The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom This is an Oh Wow! story. An innocent Irish girl, who's family died on the ship to America, has no one so she becomes an servant. The slaves take her in as family. And then she grows up. THe world of men in a time of the 1800s has no room for women to make their own choices. She has some bad encounters with men, misinformation and then the plantation owner son marries her. Things go really bad and dangerous choices must be made. Oh boy!

Secrets of the Nile #2 Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez

Secrets of the Nile #2 Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibañez If found my new favorite author. There is adventure, mystery, secrets revealed and so much more. Throw in history and magic and you have the makings of a great story. You have to love Inez. She is one brave teen. Enjoy.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

Displacement by Kiku Hughes is a great book. Also literally compares to events happening now politically. So a little bit political but not really but in a good way. Some MAGAS problaby won't like it. I love it. It is an important read. Add this to your school library. It is important because of what happened during WWII when the Japanese descent were put in horrible internment camps. Add this to your library. Seriously. It's good.

Lord Edgington Investigates #11 A Killer in the Wings by Benedict Brown

A Killer in the Wings by Benedict Brown This is a good series. Have fun going to historic England with a grandfather who loves good food and cars and solving murder mysteries as he teaches his grandson the art of being a detective. This would make a great PBS series. BBC are you listening?

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry Beautifully written. I wanted to travel to all the places the author described. The characters are fantastic and the plot well crafted. I highly recommend this as an adult read. Enjoy.

Lord Edgington Investigates #7.5 A Novel Way to Kill: A 1920s Mystery Novella by Benedict Brown

A Novel Way to Kill is a new series that I am starting. A cozy murder mystery that is told in a grandson's perspective. A good listen to or read. Enjoy.

The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold

The Blood Years by Elana K. Arnold is based on the author's grandmother who lived through a lot of experiences. Some very painful. There is a few scenes in which the youngest sister is used by an older man who provides food for their family. Being Jewish, put the family in the path of bullies from the Russians, Germans and even fellow non-Jewish neighbors. It's a story about survival, family and sisterhood. A good one to add to any high school library.

My Nest of Silence by Matt Faulkner

My Nest of Silence by Matt Faulkner is a great book to add to any school library. It's part graphic novel and part novel. A touching relationship of a young girl and her older brother. Shown both sides of the war, camp life and soldier life. Very well done.

James by Percival Everett

James is a smart story that represents Jim from Huckleberry Finn. Jim is a smart man who is running away from slavery. Huck teams up with Jim by chance and together travel meeting dangerous people and dangerous situations. Percival Everett knows how to write a story. This is a good one. The audio book also very good.

The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin

The Booklover's Library is a great story. I highly recommend this book. The audiobook super good. The characters come with solid backstories and they all connect together well. Fall in love with this book. Enjoy!

The Story Collector by Evie Gaughan , Evie Woods

The Story Collector is like a dark Hallmark Chrismtas story. It's a good solid story. I liked it very much. The balance of the two stories in two different time frames works well. Enjoy. I recommend for adult reading.

Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger #7 Ambush at Sorato by John Flanagan

Ambush at Sorato is part of a great series. Do you have a young reader who enjoys adventure? This very smart book is entertaining and lots of fighting and outwitting the enemey. A great read, a great series.

The Ghost Cat by Alex Howard

The Ghost Cat is a brilliant story that follows a cat after he passes on. He has an attatchment to the little girl who rescued him and watches her as a ghost over years when he returns in different periods of time. And he also gets to see his home changes over time. A good read and travel through history.

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust by Alan Bradley

What Time The Sexton's Spade Doth Rust book 11 has got to be the best in the series yet. It's a great series and the audibook is also very good. If you like a good mystery, this young girl is way too smart and entertaining. A good read.

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

THe Door of No Return is a story of a young boy who watches his brother get executed because of an accidental death. His life goes from normal boy antics and liking a girl to being captured and sold into slavery. Fine for any school library.

The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham

The Letter Tree is similar to You Got Mail in a different century. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook. It's a story that is a good read. Fine for teens to read also.

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys

The Bletchley Riddle is based on a real organization in this fictional account. Get a taste of code breaking as people work together to defeat Hitler's Germany's invations and bombings. A good read to add to middle school.

Black Star by Kwame Alexander

Black Star takes us back in time when things were unkind and unfair toward black people. A good book to add to any children and middle school library. Audiobook also very good. Add this one to your library.

The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow

The Girl With No Reflection is a fantasy romantic adventure story. In someways it's good but there is some plot errors that weren't explained away. There are also some f*bombs that weren't really necesary. It's okay but I felt it was a bumpy story.

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky is a good story but not at a teen level. FYI there are some negative words and some dangerous situations. Rachel is found with her mother and siblings after fallen from the roof of an apartment. The story is told in multiple viewpoints. We watch her grow up to be a young teen. She's light skinned, blue eyes and is targeted because of her different looks. Find out what happened to cause a family to come to a tragic ending and with one survivor. A good read and a good audiobook.