Kyra, Just for Today

I got Kyra, Just for Today by Sara Zarr from the library after seeing it a list somewhere and thinking it sounded like my kind of book. The book description says, "Kyra has always felt like she’s a bit too much. Too tall. Too loud. Too earnest. But she’s okay with that, because she’s got her mom. Ever since Mom got sober about five years ago, she and Kyra have always been there for each other—something Kyra is thankful for every week when she attends her group meetings with other kids of alcoholics. When Mom is managing her cleaning business and Kyra is taking care of things at home, maybe, she thinks, she’s not too much. Maybe, she’s just enough. Then seventh grade starts, and everything Kyra used to be able to count on feels unsure. Kyra’s best friend, Lu, is hanging out with eighth graders, and Mom is unusually distant. When Mom starts missing work, sleeping in, and forgetting things, Kyra doesn’t dare say 'relapse.' But soon not saying that word means not saying anything at all—to Lu or to her support group. And when Kyra suspects that her worst fears might be real, she starts to question whether being just enough is not enough at all."

This was a really great book. I was completely engaged in the story and often wanted to continue reading it. The author did a great job developing the characters, and I just loved the plot and its details (the AA family support group, her mom's job, etc.). The book was really heavy, in that Kyra was dealing with a lot the entire book and was very overwhelmed and sad, which was a little more negativity than I could fully enjoy in a book. (But she deserved to feel what she felt for sure! It was just a lot for me as the reader.) I liked that the book taught some valuable lessons and showed positive ways to handle hard things. This was a great read.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The House in the Cerulean Sea

I read The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune at the recommendation of my friend Hilary. The book description says, "Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn."

This was a great book. I haven't read a book in awhile with such good character development. I LOVED these characters. At the beginning, it was just Linus, and I just loved him. Then I met Arthur and the children, and each of them was just so delightful and endearing in their own ways. The story was engaging, and while there were a few spots that seemed a little tell-y (vs. show-y), I didn't mind it too much. I loved the book's message about accepting and loving the children, and it was definitely a happily-ever-after type ending. I thought it was a fun read, and I plan to read the sequel when it comes out.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Alone

I came across Alone by Megan Freeman after reading a social media book about a companion book that is coming out soon, and I so got this on Kindle. The book says, "When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned. With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten. As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?"

This was a unique read due to the storyline being so different (a modern-day type Hatchet book is how it's described in reviews). I got through the book super fast read since it was written in verse, and the story was engaging and interesting. I liked Maddie as a character and following the choices she made. The ending left a lot of unanswered questions as to why the evacuation even happened, but it sounds like that's something that is addressed in the companion book, so I'll probably read that too.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Night War

I saw Kimberly Brubaker Bradley had written a new book, The Night War, so I got it from the library on Kindle. The book description says, "It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village, where the spires of the famous Chateau de Chenonceau rise high into the sky, its bridge across the River Cher like a promise, a fairy tale. But Miri’s life is no fairy tale. Her parents are gone—maybe alive, maybe not. Taken in at the boarding school near the chateau, pretending to be Catholic to escape Nazi capture, Miri volunteers one night to undertake a deadly task, one that spans the castle grounds, its bridge, and the very border to freedom. Here is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it? One thing is certain: The person Miri meets that night will save her life. And the person Miri becomes that night could save the lives of many more."

This was a great read. I have loved Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's other books as well (The War That Saved My Life & Fighting Words), so with this book being great as well, I now know to just read everything she writes. In this book, I was engaged pretty quickly and loved the characters and the story. The description on Amazon adds that the book had a "mythical twist," which was probably the only part I didn't love, but I also see how it added value to the story. This was an exciting, page-turner kind of book, and it had a kid-friendly happy ending, which makes it a great one to recommend to sensitive readers.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Mid-Air

I found Mid-Air by Alicia D. Williams on a list of new books, and it caught my eye since I really liked the author's previous book Genesis Begins Again. The book description reads, "It’s the last few months of eighth grade, and Isaiah feels lost. He thought his summer was going to be him and his boys Drew and Darius, hanging out, doing wheelies, watching martial arts movies, and breaking tons of Guinness World Records before high school. But now, more and more, Drew seems to be fading from their friendship, and though he won’t admit it, Isaiah knows exactly why. Because Darius is…gone. A hit and run killed Darius in the midst of a record-breaking long wheelie when Isaiah should have been keeping watch, ready to warn: 'CAR!' Now, Drew can barely look at Isaiah. But Isaiah, already quaking with ache and guilt, can’t lose two friends. So, he comes up with a plan to keep Drew and him together­­­—they can spend the summer breaking records, for Darius. But Drew’s not the same Drew since Darius was killed, and Isaiah being Isaiah isn’t enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in clothes, his love for rock music, or his aversion to jumping off rooftops. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew’s right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?"

This was a great book. It took me a few chapters to get into it, but then the characters and story drew me in. I loved Isaiah as a character and his journey to find confidence in himself and his interests and his path to coping with the death of his friend. I loved his trip to live with his aunt and uncle and watching him grow and thrive. This book was special too because (1) it was written in verse and (2) it had some illustrations throughout, which isn't as common in middle grade books but were a nice addition. I can't really describe what it was that made me love this book--just the characters, the journey, the messages, and the overall positive feeling I ended the book with.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Remember Us

I saw Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson on the new-books shelf at the library and decided to grab it since I really like Jacqueline Woodson. The book description says, "It seems like Sage’s whole world is on fire the summer before she starts seventh grade. As house after house burns down, her Bushwick neighborhood gets referred to as 'The Matchbox' in the local newspaper. And while Sage prefers to spend her time shooting hoops with the guys, she’s also still trying to figure out her place inside the circle of girls she’s known since childhood. A group that each day, feels further and further away from her. But it’s also the summer of Freddy, a new kid who truly gets Sage. Together, they reckon with the pain of missing the things that get left behind as time moves on, savor what’s good in the present, and buoy each other up in the face of destruction. And when the future comes, it is Sage’s memories of the past that show her the way forward. Remember Us speaks to the power of both letting go . . . and holding on."

This was a great read. I got through the book super quickly (a day or two) and just loved the gentleness of the story and the way it was written. Sage and Freddy were such likable characters, and I loved that the book had some serious conflicts but nothing felt over the top. I loved how things came together for Sage and enjoyed watching her path of becoming confident in who she was. I'm marking this book as "liked it" because I wasn't raving at the end wanting to recommend it to everyone--but I really enjoyed it and am glad I read it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

None of This is True

I read None of This is True by Lisa Jewell for my newest book club with friends at church. The book description says, "Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summer crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins. A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realize that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home. But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat. Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?"

This was such an addicting read! I read it in just a couple days because it was hard to put down. The author did a great job making the stories and characters super compelling, and the story kept me guessing on who or what to trust--even till the very end. I thought the book was very cleverly written, and I really enjoyed it. I kind of left the book with a creepy feeling that stopped me from completely loving the book, and it also had quite a bit of bad language. But otherwise it was a great read.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)