• Reviews

    Turn Left at the Cow

    What do you get when you combine a runaway teen to Grandma’s, a football star, a love interest, and the missing cash from a bank bugulary from many years ago? Turn Left at the Cow. When Travis leaves his in-love mom and new stepdad in California for his grandma’s house…

  • Reviews

    Knightley & Son

    If you’re looking for a fast-paced mystery for a great summer read, then Knightley & Son is the book for you!  Darkus Knightley is a 13-year-old boy whose been reading his father’s top secret files in his bedroom for the past four years while his father has been in a…

  • Lifestyle

    48 Hour Book Challenge

    Last year was the first time I heard about the 48  Hour Book Challenge and I haven’t had the chance to participate in it yet.  My goal is that next year, I’ll set aside my weekend to try this out.  The basic gist is that you said aside as much…

  • Reviews

    The 5th Wave

    I’m going to stray from my program idea postings today to let you know about a 2013 book that I just finally got the chance to read – The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey.  My co-worker came it talking about the book and how she couldn’t put it down all…

  • Lifestyle

    “A Market-Driven Solution to the Need for Diverse Books”

    First Book (an organization that provides access to books for children in need) announced today that they aren’t just supporting the need for more diverse books in the publishing world for children and teens, but they’re also “putting our money where our mouth is and pledging to purchase 10,000 copies…

  • Reviews

    The Summer I Found You

    I was looking for a light, easy read after (finally) finishing a book that I kept reading in the hopes it would get better, it didn’t really get better.  The Summer I Found You was a perfect choice – a “chick lit” book with a little more substance than the…

  • Reviews

    The Killing Woods

    During ALA Midwinter, I picked up a number of books that I wouldn’t normally read in the hopes of adding to my reader’s advisory repertoire.  This was one of those books – I don’t watch scary movies and don’t like reading scary books, especially right before falling asleep, but after…

  • Reviews

    Better Off Friends

    Sometimes all you need is a feel-good book and that’s exactly what I would describe Better Off Friends as – a feel good book (and it’s exactly what I needed this past week).  Macallan and Levi have been best friends since the day they met.  Now in high school, it’s…

  • Reviews

    Grasshopper Jungle

    I reviewed an ARC copy of this book and let me tell you, I wanted to put it down for fear of nightmares with 6-foot tall praying mantises, but I couldn’t it was so interesting!  Austin, our narrator, and self-proclaimed historian is a confused teenager in love with the girl-next-door…