Stewart, the 13-year old narrator of this tale, is struggling with the death of his mother (and perhaps with his father’s complete acceptance and healing from it). He is socially inept but brilliant in academic ways. He has been in a special school for gifted children where he has excelled, and has a very […]
1001 Recipes You’ve Always Wanted to Cook Collins & Brown; Edited by Heather Brown When I have the time, I love to cook and although I already have hundreds of cookbooks on my shelf at home (no, seriously!) I continue to be attracted to new cookbooks and new recipes to try. Most recently, I had […]
As the jacket description reads, “it took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others.”This book is about a school shooting, but it’s about much more than that, too. Each chapter of the book is told from […]
Sleepover SleuthsBy Carolyn KeeneHere is one from a classic series that many will remember from their youth; Nancy Drew is still at it after 85 years. She is still solving crimes and poking her nose in places that get her into trouble. The Nancy Drew writers continue to revamp and reinvent the classic stories about this […]
By Leslye WaltonIn this award winning novel, Ava Lavender’s family has a history of tragic love stories. Her great-grandmother, Maman; grandmother, Emilienne; and mother, Viviane’s stories are all told through this multi-generational saga of love and love lost. A bad track record of foolish love does not forecast a hopeful future for Ava, and is […]
By David Wong There are so many internet connected devices available. I have the usual devices: smartphone, gaming consoles, a connected TV, a tablet, a regular computer. I haven’t got a smartwatch yet and virtual reality googles are still a bit too expensive, but I expect I will get them eventually. All this technology is […]
Crooked Heart By Lissa Evans Lissa Evans’ “Crooked Heart” is a startlingly funny odd-couple story set against the backdrop of World War II London. It follows Noel Bostock, a ten-year-old orphan being raised by his anti-authoritarian suffragette godmother, Mattie. She isn’t a particularly affectionate woman, but she does adore him and maintains his education from […]
Hanging Hill by Mo HayderThere are few things that I love more than being curled up under a blanket on a rainy day enjoying a large cup of tea and a good mystery. However, lately I haven’t had much luck finding a compelling who-dun-it until I stumbled upon Hanging Hill by Mo Hayder. This engrossing […]
Along the Inifinite Sea by Beatriz Williams Whenever I read one of Beatriz Williams’ books, it is like catching up on family. Along the Infinite Sea is another installment in the lives of the Schuyler sisters, a trio of society daughters whose lives I have been compelled to follow, since I first read 100 Summers. […]
Rae CarsonLucero-Elisa de Riqueza, the younger princess of the kingdom of Orovalle, is wed in an arranged marriage to King Alejandro de Vega, of the neighbouring country of Joya d’Arena. Joya d’Arena is embroiled in a war with another country, Invierene, and their situation is precarious. Elisa has been marked by God with a blue […]