Originally published in Library Journal, March 1, 2020. When his mother is sent to prison for stabbing his abusive father, Michael, 11, is sent to live with his aunt DeeDee. The next-door-neighbor, Bunny Lampert, is the rich princess of North Shore, having lost her mother in a car accident and her father is an alcoholic… Continue reading The Knockout Queen by Rufi Thorpe
Tag: bullying
The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben
Every time I read a Harlan Coben novel, it surpasses the previous one and becomes my new favorite. The Boy From the Woods was no different. Harlan is amazing at hooking the reader very early and then delivering nonstop thrills until the final pages turn. And then the whiplash of surprise at the very end… Continue reading The Boy From the Woods by Harlan Coben
Little Big Love by Katy Regan
Originally published in Library Journal, March 2018 A modern family drama unfolds in alternating points of view of authentic voices between a 10 year old named Zac who likes to collect facts and cook, his single mother, Juliet, and her father, Mick. Juliet and Zac live on Harlequin Estate in Grimsby, a seaside town in… Continue reading Little Big Love by Katy Regan
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
I probably wouldn't have picked up this book to read, but I was assigned to read it for a state high school book award committee on which I serve. I'm SO glad that I read it. It's an awesome book about finding yourself in spite of pressure from your family, your peers, and the closed-minded… Continue reading When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Where I Live by Brenda Rufener
Originally published in School Library Journal, November 2017. Grade 9 & Up - Secretly living in Hinderwood High, teenager Linden is homeless and working two jobs to afford living essentials. After her mother was killed, she ended up in Oregon at her grandmother's nursing home, before she died too. Linden, white and homeless, and her… Continue reading Where I Live by Brenda Rufener
Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs
Map of the Heart will be published August 22, 2017. I was in the mood for a love story, and this one was a perfect fit. This is a modern-day romance mixed in with a healthy dose of historical fiction, historical mystery, and a forbidden historical romance. 36 year old widow and single mother, Camille, has… Continue reading Map of the Heart by Susan Wiggs
Subject to Change by Karen Nesbitt
Review first appeared in School Library Journal, February, 2017. NESBITT, Karen. Subject to Change. 276p. Orca Book Publishers. Feb. 2017. $14.95. ISBN 9781459811461. Gr 9 & Up -In Nesbitt's debut realistic fiction novel, readers come face-to-face with Declan, a teen living in Quebec and dealing with major family issues. Told through Declan's (at times) vulgar point of view,… Continue reading Subject to Change by Karen Nesbitt
The Heartbeats of Wing Jones by Katherine Weber
Review first appeared in School Library Journal, January 2017. WEBBER, Katherine. The Heartbeats of Wing Jones. 336p. Delacorte Press. Mar. 2017. $17.99. ISBN 9780399555022. Gr 8 Up - Set in 1990's Atlanta, this coming-of-age story is realistic fiction with a touch of magical realism, is full of diverse and strong female characters. Bullied for her looks,… Continue reading The Heartbeats of Wing Jones by Katherine Weber
Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
Holding Up the Universe will be published on October 4, 2016. If you thought Violet & Finch from Niven's All The Bright Places were unforgettable characters, wait until you meet Jack & Libby. Much like with All the Bright Places, Holding Up the Universe is written with chapters alternating back and forth between the two main characters,… Continue reading Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
What We Saw is a fictional account of a teenage rape loosely inspired by the 2012 Steubenville, OH case where two high school football players were accused and then convicted of raping a teenage girl at a party. The details of the crime are horrific, and reading the news coverage incites anger and outrage in… Continue reading What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler
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