Review: Star Wars Builders (Millennium Falcon, Starfighters, & Droids)

Star Wars Builders: Millennium Falcon by Benjamin Harper

Discover what makes the Millennium Falcon the most famous ship in the galaxy with this master builder kit! Featuring a 64-page book detailing out some of the ship's most daring adventures and introducing members of the crew, Star Wars fans will enjoy learning more about one of the most legendary starships in the galaxy. Plus, this kit includes thick puzzle-like pieces so fans can build their very own Millennium Falcon ship for all their adventures.

Review: Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley
January 31st 2017 from Harlequin Teen

Fifteen-year-old Aki Simon has a theory. And it's mostly about sex. 

No, it isn't that kind of theory. Aki already knows she's bisexual—even if, until now, it's mostly been in the hypothetical sense. Aki has dated only guys so far, and her best friend, Lori, is the only person who knows she likes girls, too. 

Actually, Aki's theory is that she's got only one shot at living an interesting life—and that means she's got to stop sitting around and thinking so much. It's time for her to actually do something. Or at least try. 

So when Aki and Lori set off on a church youth-group trip to a small Mexican town for the summer and Aki meets Christa—slightly older, far more experienced—it seems her theory is prime for the testing. 

But it's not going to be easy. For one thing, how exactly do two girls have sex, anyway? And more important, how can you tell if you're in love? It's going to be a summer of testing theories—and the result may just be love.

Review & Giveaway: Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu #DevotedBook

Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

June 2nd, 2015 from Roaring Book Press

Rachel Walker is devoted to God. She prays every day, attends Calvary Christian Church with her family, helps care for her five younger siblings, dresses modestly, and prepares herself to be a wife and mother who serves the Lord with joy. But Rachel is curious about the world her family has turned away from, and increasingly finds that neither the church nor her homeschool education has the answers she craves. Rachel has always found solace in her beliefs, but now she can’t shake the feeling that her devotion might destroy her soul.

Add to Goodreads

You can find Mathieu at her website

Man, does this book have perfect timing or what? With the Duggars in the news (daily), and the public glued to news soaking in the awfulness that is that situation, it really has brought to light this way of life. I'm talking about the ultra-conservative, authoritarian, male centric, the-devil-is-everywhere, cultish sect of Christianity. I'll be honest, I read the book for two reasons. A) I love me some Texas authors and B) this is all fascinating stuff. I was raised in a strict Catholic home and there were times when family members would lay hands on my head and pray for healing - "rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus" and all. (Yes, for headaches and colds) So, I was prepared to not be so surprised when I heard things along those lines. Funny enough, the reason I enjoyed it so much and couldn't put it down was because of Mathieu's choice in Bible verses and the almost uncomfortable way they were used and thrown in Rachel's face. I was utterly fascinated and wondered if Mathieu grew up that way. I mean we're friends but I've never asked if she grew up in super strict house with Quiverfull type of upbringing. It was so real, like Mathieu chose real-life situations and made them Rachel's. Or stole someone's diary. #we'llneverknow

Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae & Ten Italian Things I Love

Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae
May 6th, 2014 from Bloomsbury

Pippa has always wanted to go to Italy … but not by herself. And certainly not to sit in art school the entire summer learning about dead guys’ paintings. When she steps off the plane in Rome, she realizes that traveling solo gives her the freedom to do whatever she wants. So it’s arrivederci, boring art program and ciao, hot Italian guys!

Charming, daring, and romantic, Bruno is just the Italian Pippa’s looking for—except she keeps running into cute American archeology student Darren everywhere she goes. Pippa may be determined to fall in love with an Italian guy … but the electricity she feels with Darren says her heart might have other plans. Can Pippa figure out her feelings before her parents discover she left the program and—even worse—she loses her chance at love?

Review: Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Noggin by John Corey Whaley
April 8th, 2014 from Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Listen - Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn't.

Now he’s alive again.

Simple as that.

The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but he can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he’s still 16 and everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she’s not his girlfriend anymore? That’s a bit fuzzy too.

Looks like if the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, then there are going to be a few more scars.

Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin

Nightingale's Nest by Nikki Loftin
February 20th 2014 from Razorbill

Twelve-year-old John Fischer Jr., or "Little John" as he’s always been known, is spending his summer helping his father with his tree removal business, clearing brush for Mr. King, the wealthy owner of a chain of Texas dollar stores, when he hears a beautiful song that transfixes him. He follows the melody and finds, not a bird, but a young girl sitting in the branches of a tall sycamore tree.

There’s something magical about this girl, Gayle, especially her soaring singing voice, and Little John’s friendship with Gayle quickly becomes the one bright spot in his life, for his home is dominated by sorrow over his sister’s death and his parents’ ever-tightening financial difficulties.

But then Mr. King draws Little John into an impossible choice—forced to choose between his family’s survival and a betrayal of Gayle that puts her future in jeopardy.

Review & Giveaway: Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith

Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
February 11th, 2014 from Dutton Juvenile

Sixteen-year-old Austin Szerba interweaves the story of his Polish legacy with the story of how he and his best friend , Robby, brought about the end of humanity and the rise of an army of unstoppable, six-foot tall praying mantises in small-town Iowa.

To make matters worse, Austin's hormones are totally oblivious; they don't care that the world is in utter chaos: Austin is in love with his girlfriend, Shann, but remains confused about his sexual orientation. He's stewing in a self-professed constant state of maximum horniness, directed at both Robby and Shann. Ultimately, it's up to Austin to save the world and propagate the species in this sci-fright journey of survival, sex, and the complex realities of the human condition.

Review: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

Review: Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller

September 24th, 2013 from Bloomsbury

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

Add to Goodreads

You can find Doller at her website
Come see Doller at the Austin Teen Book Festival

Review & Giveaway: Super Pop! by Daniel Harmon

Super Pop!: Pop Culture Top Ten Lists to Help You Win at Trivia, Survive in the Wild, and Make It Through the Holidays by Daniel Harmon
June 4th, 2013 from Zest Books

As David Letterman demonstrates on the Late Show, top ten lists are really funny. And we know lists are a great way to get organized, get things done, and streamline life’s many tasks. But now, pop culture expert Daniel Harmon takes a totally new approach to list making in his new book Super Pop! and organizes 500 movies, songs, video games, and books into top ten lists that not only have the power to entertain, but also to help create a new and better you!

Super Pop! offers a maximum-pleasure, minimum-effort way to become smarter, happier, and a little bit more likely to survive a shark attack. This wide-ranging collection organizes pop culture’s greatest hits—including blockbusting movies, bestselling books, platinum albums, and more—into hilarious, provocative, and weirdly edifying top ten lists, and provides quick-hitting commentary in the nearly 500 entries.

Review: Golden by Jessi Kirby

Golden by Jessi Kirby
May 14th, 2013 from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Seventeen-year-old Parker Frost has never taken the road less traveled. Valedictorian and quintessential good girl, she’s about to graduate high school without ever having kissed her crush or broken the rules. So when fate drops a clue in her lap—one that might be the key to unraveling a town mystery—she decides to take a chance.

Julianna Farnetti and Shane Cruz are remembered as the golden couple of Summit Lakes High—perfect in every way, meant to be together forever. But Julianna’s journal tells a different story—one of doubts about Shane and a forbidden romance with an older, artistic guy. These are the secrets that were swept away with her the night that Shane’s jeep plunged into an icy river, leaving behind a grieving town and no bodies to bury.

Reading Julianna’s journal gives Parker the courage to start to really live—and it also gives her reasons to question what really happened the night of the accident. Armed with clues from the past, Parker enlists the help of her best friend, Kat, and Trevor, her longtime crush, to track down some leads. The mystery ends up taking Parker places that she never could have imagined. And she soon finds that taking the road less traveled makes all the difference.

Review: Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz
April 9th, 2013 from Candlewick

When eleven-year-old Annie first started lying to her social worker, she had been taught by an expert: Gran. "If you’re going to do something, make sure you do it with excellence," Gran would say. That was when Gran was feeling talkative, and not brooding for days in her room — like she did after telling Annie and her little brother, Rew, the one thing they know about their father: that he was killed in a fight with an angry man who was sent away. Annie tells stories, too, as she and Rew laze under the birches and oaks of Zebra Forest — stories about their father the pirate, or pilot, or secret agent. But then something shocking happens to unravel all their stories: a rattling at the back door, an escapee from the prison holding them hostage in their own home, four lives that will never be the same.

Pretty powerful story in a short book! The opening chapter was absolutely captivating. We are immediately thrown into Annie and Rew's not so normal living situation. Mom ran out years ago, dad is dead, and their Gran isn't exactly all there every day. It becomes increasing clear that Annie is the main caregiver and provider. At eleven-years old, that's tough. When a man breaks out of prison and invades their home, Annie slowly realizes that she may have been living in a prison all this time as well.

Audio Review: Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
February 12th, 2013 from Candlewick

What if the football hadn't gone over the wall. On the other side of the wall there is a dark secret. And the devil. And the Moon Man. And the Motherland doesn't want anyone to know. But Standish Treadwell — who has different-colored eyes, who can’t read, can’t write, Standish Treadwell isn't bright — sees things differently than the rest of the "train-track thinkers." So when Standish and his only friend and neighbor, Hector, make their way to the other side of the wall, they see what the Motherland has been hiding. And it’s big...One hundred very short chapters, told in an utterly original first-person voice, propel readers through a narrative that is by turns gripping and darkly humorous, bleak and chilling, tender and transporting.

What a weird little book! This one is hard to describe beyond the paragraph up above. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. This one just may be a little hard to market. The cover and short chapters make it appear to be a middle grade book, but the eff words and a gruesome murder scene pulls away from that audience. I almost put it in the same category as Wonder by Palacio. Both wonderful books, but to me adults will like the heart-felt stories better than kids. Regardless, this book deserves to be heard.

Review: Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Arclight by Josin L. McQuein
April 23rd, 2013 from Greenwillow

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?

With no memory of how she was rescued from the Fade and no friends because she is an outsider, life in the Arclight is pretty much crap. Marina is living in a compound that is dedicated to keep the good in and the bad out. Only problem, that doesn't happen, the Fade find their way in, and sometimes she feels like she doesn't know what side of the wall she belongs on. Eventually, Marina is forced to make a decision based on a pile of lies from the people she trusted the most.

Review: Below by Meg McKinlay

Below by Meg McKinlay
May 14th, 2013 from Candlewick

On the day Cassie was born, they drowned her town. The mayor flipped a lever and everyone cheered as Old Lower Grange was submerged beneath five thousand swimming pools’ worth of water. Now, twelve years later, Cassie feels drawn to the manmade lake and the mysteries it hides — and she’s not the only one. Her classmate Liam, who wears oversized swim trunks to cover the scars on his legs, joins Cassie in her daily swims across the off-limits side of the lake. As the summer heats up, the water drops lower and lower, offering them glimpses of the ghostly town and uncovering secrets one prominent town figure seems anxious to keep submerged. But like a swimmer who ventures too far from shore, Cassie realizes she can’t turn back. Can she bring their suspicions to light before it’s too late — and does she dare?

I saw this book and was immediately struck by the cover! The concept of swimming over a ghost town covered in water completely freaked me out. Who knows what is down there and what could float up? Turns out, that all comes into play. My favorite part of this story was Cassie's description about how she doesn't quite fit in  - not with her town and certainly not with her family. She was born unexpectantly on the day the switch was thrown and the water covered the town. Ever since she was born she has seen herself as an outsider. Her family has fond memories of the old house and the laughs they all shared before Cassie came along. I identified with Cassie a lot considering she has much older siblings like me. I've been in many similar situations where I couldn't relate or I didn't get the inside joke. Feeling like a fifth wheel with your own family is for the birds. Cassie would agree.

Review, Interview, & Giveaway: Fox Forever (Jenna Fox Chronicles, #3) by Mary E. Pearson

Fox Forever (Jenna Fox Chronicles, #3) by Mary E. Pearson
March 19th, 2013 from Henry Holt

Locke Jenkins has some catching up to do. After spending 260 years as a disembodied mind in a little black box, he has a perfect new body. But before he can move on with his unexpected new life, he’ll have to return the Favor he accepted from the shadowy resistance group known as the Network.

Locke must infiltrate the home of a government official by gaining the trust of his daughter, seventeen-year-old Raine, and he soon finds himself pulled deep into the world of the resistance- and into Raine’s life.

Another series, that I love, is coming to an end. *pass the tissues* If you haven't read this series, I highly recommend it! Jenna Fox has been on so many Best Of and state-wide librarian lists it probably set a record. In this final installment, Locke is giving back to the resistance that helped him escape from his engineered life. He searches for a life of his own and in a sense tries to catch up to Jenna who has been living for over 200 years. What he finds is adventure, love, and a career dedicated to helping people. Any review will just about spoil something for a new reader. So, you have to trust this librarian that the series is more than worth a read. Great for middle grades who love science fiction, but not really looking for aliens and spaceships. Dystopian lovers and beginners new to the genre will also enjoy!

Quick Audio Reviews: The Fault In Our Stars by John Green & Chime by Frannie Billingsley

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
January 10th, 2012 from Dutton Books

I know, I know, you read this book like the second it dropped on your doorstep. Welp, I didn't and I'll tell you why. I knew it would be sad, heartbreaking even and I don't do sad very well. So when the weeks went by and the reviews all said phrases like "my heart is in pieces" "this book broke me" I knew I had to put it off. Then suddenly I looked up and felt like I was going to be given a notice to appear in Library Court for not reading - an entire went by. I buckled, got the audio, and loved it. AND I didn't cry too much. Yes, I did but I wasn't completely falling apart like I anticipated. In fact, the part of the book that touched me and will stay with me is when Hazel's mother says, "I won't be a mom anymore." That statement right there made me just about loose my mind. If you've been putting this one off, grab the audio, a few tissues and just ride it out.... You won't regret it!

Review: Operation Oleander by Valerie O. Patterson (+Giveaway & Interview)

Add to Goodreads
You can find Patterson at her website

Ninth-grader Jess Westmark had the best of intentions when she started Operation Oleander to raise money for a girls’ orphanage in Kabul. She named her charity for the oleander that grows both in her Florida hometown and in Afghanistan, where her father is deployed. But on one of her father's trips to deliver supplies to the orphans, a car bomb explodes nearby and her father is gravely injured. Worse, her best friend’s mother and some of the children are killed, and people are blaming Operation Oleander for turning the orphanage into a military target for the Taliban. Is this all Jess’s fault?

I thank my lucky stars that I haven't lost anyone to war, and my heart goes out to all of those in the Armed Forces. When I think about all of the kids who have parents in the military my heart breaks for them. To live in fear every day praying your parent(s) make it home is something I can't fathom. Jeff has lived with this fear and her nightmare comes true - her father is injured in an attack at an orphanage that Jess has been collecting school supplies for. What's worse, her best friend's mother is killed in the same attack. Jess has to somehow juggle all of these emotions of blaming herself over the death of her best friends mother, her father's injuries, and being the strong and steadfast big sister. Bless her, the girl tries. She has been taught to be tough, reliable, and a fine upstanding military daughter, and I was waiting for her to just break. She did, but not for long and her friend Sam was there beside her.

Review: Notes From Ghost Town by Kate Ellison

Notes From Ghost Town by Kate Ellison

February 12th, 2013 from EgmontUSA

When sixteen-year-old artist Olivia Tithe is visited by the ghost of her first love, Lucas Stern, it’s only through scattered images and notes left behind that she can unravel the mystery of his death.

There’s a catch: Olivia has gone colorblind, and there’s a good chance she’s losing her mind completely - just like her mother did. How else to explain seeing (and falling in love all over again with) someone who isn't really there?

With the murder trial looming just nine days away, Olivia must follow her heart to the truth, no matter how painful. It’s the only way she can save herself.

I am a fan of Ellison's debut, The Butterfly Clues, so I was excited to read her sophomore novel especially with added ghosts, mental illness, and murder. The opening chapter of this story was absolutely spectacular! I can't remember the last time I read a first chapter like that! The story quickly moves into the mystery of Stern's death and Olivia's mothers mental illness. Olivia struggles with the fact her mother has officially gone over the edge, lost her mind. I love the relationship between Olivia and her mother. Olivia reflects back onto the good and bad times with such love, admiration, and fondness. Olivia's relationship with her father is not so perfect...on the account of the fiance. Olivia's parents split just before her mother's breakdown and Olivia isn't taking the step-mom-to-be very well. Understandable, for sure. Instead of making this dynamic absolutely stereotypical, Olivia's step-mom-to-be has a daughter whom Olivia loves to pieces. This young girl adores and looks up to Olivia, and my heart melted when Olivia put all of her feelings aside about the fiance and loved that little girl right back. I thought that was so incredibly special and was thrilled to see it played out like that in the story. 

Audio Review: Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King

Review: Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King
September 11th, 2012 by Listening Library

Lucky Linderman has been the target of Nader McMillan’s relentless bullying for as long as he can remember. But he has a secret—one that helps him wade through the mundane torture of his life. In his dreams, Lucky escapes to the war-ridden jungles of Laos, where his grandfather, who never came home from the Vietnam War, is still trapped. There, Lucky can be a real man and maybe even a hero. But how long can he keep hiding in his dreams before reality forces its way inside?

There is a reason this book has earned six starred reviews. Or is it seven? You get my point - everyone loves this book, and you can count me in that crowd. Lucky is stuck in this crap rotation of getting picked on and then sucking it up, turning a blind eye to cruelty like his father has taught him. Over the years the bullying has gotten worse and this crap kid named Nader has been relentless in his teasing and 'boys will be boys' behavior. After a bad situation goes predictably worse, Lucky and his mom visit his uncle in Arizona and wait for things to cool down back home and for the wounds to heal. Lucky spends his days trying to blend into the wallpaper and his dream filled nights are spent with his presumed dead, POW grandfather. Lucky is determined to rescue his grandfather and be the hero he isn't in real life. When Lucky meets a seemingly perfect girl who has it all (she totally doesn't), he starts to gain confidence and find his way out of the bleak.

Audio Review: Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt

Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt
April 5th, 2011 from Clarion Books

Midwesterner Gary D. Schmidt won Newbery Honor awards for Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boys and The Wednesday Wars, two coming-of-age novels about unlikely friends finding a bond. Okay For Now, his latest novel, explores another seemingly improbable alliance, this one between new outsider in town Doug Swieteck and Lil Spicer, the savvy spitfire daughter of his deli owner boss. With her challenging assistance, Doug discovers new sides of himself. Along the way, he also readjusts his relationship with his abusive father, his school peers, and his older brother, a newly returned war victim of Vietnam.

Have you read The Wednesday Wars by Schmidt? If so, you will recognize Mr. Doug Swieteck. He is a sweet kid with a pretty crap home life. In this novel, Doug moves to a new town and he immediately realizes he doesn't have a whole lot to be cheery about in this crap town either. Doug can't escape his bullying brother who falls in love with the wrong crowd. He also can't escape his dad, abusive in every sense of the word. Listening to Doug put up with his brothers tactics and his fathers downright cruel remarks and despicable behavior was really uncomfortable. I was angry at everyone for a long time for not rescuing Doug from his family. Yes, Doug has a loving mother but she is caught up in the abusive cycle as well. Plus, this was the 1960s and people put up with a lot of crap they shouldn't have back then. Just when things go a little bit right for Doug something goes wrong. Over and over again. It was painful to think that there are real kids just like Doug. They are emotionally beaten down by the ones that should lift them up the most. Do kids come in my library who live like this? Would I recognize any of the signs of an abused kid? I sure hope I do.