Awww. Great YA graphic novel for any age. Autobiographical story of a young woman whose mother dies during the narrators freshman year of college. It‘s part homage to her mother, but mostly an honest exploration of grief. I cried, for sure, but found it soothing and a helpful insight into what to do (and what not to do) when someone you love is grieving.

Kate DiCamillo is the best. This middle grade medieval tale has some fantastical twists, but is so affirming of the strength that lies within all of us. And of love. And, hilariously, the unexpected power of goats. Great for shy, reticent kids and for world-weary adults.

If Richard Power‘s book “The Overstory” was destined to be an award winning bestseller, this book is more like the perfectly crafted masterpiece that the artist keeps for himself to hang in a place of honor and peek at from time to time. Lovely, slightly strange story of a father and son that explores life, death, astrophysics, autism, climate change, and human connection. Marvelous, sobering, and very personal.

What a great book! It‘s been a long time since a book kept me reading well into the night just to find out what happens next. Great story about a Native woman who ends up playing detective to solve the mystery of how meth is being distributed on her reservation in Michigans‘s UP. So much fascinating and authentic culture in a mesmerizing and thrilling story.

Still catching my breath after that profound and unexpected ending. This YA novel in verse tells the story of a young Black girl and a young Native boy who meet an try to help each other heal from profound trauma. It‘s astonishing.

I LOVE this author, but this book missed the mark for me. It‘s the story of a teen boy whose father has died and whose mother becomes a hoarder. He begins to hear voices, and questions what is real. I loved the Zen teachings but had a hard time with the “book”
Being the narrator. Too many literary devices for me

A subversive retelling of some of our most treasured fairy tales. Instead of victims, the women and girls in these stories use their cunning and wits to not only escape their fates, but flip the entire story on its head and really change their (and our) worlds. Timely and necessary. Marketed for middle school, but reads well for lovers of fairytales of any age.

What a great graphic novel. I‘m putting together a blog post on Tough Topics for Teens and GN checked all the boxes Tthere are tough topics (abuse, runaways, theft) but there is also so much joy (first love, deep friendships). Takes place in the early 90‘s at the dawn of the internet, and how even then it helped people connect. Loved the pages of DOS. Quick, compelling read.

Terrific YA graphic novel. Deals with LGBTQIA issues, suicide, all the tough stuff, but so affirming that if you hang on, things will work out. Semi-autobiographical story that takes place at a boy scout camp. Recommend for adults as well as teens!

I really wanted to love this, but found I didn‘t really care for about any of the characters, and there was not much of a plot. It was clever and cute, but not enough to keep me interested.

I am in awe of this author and this book. The first 2/3 was a bit of work, as Doerr builds this intricate web of story spanning from 15th century Constantinople to present day to a few generations in the future, but I bawled through the last third as all of the work paid off. A glorious ode to libraries and books. Amazing!!!

Amazing! A story set in the near future of a woman set on rewilding (and saving) Scotland‘s ecosystem by reintroducing wolves into the country. Of course it is also about rewinding herself. Intense, dramatic, poetic, and glorious. A celebration of feminine strength.

Wow!! Wow, wow, wow. Gorgeous, melancholy story of a young woman who is chasing the migration of the last of the Arctic terns. With the wisdom of Women Who Run With the Wolves and the epic scope of Moby Dick, and written in glorious prose. I listened to the audio book, which was soothing and intense. So good! Reading her new book, Once There Were Wolves, as well. Terrific author.

Lovely middle-grade fiction by a great writer. This story is about three siblings, and takes place in 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. Touches on themes of families, neglect, relationships, and self-confidence. Terrific read.

Was looking for a feel good romance, but could not deal with all the white male privilege, graphic sex, and foul language.

I‘m a total fan of Women Who Run With The Wolves, and this is a short parallel work by Estes. I listened to the audiobook. It focused on the unmothered child. I could listen to her tell stories all day!

I loved this middle grade fantasy. Not quite as good as The Girl Who Drank the Moon, but really wonderful. Great characters, wonderful themes, ad really stellar writing. Just lovely.

Another dive into Norse mythology, this time from a woman‘s view. This is a gorgeous, complex, feminist leaning account of the gods. Not as compelling as The Mists of Avalon, but so necessary. Loved Loki and the way the gods became human in the author‘s hands. Recommended!

So good! Retelling of part of the Iliad that was so gripping and beautiful and NOT boring. I highly recommend, even if you are not a fan of the classics. ESPECIALLY if you are not a fan!

A terrific ode to bookstores and booksellers, with some romance, bro-mance, and humor. Inclusive of the non-binary and disabled community. Forman treats addiction lightly but seriously, and I admit I shed a tear at the end. YA, but totally adult-appropriate.

Not sure I would have finished it wasn‘t for the allure of reading Judy Blume as an adult, and the fact that it based on her childhood hometown, where 3 planes crashed in 6 months or less. It was good, and compelling; just not great.

I really enjoyed this. Not much really happens, but all the space is filled with gorgeous prose. Loved I Am, I Am, I Am, her memoir, as well.

Great YA read about a teen who suffers a concussion that opens up other multiverses. He struggles to try to change the world and eradicate racism. It‘s a bit preachy, but a good story.

This book was amazing! It‘s loosely about the 1918 flu pandemic, but really it‘s about a maternity nurse assigned to help expectant mothers at a London hospital. Beautiful and intense story of some extraordinary women.

This YA book is so strong and fierce. I loved it. A mythic creature enters Jam‘s work to hunt a monster (think racist, abuser, molester), even though all of them had supposedly been eradicated decades earlier. This book does not mess around. Terrific lgbtq/black/trans culture. It‘s a world so easy to appreciate. And worth fighting for.

This YA fantasy is about 6 teens from the underbelly of society that take on a heist that could save their world. There was enough here to keep me interested, and the writing was great, but the first half was all set up, and the second half all happened in one night. And the teens all seemed like adults. Like a whole world of only orphans. That was the hardest part to swallow.

I‘ve been really struggling with reading during the pandemic, so I re-read an old favorite last week! I know Card has been cancelled recently for his views on gay marriage, but I still feel like this is a solid piece of science fiction.

Loved this audio book! I can see why it might resonate more with older readers, and the dramatic language can go a bit too far at times, but the characters and plait are solid, and I really enjoyed the narrator.

Just finished this whole series (The Wolves of Mercy Falls). Great escape from the pandemic. Love her writing. A little dated with the werewolf thing, but a healthier read than Twilight. Bonus: it was set in a fictional version of my hometown in N Minnesota! Since I am also reading a book about wolves that takes place in my hometown, that was really trippy!

For winning the Newbery, there wasn‘t much here. I didn‘t feel the characters or the themes were very well developed. Just so-so.

Ugh. Enjoyed the first book, but got so bogged down in Wade‘s miserable white wealthy privilege pity party I could not go on. Gross.

Finished this terrific book on Christmas Eve morning of the worst year of many of our lives and it has left me full of gratitude and hope. I struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, but this book has offered me a chance to look at things in a new way. What a gift reading is!

So good! As good as the first, I think. Total escapist reading.

This book was recommended to me as a fairy tale retelling, which it sort of is. But it is also its own thing. I really enjoyed the mix of magic and plot twists and teen angst that seems well rooted in circumstance. Can‘t wait to get my hands on the next one.

I listened to the audiobook, which I found to be kind of annoying. I missed the part where we were supposed to know the book was a prequel to the hunger games, so thought it came after. Wish I had known, as it was a deep dive into the psychopath that is/was prez Snow. Ugh.

This was one of the best reading experiences I‘ve had this year. Nearly perfect, light but smart YA novel. Easy to follow story about a handful of teens with magical powers in present day south. But sooo good. Almost read it one sitting. Delightful.

This book made me remember why I love The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. Joyce is such a great writer. I love when a character‘s compassion is their superpower. This was such a feel-good story, and yet the writing is so powerful.

I‘m totally in a “feminism through fairytales” kick, and this is a great addition to the genre. I listened to the audio book, which was terrific. So dark, so powerful, and so good.

Great timing for fictionalized politics. What if Hillary didn‘t marry Bill, indeed. So far I@ loving it!

I really dislike horror. But. This book, a Stranger Things meets ET, was really trippy. Interesting premise; great ending. (But so so dark).

I was not expecting to love this book, an adult distopian novel by the author of the Divergent series. I was totally into the story, the writing, and the characters. Nice flip@on the “chosen one” narrative. Still great for teens, as well.

Epistolary YA novel about a troubled teen who tells it all to Rachel Maddow via email. I thought the plot and characters were a bit weak, but it‘s a tough format to write in. I did enjoy it none the less.

Kind of your typical “chosen one”
Narrative, with lots of action and strong (if a little melodramatic) characters. My favorite part was the overlay of racism and the strong BLM focus, even though it was fantasy. The audiobook was great!

So great. Thoughtful and quiet family drama spotlighting generations of Korean immigrants in Japan and the discrimination they (still) face. Reminded me of Cutting For Stone; another fave.

Holy crap. I knew this was supposed to be good, but it was easily the best YA I‘ve read in years. Surreal and confusing, especially at first, but it‘s a spot on snapshot of how one generations warped thinking travels through generations.

Everything Whitehead writes is so satisfying to read. I may have loved this even more than Underground Railroad. I did have to read it in small doses. A great time to educate yourself on white privilege, if you are not already in the process. Wow.

Terrific YA historical fiction that is set in the 1950s in Franco‘s Spain. A really well written, well researched story of a wealthy young American falling in love with a poor Spanish maid. Lovely and informative.

Had a hard time reading the novel (not a fan of the writing style) but was able to listen to the audiobook. Terrific story! YA for all ages.

I loved this book, especially since my 18 yo just came out. Lessons learned faded quickly, though, as there was so much here! Feminism, LBGTQ, sexuality, racism, parenting, psychology....wow. All good though, just fuzzy a few days later.

If you are wondering why, at 51, you STILL struggling with relationships, read this. Such a good book. So relevant. Great writing.