by Shannon Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, color by Jane Poole Genres: Graphic Novel, Memoir, Children’s Literature, Middle-Grade Publisher: First Second Length: 224 pages Published: May 2, 2017 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars “Shannon and Adrienne have been best friends ever since they were little. But […]
by Pam Jenoff Genres: Historical Fiction, WWII Publisher: Mira Books Length: 353 pages Published: February 21, 2017 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars “A powerful novel of friendship set in a traveling circus during World War II, The Orphan’s Tale introduces two extraordinary women and their harrowing […]
by Kevin Henkes “Home was the same as when Martha had left it, but because she had changed, her world seemed slightly different, as though she were seeing everything in sharper focus.” I started reading this book completely at random. I wanted something short and I will admit that the silver “Newberry Honor Book” medallion […]
I would be entirely remiss if as a teacher, reader, and writer, I didn’t take a post to give a shout-out to the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week. During September 25th – October 1st, 2016 this annual event fights for and celebrates reading freedom. Someone once tried to make me feel bad about reading […]
by Curtis Sittenfeld Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Romance Publisher: Random House Length: 512 pages Published: April 19, 2016 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “Wonderfully tender and hilariously funny, Eligible tackles gender, class, courtship, and family as Curtis Sittenfeld reaffirms herself as one of the […]
The third and final installment in Victoria Aveyard’s dark young adult series, King’s Cage, comes out on February 7th. Though I thought the series fell in quality in book two, I’m still interested in checking out King’s Cage to see what happens. If you haven’t read the series, it’s not to late to check it […]
by Lyndsay Faye “Of all my many murders, committed for love and for better reasons, the first was the most important…. so I hereby commence my account with the unembellished truth: Reader, I murdered him.” This is not your mother’s Jane Eyre. This is not the tale of a shy, forlorn youth who suffers the […]
by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, & Jack Thorne After months of anticipation, I was finally able to read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne. Though I easily could have read it in its entirety in one afternoon, I chose to read it slowly and savor the new […]
by Aaron Starmer Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Fiction Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers Length: 368 pages Published: August 23, 2016 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Thank you to Dutton Books for sending me a copy of Spontaneous. My Goodreads Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars (Did Not Finish) Official Book Summary: “A darkly […]
by Frank McCourt Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Irish History Publisher: Harper Perennial Length: 452 pages Published: October 3, 2005 (first published September 5, 1996) Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “Imbued on every page with Frank McCourt’s astounding humor and compassion. This is a glorious […]
by David Arnold “Writing sort of…rounds off the sharp edges of my brain, you know?” I nod, but I don’t know; with Aunt Iz, I rarely do. “Tell you what,” she says. “When I go back to Boston, you write to me. You’ll see what I mean.” I consider this […]
by Gail Carriger Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction/Fantasy Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Length: 307 pages Published: February 5, 2013 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Note: Etiquette and Espionage is the first in a four-part series titled Finishing School and is followed by Curtsies and Conspiracies, Waistcoats and Weaponry, and […]
by Steven Johnson Genres: British History, Science, Nonfiction, Heath & Medicine Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover Length: 299 pages Published: October 19, 2006 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 or 4 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “From Steven Johnson, the dynamic thinker routinely compared to James Gleick, Dava Sobel, and Malcolm […]
Jactionary: Book Review – Victoria: Portrait of a Queen by Catherine Reef
by Catherine Reef Genres: Young Adult, Biography, Nonfiction, British History Publisher: Clarion Books Length: 256 pages Published: November 7, 2017 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars Official Book Summary: “Catherine Reef brings history vividly to life in this sumptuously illustrated account of a confident, strong-minded, and influential […]