Dark Song by Gail Giles

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Creepy..... and all too possible.
The book describes the implosion of a family who has it all one day... and loses it all too quickly. Ames sees her life crumble before her as her dad loses his job, gambles away all their assets and leaves them destitute. The situation is made more intolerable as her mother turns into the mother-from-hell. The family has to relocate where Ames meets Marc. And then things really get creepy. What a mess. You have to read this to really get the full eerily-real feel to this tale.

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Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Looking for love in all the wrong places!
Fast paced with short chapters, this novel follows the lives of 4 narrators, Ellie, Josh, Corinne (Ellie's best friend) and Caleb (Josh's best friend) describing how each is affected by the Ellie's unplanned-unwanted pregnancy.
Promiscuous Ellie sleeps around under the erroneous assumption that this equates with love and the guys will stick around. She is constantly disappointed.
Josh gets her pregnant. So the stage is set for the drama which unfolds.

What will Ellie do? Which choice is best or least painful or less wrong? Will Corinne and Caleb's relationship with each other and with Ellie withstand the pressure?

Josh feels awful; he treated Ellie horribly; he is a screw-up; but can he change?

Get the tissues out. (AP)

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Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jennifer Jones has been released on parole, and the whole country wants to know — where is JJ? Information about JJ’s whereabouts are under strict lockdown. There are only a few people who know.
Alice Tully has an ordinary life, she works at a coffee shop, lives in her apartment and has a loving boyfriend. Alice is also obsessed with reading about child murderer, JJ. Alice knows more than she lets on about JJ and the circumstances that surround the murder years ago.
A thought provoking story that delves deep into the life of the protagonist. What does Alice know?....(AP)

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The Selected Works of T. S. Spivet by Reif Larsen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This one gets a 5. It is so unique - a novel and an encyclopedia of trivia all in one.
Twelve-year-old, genius, T. S. narrates the story of his journey from Montana to Washington, D.C. to collect his Smithsonian award. As he crosses the country he also searches for an understanding of his world. Like most 12 year-old, T.S's mind wanders and the pages are filled with his diagrams, maps, reasonings - including a map of 26 McDonalds in North Dakota; an analysis of types of boredom; the merits of the juice pouch versus the juice box, to name a few. As you read the entertaining story there are these side trips to very entertaining trivia. There is never a dull moment in this book.
The writing reveals a narrator with a quirky character full of knowledge but so innocent, a flawed but loving family, and a spirit and goodness that abounds. Thank you Tecumseh Sparrow, I wish you well.

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