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George and Gracie know that their family's Stockton Museum of Just About Everything in American History holds some amazing artifacts.  What they don't realize, until one fateful night, is that one of those objects is actually a time machine.  The exact same contraption their parents used to get themselves stuck somewhere in history.  Now, it's up to George and Gracie to figure out when their folks are and how to unstick them so they can finally come home.

The kids have a solid plan to find their parents in history, but that scheme goes horribly awry when they find themselves in the middle of the Revolutionary War.  Even worse, Gracie has turned into a horse!  Things can't possibly get worse ... until they do.  Suddenly, the twins are smack-dab in the middle of a wild race to save not just their own skin and that of their parents, but also the fate of the entire country.  Will they be successful?  Or will history—and their family—be changed forever?

Feb 18: Bloggin' Bout Books / Peggy Urry Writer

Feb 19: Min Reads and Reviews

Feb 20: LDS Writer Mom

Feb 21: My Book a Day

Feb 22: Literary Time Out / The Bibliophile Files

Set against a lush central Florida backdrop, Never That Far tells a poignant, powerful story about loss and love.  Libby's heartbreak and yearning are so palpable that it's impossible not to root for her happiness.  Her actions and reactions feel authentic, making her a very real character.  This, plus an atmospheric setting; a rich, mystical vibe; and some important messages about faith, family, and friendship, make Never That Far a compelling read.  I enjoyed it.

(Readalikes:  Um, I can't really think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for difficult subject matter and scenes of peril

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Never That Far from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain.  Thank you!

Except for a shared birthday, fraternal twins Sarah and Annie have little in common.  Where Annie is friendly and popular, Sarah is crippled by social anxiety.  Annie craves attention, while Sarah shies away from it.  Annie lives for beauty pageants, Sarah prefers reading and playing her violin.  Annie is the one who shines; it's her around which the family—and the world—has always seemed to revolve.  Sarah accepted her second-tier status long ago.

Then, for no apparent reason, Annie changes.  She gorges herself, resulting in massive weight gain; cuts her hair; and starts acting differently.  Frustrated, the girls' mother harangues Annie constantly, begging her to lose the extra pounds.  And that's not the only flak she's getting because of her strange transformation.  As Annie's brightness fades, Sarah suddenly finds herself in the spotlight—somewhere she doesn't belong and doesn't want to be.  Besides, she's got her own problems.  Her boyfriend has just broken up with her.  She's devastated by the break, concerned about her sister, and worried that her whole life is crumbling to pieces around her.  How can she reach Annie, the girl who should be her BFF but isn't?  Will helping her twin bring things back to normal? Is that what Sarah wants?  Or is it time to get real, no matter what the cost?

Although Carol Lynch Williams is a must-read author for me, I don't adore every one of her books.  Some (The Chosen One; Signed, Skye Harper) I do, some I don't.  Never Said belongs in the latter category.  Although I enjoyed its format (Annie's sections are in verse; Sarah's are in prose), I just didn't connect all that well with this story.  It's affecting, yes, but it also comes off as heavy-handed and depressing.  Plus, the characters just lack something, especially the girls' parents, who seem unrealistically cold and over-the-top.  In the end, I found Never Said compelling enough to finish (it's a quick, well-written read), but not to earn my undying adoration.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Just Listen by Sarah Dessen)

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Winston Fletcher should probably be angrier about the way her Momma abandoned her in pursuit of a glam Hollywood career.  Truth is, Winston's used to not having her mom around.  She prefers it that way (that's a half truth).  For the past eleven years, the 15-year-old's been getting along fine with just Nanny (her maternal grandmother) and their animals (1 rooster, 13 chickens, 1 dog).  Their lives in small town New Smyrna Beach, Florida, might not be glittery enough for Judith Lee Fletcher (a.k.a Skye Harper, a.k.a mom), but they're alright with Winston.  So, when Nanny receives an urgent letter from Miss Hollywood herself, begging her mother to come get her, both Nanny and Winston feel as ruffled as Denny the Rooster.  What should they do?

Nanny may be a penny-pinching, chain-smoking grump, but she's also a mother.  And a resourceful one at that.  After "borrowing" a slick new RV from an out-of-town friend, she hustles Winston, Denny and Thelma (Winston's dog) aboard the craft and takes off for Sin City.  Unbeknownst to the quartet, they've got a stowaway—cute Steve Simmons is not only the RV owner's son, but also the boy who makes Winston's heart pound like a bongo drum.  Winston's flustered enough over road-tripping in a stolen vehicle to retrieve the mother she hasn't seen in over a decade—now she has to spend the whole time trying to keep it together so she doesn't humiliate herself in front of the guy she likes?  Unbelievable.

Will Mission: Bring Skye Harper Home be a success?  How will Winston deal with having her larger-than-life mom around again?  And what will happen between her and Steve when their unlikely journey together ends?  With so many emotions ping-ponging around inside her, how will Winston cope with it all?  

The thing I love about YA author Carol Lynch Williams is that she does real so very, very well.  Signed, Skye Harper, her newest, is no exception.  Despite the novel's quirky humor, the story remains achingly authentic.  Steve, for example, is probably the most realistic teen boy I've ever encountered in YA fiction.  Yes, his hormonal behavior makes him less likable, but it also makes him more real.  More important are Winston's tender, heartbreaking emotions as she reacts to the upending of her ordered world as well as the highs and lows of falling in love for the first time.  Teens, especially, will relate to the roller coaster of feelings as she rides out her anxiety, confusion, sorrow, and fear.  After such a whirlwind trip with a girl like Winston, it will be impossible for anyone not to cheer as such a memorable heroine finally finds a place in her topsy-turvy world.  Heartwarming, but real, Signed, Skye Harper is just an all-around good read.  I loved it.  

(Readalikes:  Reminded me a little of Sway by Amber McRee Turner)

Grade:

3.  Unwind by Neal Shusterman—I love Shusterman because he's such a master at examining tough issues in new and interesting ways.  Unwind is a discomfiting story about what would happen if parents could "unwind" (basically, retroactively abort) their teenage children.  Lots of people pooh-pooh this book because it's too far-fetched—the way I see it, it's not meant to be "realistic," but symbolic.  To me, it's a very illumination examination of the divisive issue of abortion.  Not to mention an original, fast-paced action/adventure story.

4.  Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler—I just finished this fantastic novel about a white woman who falls in love with a black man.  It's set in Kentucky in the late 1930s, a setting that's definitely not conducive to an interracial friendship, let alone a romance.  Calling Me Home is a heart-wrenching story about racism, motherhood, redemption, and loving someone against all possible odds.  Made me cry.  A lot.  

5.  Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand—War stories are always difficult to read.  Especially those that detail the abuses suffered by innocent people at the hands of the "enemy."  Unbroken is no different.  It's a difficult read, but an incredible true story of one American soldier's battle to survive.  

6.  Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum—Another WWII story.  This one's a little bit different, as it's the (fictional) story of a non-Jewish German civilian's experience during the war.  It's heart-wrenching, but totally absorbing.  

7.  After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick—Like The Fault in Our Stars, this is another novel about kids with cancer.  And yet, it's funny, real and unique.  I wasn't wild about the ending of After Ever After, but I did enjoy the rest of the book.  P.S.:  I found out after reading this one that it's actually a sequel to Drums, Girls &  Dangerous Pie, which I probably should have read first.  Oops.

8.  The Space Between Us by Jessica Martinez—Although the ending of this one didn't quite satisfy me, I enjoyed the novel quite a bit.  It's the story of a teenage preacher's daughter who's struggling to deal with the pregnancy of her needy younger sister.  Genuine and real, this one touched me for lots of reasons.

9.  How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr—Another teenage pregnancy book, this novel spoke straight to my (very) tender adoptive mother's heart.  It's a beautiful, authentic story about the true meaning of family.  

10.  Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick—What's a tougher issue than cancer?  How about zombies?  Or, heck, why not do both?  In Bick's apocalyptic zombie fest, the heroine is hiking out to her favorite spot in the mountains to end her own life before cancer does it for her.  Then, the world ends, giving her a startling epiphany: She doesn't want to die after all.  Ashes is an exciting zombie-licious page-turner that kept me reading fast and furious to see what would happen next.

So, what do you think of my choices?  Have you read any of them?  Which "tough issue" books do you recommend?  

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London Castle misses her big brother every day.  Ordinary things—the sight of his car, the smell of his aftershave, the memory of his laughter—bring him back to her, but only long enough to remind her that Zach is gone forever.  Dead at sixteen.  London will never wrestle with him, never giggle with him, never fight with him ever again.  And it's all her fault. 

Zach's death has broken not just London, but her parents as well.  Her dad tries, but he's distant, always absorbed in his work.  And her mother?  She hasn't spoken one word to London since the day Zach died.  She won't even look at her remaining child.  London knows she deserves the silent treatment, but she longs for her mother's attention anyway.      

As London claws her way out of the well grief has dug in her heart, she finds strength in unexpected places.  With this new found power, she may finally be able to come to terms with what really happened the day Zach died and maybe—just maybe—find the redemption she's been seeking ever since.  

If you've read Carol Lynch Williams before, you know the YA author doesn't do light and fluffy.  Every book she writes makes a solid impact.  Her newest, a novel-in-verse titled Waiting, is no exception.  It might not be as lyrical as Glimpse, as haunting as Miles From Ordinary, or as memorable as The Chosen One, but it's just as affecting.  I would have liked more originality from this one, true.  Overall, though, I found it as well-written and powerful as Williams' other novels.  It's a quick read, but one that will stick with you for a good long while.      

(Readalikes:  Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott)

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG-13 for language (no F-bombs), sexual innuendo and mature subject matter

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

You've probably noticed by now that I'm not much for poetry. Same goes for novels-in-verse. It's not that I don't appreciate skillful word usage, it's just that I'll take clarity over creativity any day. So, when I peeked at Carol Lynch Williams' new book and saw stanzas, I just about stuck Glimpse back on the shelf. But, here's the thing about verse novels - they look deceptively simple, so beguilingly easy that even poetry non-lovers like me are willing to take a glance. In this case, that's all it took. I emerged an hour and a half later, my mind reeling with the impact of this powerful, disturbing novel. Poetry-ish or not, it's stunning.

Glimpse is the story of two sisters, 12-year-old Hope and 14-year-old Lizzie. Even though Hope's younger, it's always been her job to take care of her sister, especially since their father's gone and their mother's even more absent. As hard as she's tried to shelter Lizzie, Hope knows she's failed somehow. Lizzie's keeping a secret, something so terrible it's making her crazy. If only Hope can figure out what's tearing her sister apart, she can bring Lizzie home from the mental institution where she sits bleary-eyed day after day after day. Hope's mother warns her to say nothing to Lizzie's doctors. What would she say? She doesn't know anything. Or does she? With each memory Hope dissects, she unravels a little bit more of the shocking truth, the chilling secret that's eating her sister alive.

With no one to trust, Hope must decide what to do with her newfound knowledge. Can she use it to free Lizzie? Or will spilling her secrets just lead to more trouble? Is it too late for Hope to save Lizzie? Is it too late for Hope to save herself?

Like The Chosen One, Glimpse is a tightly-woven, heavily-nuanced story about wily predators who stalk the young, stealing their innocence away forever. While the former is unsettling, the latter takes disturbing to a whole new level. Something about the verse style makes the story even more riveting, more forceful. It's a mesmerizing thriller, to be sure, one that will continue to haunt you long after you put it down. Its format may suggest an easy read, but Glimpse is anything but simple. It's taut, provoking, upsetting, and bound to get under your skin. Way, way under. As much as you may want to, you're not going to be able to forget this one.

(Readalikes: Reminded me of Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen)

Grade: B+

If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for mild language and sexual content (more disturbing than graphic)

To the FTC, with love: Another library
finefind

With her braids and ankle-length dresses, Kyra Leigh Carlson looks like she just wandered off the set of Little House on the Prairie. And it's not just her clothes that are different - the 13-year-old has never flipped through an issue of Seventeen, never roamed the mall, never experimented with makeup, never texted a friend. She's not like other teenagers. She's one of The Chosen.
Along with other members of the sect, Kyra lives in an isolated compound surrounded by a high chain-link fence. Although cut off from the world, she's not entirely unhappy. She excels at piano, dotes on her younger sisters, and treasures every moment she spends with her kind, handsome boyfriend. She's surrounded by a large, loving family, which consists of her gentle father, his three wives and their 21 children (with two more on the way). As one of the older kids, Kyra's expected to help cook, clean, tend the garden, watch her younger siblings, and care for her pregnant mother. It's constant work. It's also hands-on training for the fast-approaching day when she will marry and run her own household.
Kyra doesn't dare complain. Not out loud, anyway. Criticism of The Prophet is never allowed. Whatever he says, goes, no questions asked. Everyone knows what happens to those who disobey - the God Squad makes them disappear. So, Kyra keeps her sins to herself. No one knows about her whispered mutterings against The Prophet, no one witnesses her clandestine trips to the mobile library, and only Joshua knows about their stolen kisses. Until Kyra dares to defy The Prophet. Maybe God really does speak to their unyielding leader, but Kyra doesn't care - she's not going to marry her 60-year-old uncle.
Her refusal sparks fury among The Chosen's leaders, but they've dealt with rebellious girls before. There are ways to make them submit. The Prophet speaks for God - and God's commandments will be fulfilled. No matter what. If it requires beating the fire out of young girls until they stumble obediently to their marriage beds, then so be it. If it means forcing teenage boys out of the community to get rid of any competition, it will be done. Even if it means making some people vanish, it's worth it to keep The Chosen compliant.
Even as her mothers cut out the pattern for a wedding dress, Kyra plots her escape. But, how can a 13-year-old evade a force as powerful as the God Squad? Can she survive the many dangers of the surrounding desert? Does she really want to shame her family by running? How can she possibly fit in among the crude, flesh-bearing heathens of the real world, anyway? Is she safer inside her cloistered community? God cursed her with a fierce spirit - will she let it guide her to freedom? Or will she allow the weight of oppression to stomp it right out of her?
Carol Lynch Williams' Whitney Award-winning novel, The Chosen One, tells an escape-from-polygamy story that's both familiar and unique. There's the oppression, the tyranny, and the exploitation we've come to recognize through recent news coverage. However, by giving Kyra a family that cares for her, Williams allows that not all unorthodox situations are as horrifying as they might seem at first glance. She proves that fanatics are not always lunatics - sometimes, they're normal people who have been so browbeaten that they trade blind obedience for independent thought. Still, Williams maintains that no one, least of all a child, should be robbed of their own free will and choice. Even if mandated by "God."
Most of all, The Chosen One is the chilling tale of one girl's fight to live her own life. This "ripped-from-the-headlines" story brings the plights of exploited children everywhere forcefully home. Kyra speaks for them all in a tale that's so compelling it captured my attention from the first sentence, keeping me riveted right up until its last. I read it in one sitting. It was only when I closed the book - then, and only then - that I finally remembered to breathe. Powerful, heartbreaking and absolutely unforgettable, The Chosen One is not to be missed.
(Readalikes: The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff)
Grade: A
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG for violence, tense/suspenseful scenes
To the FTC, with love: I bought this book from Amazon with some of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.