Currently Reading February 21, 2018

I am kind of in a pattern of reading a middle grade or young adult book, an adult book and a Harry Potter (I am re-reading them this year). It's working for me so I am keeping at it. One of these is always on my Nook so I can read when I wake up at night without waking up my husband.

I started The Hazel Wood today at school (I am thinking it's a little mature for my middle school library, but perfect for high school), I am really liking it so far, but I am worried about what direction it might go.

After seeing The Last Mrs. Parrish by Liv Constantine on many blogs and bookstagrams (I just don't love that word) I felt I needed to give it a try. It has sucked me right in; I think I am really going to enjoy it.

I am very happy I am re-reading the Harry Potter's, I have been meaning to for a few years. There are a lot of little details I have forgotten about that I love discovering again.

Added to the List #28

Recently I was sent three lovely middle grade books, two from Random House and one from Penguin (thank you so much!). Each one of their descriptions made me tear up a little bit. I haven't read any of them, but will be doing so soon! I'll also be ordering a couple of copies of each for my library because all of these books deal with different issues, and middle graders love to read issue books!

The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller

How do you grow a miracle?
For the record, this is not the question Mr. Neely is looking for when he says everyone in class must answer an important question using the scientific method. But Natalie's botanist mother is suffering from depression, so this is The Question that's important to Natalie. When Mr. Neely suggests that she enter an egg drop competition, Natalie has hope.

Eggs are breakable. Hope is not.
Natalie has a secret plan for the prize money. She's going to fly her mother to see the Cobalt Blue Orchids--flowers that survive against impossible odds. The magical flowers are sure to inspire her mother to love life again. Because when parents are breakable, it's up to kids to save them, right?

The Ostrich and Other Lost Things by Beth Hautala

Eleven-year-old Olivia Grant has a knack for finding lost things. She can find lost rings, pets, and even her elderly neighbor's misplaced glasses. There's only one thing Olivia has never been able to find--her brother Jacob's toy ostrich. It wasn't until the day Jacob lost his ostrich that Olivia noticed how different he was: Jacob is autistic, and though she's his little sister, Olivia often feels like the older of the pair, his caretaker. And with her parents so heavily focused on maintaining status quo for Jacob, it's Olivia who has stagnated in his shadow--unable to explore new opportunities, or to be her own person. In fact, apart from being Jacob's sister, Olivia's not really sure who she is.

So when summer break begins, and the local community theater announces auditions for an all children's production of her favorite show, Peter Pan, Olivia jumps at the chance to claim something for herself. But what begins as a promising opportunity and a wonderful escape quickly becomes pure chaos. The visiting zoo with an odd assortment of animals--including an ostrich that causes even more trouble than Jacob's missing toy--only make matters worse, as Olivia's summer is shaping up to be just as consumed by Jacob's needs as the rest of her life has been.

In time, and with the help of some unlikely alliances, Olivia must learn what it means to be separate from her brother and still love him, how to love herself in spite of her own flaws, and that not all lost things are meant to be found.

Sticky Notes by Dianne Touchell 

Foster Sumner is ten years old. He likes toy soldiers, tadpole hunting, going to school, and the beach. Best of all, he likes listening to his dad’s stories.

But then Foster’s dad starts forgetting things. No one is too worried at first. Foster and Dad giggle about it. Dad would go out for milk and come back with cat food, when the cat had been dead for five years. But then the forgetting gets worse. And suddenly no one is laughing anymore.

A heartbreaking story about what it means to forget and to be forgotten, as well as the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and the strong families behind those who suffer from it.   

Obsessing Over #8: The Song from Somewhere Else by AF Harrold

This book caught my eye when I was prepping book orders for this fall.  It comes out this summer and I have already preordered my copy.  I think it sounds so amazing!  I am not sure what appealed to me the most, but since I read the synopsis it's become one I can't stop thinking about!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Frank thought her summer couldn't get any worse--until big, weird, smelly Nick Underbridge rescues her from a bully, and she winds up at his house.

Frank quickly realizes there's more to Nick than meets the eye. When she's at his house, she hears the strangest, most beautiful music, music which leads her to a mysterious, hidden door. Beyond the door are amazing creatures that she never even dreamed could be real. For the first time in forever, Frank feels happy . . . and she and Nick start to become friends.

But Nick's incredible secrets are also accompanied by great danger. Frank must figure out how to help her new friend, the same way that he has helped her.

Paired with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations from Levi Pinfold, acclaimed author A. F. Harrold weaves a powerful story about unlikely friendship, strange magic, and keeping the shadows at bay.

And yes, I am back. There are a couple of reasons for this that I will get into in a future post. I am not sure how steady I will be but, I just want to share my love of books with everyone and that's what it is all about!

Obsessing Over #7: York: the Shadow Cipher by Laura Ruby

This book seems to have it all.

Gorgeous cover, proven author, an alternate world, action, and a massive puzzle to solve.  

I cannot wait to get my hands on this one!

Here is the synopsis from Edelweiss:

It was in 1792 that twin architects and engineers Tess and Theodore Morningstarr arrived in New York with a vision for the most complex and magnificent city the world had ever seen: a symphony of towering skyscrapers, the world’s first mass public transportation system winding amongst them, and a dazzling array of buildings and parks, all of which ran on technology no one had ever seen before. Sixty-five years later, they disappeared, but not before giving the city a parting gift: the Old York Cipher. A puzzle laid into the very city they constructed, at the end of which was promised a treasure beyond all imagining. By 2017, however, the puzzle has never been solved, and the greatest mystery of the modern world is considered little more than a tourist attraction.

Tess and Theo Biedermann, twins named for the enigmatic architects, and their friend Jaime Cruz live in a Morningstarr apartment house in Manhattan—but their home is threatened when a real estate developer announces that the city has finally agreed to sell him dozens of original Morningstarr buildings. For millions of people, the sale and likely destruction of the Morningstarrs' vision means the end of the dream of the Old York Cipher. For Tess, Theo, and Jaime, it means the loss of their home. And they decide they’re not going to just stand by while their families are evicted. If they want to save they building, they have to prove that the Old York Cipher is real. And there’s only one way to do that: They have to solve it.

Blog Tour: A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

4 yummy avalanche cookies (recipe below!)

Cover Love:  Yes, I love this cover.  Whimsical and fun, just like the book.

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I was invited to participate in this blog tour and since this book was one I had ordered for my library I was happy to read and review it!  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Eleven-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed “Christmas”—has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a turnip. But he’s happy with his turnip doll, because it came from his parents, who love him. Then one day his father goes missing, and Nikolas must travel to the North Pole to save him.

Along the way, Nikolas befriends a surly reindeer, bests a troublesome troll, and discovers a hidden world of enchantment in the frozen village of Elfhelm. But the elves of Elfhelm have troubles of their own: Christmas spirit and goodwill are at an all-time low, and Nikolas may be the only person who can fix things—if only he can reach his father before it’s too late. . . .

My Thoughts:
This book was such a fun read.  The whole time I was reading it I thought what an awesome read aloud it would be for elementary and young middle schoolers.  Actually, it would be a fun read aloud for almost every age.

This has all the elements of a good classic, an "orphaned" child (well, his dad is missing anyway), and evil auntie (how can these aunts always be so mean to their nephews?!) animals and a quest. I have to say that I was reminded of Roald Dahl the whole time I was reading it and it put a smile on my face. Sometimes if an author writes a whimsical, quirky story, the resemblance to Dahl is too much, like they were trying too hard.  This one was just right.  But there was some fantastical elements that made this book all the author's own.

This was such a fun read and put me in the mood for Christmas! Pick this one up today, you won't be disappointed!

Avalanche Cookies:
This is a no bake recipe I discovered a few years ago and has become one of our favorite Christmas cookies.  I always make a ton and give them to lots of people.  You can print the recipe out here, or see the blog where I discovered it here.

What is your favorite Christmas read or goodie?

Obsessing Over #7: Dragonwatch by Brandon Mull

I am in my 9th year as a school librarian.  I did two years at an elementary school and am in my 7th at a middle school.  One of the continual favorite series in all those years has been Fablehaven by Brandon Mull.  The original series is 5 books long and is just an awesome middle grade series, I highly recommend you to read them if you haven't already!

(One of the reasons they were really popular early on was that Brandon Mull came to our school district on an author visit (before I was a librarian) and he enjoyed the area so much that his characters make a brief stop in our town in book 4!  Kids love reading that!)

I was so excited to see a continuation of this series is coming out this spring (I already ordered 3 copies for my library and one for me)!  Here's the synopsis from Dragonwatch:

In the long-awaited sequel to Fablehaven, the dragons who have been kept at the dragon sanctuaries no longer consider them safe havens, but prisons and they want their freedom. The dragons are no longer our allies....

In the hidden dragon sanctuary of Wyrmroost, Celebrant the Just, King of the Dragons, plots his revenge. He has long seen the sanctuaries as prisons, and he wants nothing more than to overthrow his captors and return the world to the Age of Dragons, when he and his kind ruled and reigned without borders. The time has come to break free and reclaim his power.

No one person is capable of stopping Celebrant and his dragon horde. It will take the ancient order of Dragonwatch to gather again if there is any chance of saving the world from destruction. In ancient times, Dragonwatch was a group of wizards, enchantresses, dragon slayers, and others who originally confined the majority of dragons into sanctuaries. But nearly all of the original Dragonwatch members are gone, and so the wizard Agad reaches out to Grandpa Sorenson for help.

As Kendra and Seth confront this new danger, they must draw upon all their skills, talents, and knowledge as only they have the ability to function together as a powerful dragon tamer. Together they must battle against forces with superior supernatural powers and breathtaking magical abilities.

How will the epic dragon showdown end? Will dragons overthrow humans and change the world as we know it?

I was able to download a review copy and plan to get it read and reviewed before the publication date. So excited when that works out!!

Cover Love #1

 Sometimes I see a cover I love so much I just want to share it.  I want to shove it in front of other people's faces and say, "LOOK!"  So, that's what this new feature is about.  Last week I was doing some book shopping and looking through spring catalogs.  I came across a book that sounds good, but when I saw the cover I knew it was a book I want to read, to hold in my hands, to display at my house!  Just look at it!

And it sounds so good, here's the synopsis:

Sophie Seacove has been abandoned by her parents and sent to work as a servant at a dilapidated house surrounded by sea monsters. (Sophie always suspected her parents hated her.) It’s dangerous work, made worse by the untrustworthy residents of the house: There’s Scree, the creaky caretaker who knows more than he lets on. The Battleship, a widow haunted by her own poor choices. And the Battleship’s twin sons, gleeful sadists who will do anything to be rid of Sophie. When the Battleship’s nephew, Cartwright, offers Sophie an irresistible deal—find the mysterious Monster Box, and he’ll get her off the island—Sophie agrees, opening up a years-old mystery and setting off a deadly chain of events. But everyone is lying to her. The twins are trying to kill her, or at least make her sit through their horrible performance of Hamlet. And Sophie needs to use her brains, her brawn, and her unbreakable nature if she’s going to make it off this wretched island alive.

I just can't wait to see this cover in person. What do you think?

Added to the List #26

Fall publishing season is gearing up and I have been getting some great middle grade reads in the mail.  One of my favorite things about getting books from publishers is that I get to see some books showcased that I hadn't heard of yet.  I have added all of these to my fall order for my library!

This past week I got:

The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner.  As you recall I have been Obsessing Over this book and was SO excited when it came in the mail.  It also came with a darling stuff bigfoot.  As soon as I finish the two books I am currently reading I will be starting this one.  Can't wait!!

The Girl Who Rode the Wind by Stacy Gregg was one that I had put on my library order for the fall.  Nine years into being a librarian and I am still amazed at how many girls love horse books.  I am going to pass this along to one of my 8th grade girls and have her read it.  She was just complaining about not having anything good to read!

Duels & Deception by Cindy Antesy looks like an awesome period read.  I think I will save this one for this winter!

The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz looks DARLING!  This one is going to be a fun read and I bet I will have a few readers at my school who will really enjoy it.

Jubilee by Patricia Reilly Giff was one that was not on my radar.  Not sure how I missed it, but am really glad it came in the mail.   It sounds so sweet and heartbreaking.  It looks like it will be a quick, but emotional read.  

Moo by Sharon Creech is going to be another popular one in my library.  She is such a strong writer and I have so many kids that read her whole collection here.  She's always popular! 

I also got an amazing pack of YA books from Simon & Schuster that I will highlight later in the week.  What have you added to your TBR lately?

Blog Tour: My Thoughts: The Secret Sea by Barry Lyga

4 yummy frosted maple cookies.

Cover Love:
I really like this cover, I think it would make kids want to pick up this book.

Why I Wanted to Read this:
I really like a good alternate universe book and the synopsis of this one seemed right up my alley.  Here it is from GoodReads:

Twelve-year-old Zak Killian is hearing a voice. Could it be a guardian angel? A ghost? No, that's crazy. But sometimes the voice is so real. . . . It warns him of danger.

One day Zak is standing on the subway platform when the tunnel starts to fill with water. He sees it before anyone else. The voice warns him to run. His friends Moira and Khalid believe this is more than a premonition, and soon all three find themselves in an alternate universe that is both familiar and seriously strange. As Zak unravels the mystery behind the voice, he faces decisions that may mean the end of their world at home--if they can even get home!

My Thoughts:
Overall this was a great read.  There were a few things in the beginning that made it a little hard fro me to get into but once I was over that hump, the book flew.

One of the things that bothered me a ton were Zak's parents.  They were so frustrating.  They were convinced that Zak was doing "bad" things so rather than talk with him, they ground him.  Then they get him a psychiatrist, but are more into blaming each other for his behavior than really getting him help. It was very hard to get over this because every scene with them made me want to throw the book!

After a pretty slow start a little twist happens that caught my interest.  Once that came about, I was much more into the book.  Once they got to the alternate universe, I was very into the book.  The author set up a great world with the alternate universe.  There are a lot of similarities between our world and the one that Zak and his friends get to, but enough differences that cause them to be very lost and confused.  The rules of the new world and society are very different than ours and they don't have a lot of time to learn them.  The author did a great job of conveying their confusion and fear.  This new universe is very technologically advanced to us and open to a lot of new ideas, but they are also very backwards in some issues.  I was glad that Khalid was able to find an ally once they got to the alternative universe and thankfully it was one willing to believe and help out.  Giving them a guide was very important.

From the start of their time in the alternate universe I felt something was off in the story Zak was being told.  I'm not sure if this was because I'm an adult and I consume a lot of content, so I'm pretty quick to develop theories, or if it was easy to deduce.  I would like to chat with someone from the target audience after they read it to see if they jumped to the same conclusion that I did.

There is a lot of action and I guess what I would call "speculative science" in the alternate universe.  None of it was over my head and the story moved along very quickly.

To Sum Up:  I think this is going to be a big hit with middle school readers.  I will be buying a copy for my library and book talking it this fall.  I already have my first reader for this story picked out and I know he will love it.

Macmillan is giving away a finished copy of The Secret Sea to one of my readers.  US only, winner will be announced on August 29.  

Obsessing Over #6: Furthermore

I have been seeing this pop up on blogs and twitter and it has peaked my interest.  First off, this is a dynamic cover.  Second, it sounds like such a fun play on words type of book.  I think this is going to be an awesome read and I can't wait to get a copy for myself and for my library!

Weekend Reading #11

I will admit that a couple of things have really slowed down my reading this summer.  

First of all, Stranger Things on Netflix completely captivated me.  I binged on that really hard this week.

Secondly, I am playing Pokemon Go.  I adore this game, but my very favorite thing is that my son will ask me to drive him and his friends around to play.  When your 18 year old, about to go to college son wants you to go out and play a game with him, you go out and play that game!

Anyway, I am going to focus on some reading this weekend.  These are the two books I am currently reading.  I am participating in a blog tour for The Secret Sea in August.  I like the alternate reality aspect of this book.  I also received The Gallery in the mail and this cover is so gorgeous I bumped it to the top of my TBR.  I love the feel of this book in my hands.
(I am also going to Star Trek this weekend, can't wait!!)
What are you reading this weekend?

My Thoughts: Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk

4 spicy & soft ginger cookies.

Cover Love:
I LOVE this cover. You have to see it in person to see how beautiful it is, but it's like  rose gold and shimmery and gorgeous.  So eye catching!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I had been hearing a lot of buzz about this book, even before it was released.  I was lucky enough to get an ARC in the mail, but it still took me a few months to get it read.  Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Growing up in the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her attacks. While others have always seen Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of justice as tensions mount.

Romance?: Nope, not that kind of book.

My Thoughts:
This was a great read.  The only reason I gave it four cookies was because I had a hard time getting into the story.  I feel like this was my fault.  Reading the synopsis made me know there was going to be a lot of times my stomach would be in knots while reading this book.   It made me a little hesitant about diving right in, so I took my time.  When I let myself go, I realized that my fears came true, but the way the author handles it all made it an easy read.  There was a lot of tension and my stomach was in knots, but one reason I was too upset while reading this is that Annabelle always has someone on her side.  People, her parents, believe her.  Having someone in her corner the whole time gives her the confidence she needs to stand up for the innocent and for herself.

I love the setting. This was set at the start of World War 2, in a rural area.  Annabelle goes to school in a one room schoolhouse, but there are also cars.  It's like the cusp of the technological revolution. Annabelle's parents are hard working farmers, but also very much devoted to their children. Annabelle's grandparents and an aunt live with them as well.  These things are during a time that always fascinates me, there is such an innocence about the world still.  And that's what makes this book so powerful.  We see a little girl on the verge of growing up who loses her innocence pretty quickly.  What happens to her and her world changes her, makes her see how the world really is, but it doesn't destroy her.  The author does a great job of walking the fine line between destroying Annabelle and using the situation to make her stronger.

One of my favorite parts of this book is how much takes place in the family kitchen.  Most of Annabelle's confessions to her family happen around the table or when she is helping her mom cooking and baking.  I love that!  This is what happens in my family, the kitchen is the heart of our home and some of our best times are when I am cooking or cleaning up and my kids are doing homework and my husband is helping them or me and we are all just enjoying being together.  Even though the events that happen in this book are serious, you just know that their kitchen is the room that has the most love and trust.

To Sum Up: This book didn't turn out to be the hard read I had expected. It was innocent and interesting and a little disturbing.  It would be a great read for a middle school book club!

Book sent to me from Rachel at Penguin.  Thanks Rachel!

Obsessing Over #5: The Littlest Bigfoot

I love the synopsis for this book.  I love the author and have read many of her adult books.  I love the cover.  Right now, I think this book is at the top of my WANT list.  It comes out in early September and I will be pre-ordering a copy for myself and a copy or two for my library. 

Also, I have a certain fascination with Bigfoot.  When my oldest son was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease he had to spend about a week in the hospital.  He wasn't overly sick, he just needed to be on an IV because he was pretty malnourished, so he was really, really bored.  One of the things we discovered was the TV show Finding Bigfoot.  For some reason there was a marathon on and we spent one whole day and evening watching that show.  It was a lot of fun and a good memory during a bad time.  Ever since then we have lots of Bigfoot discussions, even though he's 18 now.  It is something that bonds us a bit, and makes me even more excited for this book.

Any upcoming fall releases catch your eye yet?

Road Trip Reading #2 & Weekend Reading #10

This weekend we are driving three hours away to watch our son play in a senior showcase soccer game.  It will be a down and back in one day trip and my husband is driving, which means I am going to be reading!  

What are you reading this weekend?

Added to the List #25

Earlier this spring I received a wonderful box of books from Simon & Schuster.  This was an amazing box with the majority of the books already on my radar!

I squealed when I opened this one, especially when I saw The Unexpected Everything.  I love Morgan Matson!

The Geek's Guide to Unrequited Love is another one I am super excited about.  Teen contemporary romances are my favorites!  Some hot weekend soon I am going to spend time by the lake reading these two.

Three Truths and a Lie sounds like such a tense thriller.  Another great summer read!

This is Not a Werewolf Story was already on my order for the fall.  I think it looks adorable and perfect for a middle school library.

Savage sounds so different than anything out there.  I am going to order this one this fall as well!

Girl About Town is probably the one I was most excited about. I LOVE old time stuff, old time radio, old movies, all of it.  This book looks awesome and it takes place during the start of the golden age of movies!

Thanks so much Simon & Schuster for the awesome box of books.
Reviews to come!

My Thoughts: A Clatter of Jars by Lisa Graff

3 peanut butter cookies.

Cover Love:  YES! I love this cover, it is darling.  It makes me think of summer camps and lakes and fireflies and fun.  Wonderful cover!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this in the mail and after I read A Tangle of Knots I knew I had to read this one.  While it's not quite a sequel, it should definitely be read after A Tangle of Knots. Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

In this companion to A Tangle of Knots, it's summertime and everyone is heading off to camp. For Talented kids, the place to be is Camp Atropos, where they can sing songs by the campfire, practice for the Talent show, and take some nice long dips in the lake. But what the kids don't know is that they've been gathered for a reason--one that the camp's director wants to keep hidden at all costs.

Meanwhile, a Talent jar that has been dropped to the bottom of the lake has sprung a leak, and strange things have begun to happen. Dozens of seemingly empty jars have been washing up on the shoreline, Talents have been swapped, and memories have been ripped from one camper's head and placed into another. And no one knows why.

Romance?:  Nope.

My Thoughts:
While I enjoyed this read, I didn't like it as much as A Tangle of Knots.  Part of the reason is that in Knots, the Talents that people had were kind of normal things.  Things that a lot of people might be good at, just enhanced for different people.  I enjoyed that idea a lot.  It's not like people were superheroes, they were just enhanced.  The Talents that some of these kids had in Jars were more...powerful.  Not all of them, some of them were normal, but they just seemed more impressive.  I didn't really like that change.

This was also a darker book.   The campers were in real danger in this book and a lot of the campers were desperate about their Talents or lack of Talents.  The camp director was one of the most desperate and the desperation leads her to doing some pretty awful things.  I didn't feel like anyone was in true danger, and I hoped everything would be tied up nicely, but I was antsy while reading a lot of this book.

However, I liked the setting a lot.  I always wanted to go to a summer camp like this one, on a lake.  I always went to sports camp that were hot and dusty, not on a lake.  I liked most of the kids in this book and how they worked together to figure out what was going on and how to fix it.  And I did like being back in the same world as A Tangle of Knots.  It's really fun and there is a lot of possibilities.  Also, I love how easily the author writes other points of view.  She can slip in and out of characters so smoothly the story just flows!

To Sum Up:  Love this world and these are two awesome middle grade books.  I will be book talking them a lot in the fall and recommending them for a lot of my 6th grade readers!

My Thoughts: A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

4 yummy yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

Cover Love:  I love this cover, it's colorful and whimsical and includes so many elements from the book.  I adore it!

Why I Wanted to Read This:
When this book first came out, I saw a lot of comparisons to Savvy, which was a book I adored.  It went on my TBR list, but I wasn't able to get it read until now.  Wish I had started sooner!  Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emporium, an old recipe, a family of children searching for their own Talents, and a Talent Thief who will alter her life forever. However, these encounters hold the key to Cady's past and how she became an orphan. If she's lucky, fate may reunite her with her long-lost parent. 

Romance?: No.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book.  The style it is written in makes for a quick and easy read:  short chapters told from different points of view.  The author nails all of the characters voices.  I love that the Talents each person can be simple, like accurate spitting, or more advanced, like baking the perfect cake for a person.  I bet the author had a great time deciding how people in this world can be Talented.

I loved little Cady and rooted for her through the whole book.  But while Cady felt like the main character, this was a book with multiple characters whose storylines are woven together so smoothly.  It was easy to keep track of who was who and what each one was doing.  And while I was able to make some educated guesses about where the story was going to end up, I was constantly and pleasantly surprised by the turns in the story.  And I LOVED how everything was woven together so beautifully at the end!

And all the recipes!  I am going to try some of these cakes.  Look for a future "Food From Fiction" post on that!

To Sum Up:  Awesome middle grade read.  This one is easy to get into the hands of the younger readers in my school!

Remember to enter my giveaway for a pack of Lisa Graff paperbacks!  Check out this post to enter.

Added to the List #23

The other day I was lucky enough to get a finished copy of Wishing Day by Lauren Myracle in the mail.  This is a book that was high on my TBR list for this spring so I squealed a bit when I opened my package.  Thanks so much Katherine Tegen Books and Harper Collins.  Here is the synopsis:

On the third night of the third month after a girl’s thirteenth birthday, every girl in the town of Willow Hill makes three wishes.

The first wish is an impossible wish.
The second is a wish she can make come true herself.
And the third is the deepest wish of her secret heart.

Natasha is the oldest child in a family steeped in magic, though she’s not sure she believes in it. She’s full to bursting with wishes, however. She misses her mother, who disappeared nearly eight long years ago. She has a crush on one of the cutest boys in her class, and she thinks maybe it would be nice if her very first kiss came from him. And amid the chaos of a house full of sisters, aunts, and a father lost in grief, she aches to simply be...noticed.

So Natasha goes to the willow tree at the top of the hill on her Wishing Day, and she makes three wishes. What unfolds is beyond anything she could have imagined.

Obsessing Over #4

I know that the reason I am obsessing over this book so much is because of the cover.  It just appeals to me so strongly!  The synopsis isn't that bad either, but it's a book I know that I want to hold in my hands.  I have ordered a few copies for my library and can't wait until they come it.  This is going to be a must read right away!  Here's the synopsis:

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island. Why is she there? Where did she come from? And, most important, how will she survive in her harsh surroundings? Roz's only hope is to learn from the island's hostile animal inhabitants. When she tries to care for an orphaned gosling, the other animals finally decide to help, and the island starts to feel like home. Until one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

Added to the List #22

Last week I got a fun pack of middle grade books from HarperCollins.  There were a few in here that had escaped my attention so it was nice to see them in person!

Somebody Stop Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp:

I have but haven't read the first Ivy Pocket.  The covers are amazing, a little bit of goth and whimsy mixed.  And they look like such fun reads.  I need to read the first one soon!  I put them both on my last book order of the year.

Backyard Witch: Jess's Story by Christine Hepperman:

This one also is the second book in a series.  The Backyard Witch is such a fun character, can't wait to see what is happening with her in this story!

Eleven and Holding by Mary Penney:
 This is a middle grade book that had escaped my attention before I got it in the mail.  It looks so good and like it would be such a good addition to any library.  I might not be able to read this one yet because of emotions, but I will hopefully sometime this summer.  Ordered it for the fall for my library.


5 Times Revenge by Lindsay Eland
Another one that had escaped my attention until now!  Looks like such a fun middle school romp, can't wait to give it a try!