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Sophie finds herself separated from her mom and sister as they evacuate their North Carolina island as a hurricane hits. She is trapped with Finn, a guy who broke her heart during Freshman year. As they seek shelter from the storm, Sophie learns more about Finn as well as herself. This book was one of those that kept taunting me to pick it up every time I walked past the shelf. I really liked it. I had a hard time putting it down especially once the hurricane hit. I thought this was a good coming-of-age story.
Avery Grambs has to live in the Hawthorne House for only a few more weeks before she inherits billions when a mysterious visitor arrives. Avery and the boys must solve a new puzzle and this time it is with an unknown player who is very dangerous.
This was fun mystery with never many twists and turns. Fans of the previous Inheritance books will devour this one. Jeff Shaara tells the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor using the points of view of its participants including Secretary of State Cordell Hull, Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander Joseph Rochefort, and Sailor Tommy Biggs assigned to the U.S.S. Arizona. Shaara puts the reader in the various points of view of naval life at Pearl Harbor, the planning of the attack in Japan, and the negotiations between Hull and the Japanese Ambassador Kischisaburo Nomura. The attack itself looks at both sides including the spy in Hawaii. This was hard to put down. The fictional character, Tommy Biggs, gave me a sense of what it was like to be stationed at Pearl Harbor. The attack itself was intense reading. Those interested in World War II and historical fiction should pick up this book. Fabiola Toussaint and her mother arrive in Detroit from Port-au-Prince, Haiti to live with her aunt and cousins on American Street. However, Fabiola's mother is detained by U.S. Immigration leaving her by herself to navigate this very different nation. While trying to figure out her new life as well as her mother's whereabouts, Fabiola is given a dangerous choice that could put her freedom in peril. This book had been on my "To Read" list for some time, but when I heard that a gentleman was objecting to the book being a part of the English curriculum at the local public high school because of one scene, I decided it was time to give it a try. I found it to be a wonderful story about trying to settle in a new country and determining what is right. I do recommend this book to upper-teens. Jon Krakauer investigates the death of Christopher Johanson McCandless. In 1992, McCandless gave away his life savings, abandoned his car, and hitchhiked to Alaska. His body was found four months later. Through interviews with the people who interacted with McCandless and his explorations of the Alaskan wilderness, Krakauer describes McCandless's last days.
This is a powerful book about man versus nature. Using his journalistic skills, Krakauer unearthed McCandless's last months and explored how much the Alaskan wilderness changes from early spring into summer. This novel takes place in 1932. Odie O'Banion and his brother, Albert are orphans at the Lincoln Indian Training School in Minnesota. They live in horrid conditions at the school. After a terrible incident, they are forced to flee with their best friend Mose, and a little girl named Emmy in a canoe on the Gilead River heading for the Mississippi River. They hope to find a new life in St. Louis. Along their journey, they meet various people struggling in their ways during the Great Depression. By far, this was the best book I have read this year so far. With similarities to Mark Twain's masterpiece, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, this is William Kent Krueger's masterpiece. There are moments you cheer for these four kids, other times you cringe, and moments you get tears in your eyes. This is an adventure and coming-of-age novel that I highly recommend to teens and adults who enjoy a great story. Erik Larson takes us on an in-depth look at what happened on the Lusitania during her last voyage across the Atlantic. We get to know the passengers, the captain, the U-boat 20 captain, President Wilson, Room 40, and other British Naval officers.
This is not a boring history book. Larson, like his other books, writes this story as an adventure novel - a very well-researched adventure novel. His descriptions are so vivid. I really liked how I got to know William Thomas Turner; the U-20 captain, Walther Schwieger; President Woodrow Wilson; and passengers like Boston bookseller Charles Lauriat and architect Theodate Pope Riddle. Those who have an interest in history and the sea will enjoy this great book. This is the fifth Truly Devious novel featuring Stevie Bell and her friends. In this mystery, they travel to England to solve the murders of two college graduates which occurred in 1995 at a country house when they and seven others were playing a game. This trip also gives Stevie a chance to deepen her relationship with David who is studying in England. I was excited to read about another adventure with Stevie and her friends. This is also the second novel that takes place outside of Ellingham Academy which I admit I rather miss. It interested me, but I didn't get into the story as much as I did with the other novels. |
AuthorMr. Andrusyk is a school librarian at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois. Past Book RecommendationsClick here to view a listing of Mr. Andrusyk's list of favorite authors, series, fiction, and nonfiction. Archives
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