Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I know a book is a good one when I have to keep reading to satisfy my curiosity about a character or plot. Sparrow Road offers mystery in abundance. O'Connor creates a very real world with characters you can relate to and see in your own life. The story combines dreams, sadness, happiness and imagination.
Raine and her mother abruptly move from Milwaukee, leaving behind friends, a job and a grandfather to take a summer job in Sparrow Road. Once owned by a rich family, Sparrow Road was donated to charity, became an orphanage and later shut down; now it is an artists' haven. And here is where the mysteries begin: why did Raine's mother suddenly decided to move? What is the connection between Lillian and Viktor? What happened to all those orphans, especially Lyman who left his name on a painting in the attic.
An enthralling read. Well worth the time.



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The Truth About Truman School by Dori Hillestad Butler

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Zebby is SO DONE with censorship!!!
As the school administrators force another layer of censorship on the school newspaper, editor Zebby quits!
Though she is done with editing the school paper, she is not done writing about the truth! With the help of her friend Amr, Zebby starts an underground website dedicated to getting the truth about Truman Middle School out to the students.
But while Zebby envisions lively discussions about the math curriculum, the website morphs into something she and Amr never expected—a malicious gossip site.
So when the cyberbullying attacks a particular girl, Zebby tries to get to the bottom of the problem and set the records straight. But how??




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Lockdown: Escape from Furnace by Alexander Gordon Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Furnace is no ordinary prison - it's demonic. It is run by a sadistic warden with the help grotesque guards who bully, abuse and force inmates to do hours of manual labor. Alex has been framed for a murder and finds himself sentenced to life in Furnace. Can someone remain human in an inhuman hell?
The book is a page turner, has lots of violence, suspense and surprises. It ends abruptly leaving you frustrated that you don't have the next installment.



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Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a lovely, enjoyable, uplifting story. I could imagine this story being a movie of the week on the Lifetime Channel.

Living in the school bus her mother drives as a part-time job, Amber Appleton is an upbeat Catholic who spreads joy and happiness while keeping her own difficulties at home very quiet. Amber is irrepressible, always adopting the underdog: a group of needy students; a group of shy Korean women; a Vietnam veteran and haiku specialist; and a nursing home full of old grumps.
Amber's unending optimism in the face of difficult circumstances is well depicted with snappy dialogue and inner musings. When real tragedy hits and Amber is unable to cope, the stark difference between the Amber of the past and the present is effectively delivered in white space and short paragraphs. Amber feels blank. So, can she reemerge as her old exuberant self; can her bunch of misfit friends help? How?
Hugely enjoyable




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The Interrogation of Gabriel James by Charlie Price

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I started this book with the intention of skimming, but got hooked. From the get-go you know there has been a double murder ... but that's all you know. Bit by bit, like peeling the layers of an onion, pieces of the mystery are revealed through Gabe's questioning by the police. You know there has been a crime but you don't know the who, why, where, or how ... and that keeps you reading.



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Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Fast, witty dialog and comic-book plotting distinguish this novel. A quick and easy mystery featuring the paranormal has cupcake baker Lizzy Tucker searching for special stones which can cause havoc to the world if found by the wrong people. She has special skills that help find the stones and help from a couple of questionably “normal” people. Diesel is sent to protect Lizzy as bad guy Gerwulf Grimoire is hunting for clues to find the stones. The ancient stones are tied to the Seven Deadly Sins; consequently, clues take the form of pride, greed, lust, envy, wrath, sloth and gluttony. This is book one on this Unmentionable series and focused on Greed, the subsequent books I guess will focus on the other sins.



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Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

Fixing Delilah by Sarah Ockler

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This novel not only tells a story of a family concealing secrets, failing to communicate and not willing to forgive; it is a story for all families - as what family is perfect. We can all learn from Delilah's story. Delilah’s grandmother has died so she and her mother make the trip back to Vermont. This is the first time in 8 years that the pair have been in Vermont since Dlilah's grandfather’s funeral. The funeral that stopped Delilah’s yearly summertime visits, the funeral that changed everything. Delilah has no idea what happened that day. She begins to see that she is not the only one with secrets and actions that need to be explained. Her family is hiding a generation of Hannaford secrets, secrets that would fill in the missing links of her life. Secrets that are too painful to be retold.



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