Here are reviews of some of my favorite books!
Click on the title to read my review. To get a sense of my general book taste, read this post,
Kid Lit: Middle Grade
The Amulet of Samarkand, by Jonathan Stroud. A magical fantasy with lots of action.
Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer. A 12 year old (slightly) evil genius plots to steal gold from fairies. Very fun, and over the course of the serious, Artemis gets a conscience!
The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden. Thoughtfully tackles the challenges of living in poverty. Octopus has great insight into the plight of marginalized women and children, and it’s a great read for encouraging discussion and compassion.
The Eighth Day, by Dianne Salerni. Arthurian legend comes to 21st century kid lit as Jax Aubrey discovers his magical powers and a mysterious eighth day of the week, set up by Merlin himself.
El Deafo, by Cece Bell. Award winning graphic novel about the difficulties of being a child with hearing impairment.
File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents, by Lemony Snicket. 13 mini-mysteries with solutions in the back. Clever book with lots of great word play.
The Green Glass Sea, by Ellen Klages. Historical fiction about the children of scientists working on the Manhattan Project in 1940s Arizona.
Liar and Spy, by Rebecca Stead. Middle schooler Georges joins a spy club with his curious new neighbor “Safer”.
The London Eye Mystery, by Siobhan Dowd. Ted’s brain “runs on a different operating system,” but that doesn’t stop him from solving the mystery of his cousin’s disappearance.
The Ranger’s Apprentice, by John Flanagan. This series is set in a world similar to medieval Europe – great adventure for middle grade readers.
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie. Guinevere St. Clair has a knack for digging up information, which is good, since she is an aspiring lawyer. She also knows a lot about the human brain because, well, her mother’s brain doesn’t work so well anymore. Gwyn and her family have returned to the small town where Gwyn’s mom grew up, and Gwyn stumbles upon a mystery. To Kill a Mockingbird for middle school.
Wonder, by R.J. Palacio. August Pullman, a ten year old boy with a severe facial deformity, attends his first year of school, and it changes him and almost everyone around him.
Kid Lit: Young Adult
Code Name Verity, by Elizabeth Wein. The story of two courageous young women and their unlikely friendship during WWII.
The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. Frankie teaches her boarding school friends not to underestimate her as she secretly masterminds a series of hilarious pranks. Fun book, good message.
Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell. Two misfits fall in love over punk music. Set in the 1980’s, it’s a very well written story of first love.
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green. Two teens entertain the idea of romance despite the shadow of cancer which hangs over both of their lives. Must read; bring tissue.
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. Vividly addresses issues from the headlines: racism and police violence. It’s a thoughtful, well written book relevant for today.
Mosquitoland by David Arnold. Mim travels across country to find and help her mom who is suffering from an unknown (to Mim) illness. Funny and thoughtful.
Paper Towns, by John Green. “Q” needs to learn to expand his comfort zone. He does so in three journeys involving the elusive Margo Roth Speigleman.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky. 15 year old Charlie changes from a “wallflower” to someone who really knows “how to be there.” Warning: lots of “content”.
See You At Harry’s, by Jo Knowles. Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible, but when tragedy strikes, her crazy family must learn to pull together. Bittersweet kidlit.
Since You’ve Been Gone, by Morgan Matson. A great book about tackling awkwardness and rising above doubt.
Skinny, by Donna Cooner. An overweight teen learns not to listen to the vicious voice inside her head.
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson. A tough but worthwhile read about a girl recovering from sexual assault.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. 16 year old Aza Holmes must solve a mystery; she must also figure out how to deal with her OCD.
We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart. Beautiful writing in this YA thriller, although the surprise ending left me a bit unhappy.
Adult Fiction
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. All the Light follows two children on opposite sides of WWII and examines the human side of the war. It celebrates love, bravery, and hope. It made me cry, but it is one of my all time favorites.
America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray. The fascinating story of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter. Historical fiction.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien A story of adventure, courage, and a curious little creature named Bilbo. Dwarves, elves, wizards and goblins too.
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern. Two magicians compete and fall in love in the dazzling setting of a night circus. One of my favorite books.
The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. Two sisters resist the Nazis in very different ways during WWII in occupied France.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. College Professor Don Tillman likes order, structure, schedule. Enter Rosie, who treasures none of these things. A fun read.
Small Great Things by Jodi PicoultA thought provoking examination of race via relatable characters and a medical dilemma.
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Henry suffers from Chrono Displacement, a disorder that unexpectedly pulls him around in time. This has touching and thought provoking ramifications on his relationship with the love of his extraordinary life.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette, by Maria Semple. A hilarious and thoughtful story of an intelligent, talented woman who gets lost in motherhood and marriage- and how she finds herself again.
Adult Non-Fiction
The Audacity of Hope by Barak Obama. The former president wrote this memoir while serving as an Illinois senator. Explores the joys and challenges of public service, always with a pervasive attitude of hope.
Born A Crime: Stories of a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah. Entertaining and enlightening memoir.
Becoming by Michelle Obama. An inspiring memoir about Michelle’s rise from a low income neighborhood in Chicago to Princeton and the White House. Empowering and optimistic. A must read for all young women.
The Glass Cage: How Computers Are Changing Us by Nicholas Carr. A caution on the dangers of letting technology have too much say in our lives.
Glitter and Glue, by Kelly Corrigan. Great memoir about a daughter learning to appreciate her mother.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. An excellent read for aspiring authors or fans of Mr. King.
Tell Me More, by Kelly Corrigan. Corrigan’s memoir about the 12 hard things she’s learning to say to make herself and the people she loves feel better. Funny, touching, humble, and wise.
Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. Six little words from her older sister challenge Shonda to do the things that scare her. The result? A much happier Shonda.
Yes, Please by Amy Poehler. Funny and insightful memoir from a successful comedienne.
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