delightful!

Recommend? Yes.

Picture Perfect Frame by Lynn Cahoon

 Mystery. This is yet another installment of my sit back, get cozy, feel good mystery series. Tourist Trap mysteries are quick easy reads, but the characters have become my friends and I enjoy getting absorbed in the fictional California coastal town of of South Cove. Jill and her boyfriend and police chief Greg have a knack for discovering the truth behind baffling crimes and things always get solved in the end with minimal gruesome details. 

Recommend? Yes, if you like cozy mysteries. 

A Stranger to Command by Sherwood Smith

 Fantasy Fiction. This book is a prequel to Crown Duel which I read a month or so ago. It follows the the character, Vidanric, in Crown Duel when he was a teen and illustrates the history behind the wars among the different countries. It's pretty technical in it's descriptions of training and preparing young men and women for possible military conflicts, but I kept reading because I liked the main character and liked to see how his character developed. I think the author is very good at character development, but her books do not always move quickly and require patience as you read. I'm glad I finished it, but would not recommend reading it before reading Crown Duel. 

Recommend: only after reading and loving Crown Duel.

Dragonwatch Series by Brandon Mull

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Master of the Phantom Isle, book 3. Another reread for me as I was preparing to read book number four which recently was published. This book was my least favorite of the series so far. It reminded me of book five in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and episode five of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back. Bad things happen. People are sad. Will it get better? Seth and Kendra's attempts to make the world right and rid it of the threat of a Dragon War seem thwarted at every turn. But keep reading, book number is worth the wait!

Recommend: Of course. 

Champion of the Titan Games, book 4. It has been awhile since I was really excited to get all the mundane things done during my time so I could get back to a really good story. Number four is definitely worth the wait!  There were so many plot twists and lessons learned along the way. I finished this book with a lot of insights into my own life and discussed some of my findings with my daughter who had already read the book. Now comes the hard part, waiting for the final book in the series to be published!

Recommend: Yes!

Wrath of the Dragon King by Brandon Mull

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Book 2 in the Dragonwatch series. These are pretty fast reads, but not short on adventure. This continues Seth and Kendra's adventures at Wyrmroost-a dragon sanctuary. Seth and Kendra find themselves the caretakers of this sanctuary right when the Dragon King has declared war. They must fight to prevent the dragons destroying the human world. 

Recommend: Yes. 

Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. Our family has enjoyed Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series as well as the second series called Dragonwatch. The fourth book of this five book series recently came out which I bought. I decided to reread the first books in this series since I can't remember many of the details, a hazard of having to wait to read the next book in the series until it's written. 

This first book in the Dragonwatch series, called Dragonwatch, starts with the same characters from Fablehaven, siblings Kendra and Seth. They need to help protect the Dragon sanctuaries that are in danger of falling which would allow the dragons to roam the earth and wreak havoc on mortals. It has a lot of adventure and there is danger involved for the two children. I really like seeing the growth that Kendra and Seth make as they progress through these books. Their situations and reactions can create good discussions about right and wrong and learning from our own mistakes. 

Recommend: Yes

Crown Duel by Sherwood Smith

 Teen Fantasy Fiction. This book is actually two books in one. They were originally published separately as Crown Duel and Court Duel. I started reading the first part -- Crown Duel. It was a slow read for me and I put it down and picked it back up several times before I gave it back to my friend who lent it to me. She told me to give it one more try and to get past page 37 or so and then things would start to move along faster. Because I trust my friend I agreed and she was not wrong. I ended up reading it fairly quickly after said page 37. 

The plot covers the attempted overthrow of the government by smaller kingdoms and involves a bit of magic on the way. I really became invested in the two main characters and their reactions to the events. After I finished the first part I did something I shame others for doing. I turned to the last 3 chapters in the second part - Court Duel - and read the ending!  (Which ended magnificently by the way.) I'm an impatient reader and I really wanted to know how things ended. I thought that I would leave it at that, but felt drawn to read the entire second part as well. This edition of the book also includes a small short chapter after the book ends that highlights an event in the future. I ended up adoring this book and I'm so glad I kept reading!

Recommend: Yes. 

The Princess Search by Melanie Cellier

 Teen Fantasy Fiction. Melanie Cellier has written several fairy tale retelling that are connected by time and space. I read the first one in the series, a retelling of Princess of the Pea, and this one is the 5th in that series. It is a retelling of The Ugly Duckling. I've never heard of a book that has tackled this fairy tale retelling. This was a VERY loose retelling and involves people and not ducks and swans!  Cellier does a great job of having a good balance of conflict and character development. 

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a fine job. 

Recommend: Yes

The House With a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs

 Junior Fantasy Fiction. When I worked at a children's library long ago shelf reading (making sure all the titles are alphabetical by the author on the shelves) was very cathartic for me. I loved finding books that were new to me and it helped me discover treasures. I saw this book as well as the other books by this author countless times over the years but I never took the time to read them. This book was written in 1973 and is a mystery/fantasy type book. It was made into a film a few years ago, although I've never seen it. 

I enjoy reading books that were written before 1990 or so. I like the pace and the non technical world that I used to live in. This is about a young boy who is orphaned and his uncle takes him in to raise him. He soon finds out his uncle is a magician of sorts and this starts him on a number of magical adventures. It was a fun quick read and I believe I will pick up another one of Bellairs books to read in the near future. 

Recommend: Yes