His Hideous Heart edited by Dahlia Adler

If you are a fan of Edgar Allan Poe, you'll enjoy these rewrites inspired by his short stories.  The last half of the book are the 13 stories by Poe that inspire the stories.  And the audio book is a good read.  Enjoy.  I would like to get for my high school library.  Poe is a very popular author.

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump

Wow, it explains a lot.  The audiobook also good.  I was curious.  Boy oh boy.

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

An interesting read.  Entertaining. 

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles

I liked this story.  I would add this to my own high school library.  It's a good read.  I remember when Vanessa Williams was crowned.  I was very happy for her.  This story is excellent.  When problems occur, it made one feel like you were part of the story.  A great read.  Add this to your library.

The Smoke Thieves The Demon World By Sally Green

There is some mature content in this story, just a heads up.  It's a good read told in many different circumstances.  The author does a good job juggling everyone's story and weaves it all through the story. She creates sympathy for her characters.  It's a good read.  Also good audio book.

Goodnight Lab by Chris Ferrie

It's a great picture book for any ages.  I'm buying this for my neighbor young adult who is a chemistry major.  I think it will make him a great gift.  If you are a science fan, add this to your collection.  Enjoy.

My Year In The Middle by Lila Quintero Weaver

  I loved this book.  Turns out the author used her life experiences to create this story.  I was 5 years old in the 1970s when this story takes place and there is a lot that came back to me when I read this story.  Of course I lived in California and watched in the news.  This story works well for looking at history of the 1970s in the US.  A good read.  Enjoy.

Very, Very, Very Dreadful by Albert Marrin

Oh my goodness.  What a read.  Audio book also good.  I am getting this for my school library.  What's scary is that we are now in a Pandemic and the same thing is happening all over again.  This is an important read.  Put this one on your list.  Read as soon as possible.  I think presidents, people in the White House and the federal government should read this.  Governors and school boards too.

Stalking Jack the Ripper Capturing The Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

One sexy murder mystery.  The series is great.  Rather Gothic tone.  Fine for teens but there is one or two mature scenes.   Lots of build up in rising action to one suspenseful conclusion.

All We Have Left by Wendy Mills

Get this book in your library now.  It is an excellent read.  Grief, understanding, anger and pain coupled with family dysfunction and things not said makes this a woven story of two time frames of a tragic time and years later.  A sister who was very little when her brother died.  A scarf, a knife and story uncovered when the truth is sought.  A powerful read.  You are taken in to the towers in a time when destruction and urgency lead to survival.

I Am Human: Empathy by Verde & Reynolds

I love works done by Peter Reynolds.  A great illustrator and writer as well.  The team of Verde and Reynolds have created a great series for younger children.  It's a good investment to add to a young child's library.  Enjoy.

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley

Add this one to your library because it is great.  It had drama, great images and a great story line.  Based on the author's youth, she draws upon many different family dynamics.  It is an honest read and one readers will get.  I think this is my new favorite graphic novel.  Enjoy.

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Sisters band together to help a sister with some mental health issues.  The sister does end up committing suicide.  It's a story about family and grief and so much more. It's a good read.

Mind Over Money by Claudia Hammond

A good and interesting read.  The audio book also very good.  Enjoy.

J. K. Rowling Fantastic Beasts by Newt Scamander

If you are a Harry Potter Fan, you will enjoy.  Fine for any school library.

Boss Up! By Lindsay Teague Moreno

I liked this book.  It's filled with good advice and stories to help others be successful in running their business.  It's a good read and a good audio book.  Enjoy.

Anna Dressed In Blood by Kendare Blake

I'm getting this one for my high school library.  Its a good thriller.  Think Ghosts  Busters at a teen level.  Match that with male version of Buffy the Vampire Killer (only this would be ghosts) I see this as a popular book.  Audio book also good.  Enjoy 

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

This book is a good read.  The story works well.  Fine for any high school library or middle school library.  I predict it will be popular for teens who enjoy light fantasy.  It's a good read.  Enjoy.

How I Became A Spy by Deborah Hopkinson

Everything was a bit to pat in this story.  He meets the right people, they have the right skills.

It was alright.  It's fine for any library  Just not my favorite.  It wasn't believable for me.  

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

A good read.  Add this one to your elementary and middle school library.  It's a good read.  Grandma relives the 60's and she isn't doing so well.  Her young grandson feels responsible and is place in a very difficult situation.  A delicate balance of being both a young grandson and also trying to be responsible.  Enjoy.

Stu Truly by Dan Richards

If your reader enjoys Diary of A Wimpy Kid, they will enjoy this as well.  Add this one to your school library for middle and elementary schools.  It's a light hearten story of a boy who falls for a girl.

The Length of A String by Elissa Brent Weissman

I liked this story as two parallels stories.  It's good for elementary and middle school libraries.  It's a good read.

Stella Diaz Has Something To Say by Angela Dominguez

This book fits well with any school library for both elementary and middle school.  It helps readers see another student struggling with language and cultural differences.  It's a good read.  

The House That Lou Built by Mae Respicio

I loved this story.  It's great to find some Filipino stories.  I had a high school student that asked for more.  This isn't really high school but there are a lot of cultural references that I think my student would have enjoyed.  She's graduated now but if she sees this blog, this one is for her.  

I like that ideal with having two cultures and working on fitting in.  It's a good read.  Enjoy.

Sophomores and Other Oxymorons by David Lubar

I am so getting this for my high school library.  Too funny!  And great lessons embedded inside.

You will enjoy.

The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane

I liked this book a lot.  It was easy to read and very helpful.  I wish I had read this when I was in high school and college.  I think I will add this to my high school library.

Choose FI Your blueprint to Financial Independence

This would have been helpful in high school junior and senior year.  I'm getting for my high school library.

I am Yoga by Verde and Reynolds

Add this one to your library.  I'm a big fan of Peter Reynolds and his illustrations really work well with this book.  It's a picture book on how to do Yoga.  Enjoy.

Living Simply A Teen Guide To Minimalism by Sally McGraw

It's good.  I'm adding to my high school library.  Also good for middle school as  well.  Enjoy.

Undefeated by Steve Sheinkin

True story about Jim Thorpe and Pop Warner.  Jim played football and base ball and even did track.  He was a natural athlete who made it to the Olympics in Europe.  It's an eye opener for all that Jim had to face.  It's a good read and a good audio book.  Add this one to your library.

Boy Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

Sometimes, it's nice to add different books in this blog besides YA and children books.  I like Meg Cabot since she writes for both adult and YA.  She does a great job.  This is a tiny bit dated but still fun to read.  Very clever.  The audio book is also a good listen.  Enjoy.

Hello Neighbor Buried Secrets by Carly Anne West

The mystery deepens in this small town with the architect who is off his rocker.  What happened?  Read and find out.  Fine for any school library.  

Ashlords by Scott Reintgen

Great story.  Lots of drama, action and diverse characters.  Magical horses and a brutal race makes this book a great story.  I plan on getting this for my library.  Enjoy.  Audio book very good.

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

A great murder mystery story.  Lots of secrets in this town.  What happened to the missing girl.

Lots of surprises.  It's a good read.  I am going to get for the library.

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl and April Henry

I love a good murder mystery and this is a good one.  A little predictable but still good.  Enjoy.

Copycat by Hannah Jayne

This is a thriller, and reminds me of the Scream movie series. It's a good murder mystery thriller and I would add this to the library.  Enjoy.

The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore

It's a good read and fine for any school library.  

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

It's an important read because it helps us understand or connect to other people's world.  It's is personally written about the author's life.  It's a good read.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

This is a book that I would say read first.  It's an honest book told by the author based on what he had experienced. 

The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley

I was disappointed in this story. I had a hard time believing the plot and magical elements to the story.  I am going to pass on this book.  I hope the series gets better in plot and elements but this one just didn't work out, at least for me.

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Oh you have to listen to the audio book.  It's too funny.  A fractured fairy tale that will fit in any library.

Enjoy.

Aru Shah And The Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi

It's a good series and will fit nicely in any middle school library.  If you like Percy Jackson series, add this to your reading list.  It's a good read.  Enjoy.

One For The Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

A great book to add to any middle school library.  A raw book in the sense of a young girl, filled with pain and disappointment in a parent that she had trusted.  Her mom has remarried and the step-father is abusive.  Carly and her mom end up in a hospital, which leads her going to a foster home.  The foster mom is one of the kindest people as problems and anger keep being expressed.  It's a good read.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones

I loved this story and will get for my high school library.  It's great for any fan who loves zombie stories and medieval type stories infused with magic.  It's a page turner.  A great read.  Add this to your high school library.  

Forever or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter

I loved this book.  It starts off a bit strange and invites you in to dive deeper.  These two siblings love each other and help each other adapt to their world.  They have trouble trusting adults and other children and live in their bubble.  Their incredible adopted mother who adopted them as older children, has them going to a counselor, a tremendous help.  It's a journey of finding themselves and becoming a family.  It's a very good read.

Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi

This is a book we need now.  To help us as a whole understand how black people have been treated

over the years and why.  How different perspectives played out.  From presidents to everyday people 

responded to racism with actions that go beyond abuse.  This book was written a few months before what is going on right now in the United States.  It is timed perfectly to help us all understand the roots of  anger, hurt and frustration that are being expressed in today's world.  It is an important read.

I'm getting for my high school library!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

A beautiful story, think, Alice in Wonderland but an adult version filled with adventure, romance and mystery.  The audio book also very good.  Enjoy.  

Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb

A sweet story of a four generation from Russia to America.  Four women raising their children as told 

by a grandmother encouraging her grand daughter.  Listen to the audio book.  It's told sweetly.  

Incognito The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman

If you are interested in learning about the brain, this would be a good book to read or listen to.  I was curious so I read and am glad I did.

Little Universes by Heather Demetrios

Two sisters, one who is adopted, lose their parents to a tsunami wave when their parents were on vacation.  How they deal with grief are very different.  One on drugs and the other tries to help her.  This is one intense book.  Lots of out of control problems.  I don't think I would put this in my high school library.  But it is a good YA read.