War of Storms by Erica Cameron is book three of the Ryogan Chronicles, and sees an end to the war with Varan and his fellow bobasu. Khya, still growing in strength from the susuji, is determined to draw Varan and the former Mireseh out, that they might pay justice for the lies they have told, […]
Jaclyn and the Beanstalk by Mary Ting turned the tale of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ on its head. Jaclyn lives with her mum and dad on their isolated farm. She knows how to wield a sword, thanks to her father. When he, and several companions, set out to take care of some monsters terrorising the […]
The Color of Lies by CJ Lyons is an intriguing exploration of the world of a family of synesthetes, and one young woman in particular. Ella Cleary, like most of her family on her mother’s side, has a form of synesthesia. This is a unique condition where two or more of the senses become cross-wired. […]
Inward by Yung Pueblo is a beautiful collection of spiritual poems. Two serve as an intro of sorts, followed by 5 sections- Distance, Union, Interlude, Self-Love, and Understanding. This book dealt me a gut punch. These poems sang to my soul, conjuring sadness and longing, but hope as well. They are about loving yourself, and […]
Super Chill: A Year of Living Anxiously by Adam Ellis Super Chill: A Year of Living Anxiously by Adam Ellis is a quirky cartoon collection that perfectly captures the essence of living with an anxiety disorder. I related to so many of these cartoons. I appreciated that the main person in the cartoons was a […]
Nemesis is fourth in Ross’ Fourth Talisman series. The search for the remaining talismans continues. At Val Moraine, the siege is finally broken by Nazafareen. She manages to take the deadly ice diamond from Victor but, half-crazed, he flees into the keep’s depths rather than leaving with the others, only to end up accidentally setting […]
A Promise Stitched in Time by Colleen Rowan Kosinski is a poignant tale of love and friendship that transcends time. Maggie McConnell is a young artist with a deadline for entry into an art contest. Maggie hopes to win a scholarship to the Peabody Academy. On a quest for the perfect inspiration, Maggie buys a […]
East by Edith Pattou is a delightful re-imagining of the fairytale ‘East of the Sun, West of the Moon’. Rose is born into a large, poor family, to a superstitious ma. The family is starving, the farm failing, when a mysterious visitor approaches them and says he will give the family an improvement of their […]
Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood is a kid’s historical fiction novel about the sinking of the SS City of Benares by a German U-Boat. Among the passengers were children being sent from London to Canada to keep them safe from the bombings. We see the story through the eyes of a survivor, 13yr old Ken […]
Rosario’s 500 Words or Less is a poignant, raw look into the heart of one young woman’s senior high school year. Told entirely through free verse poetry, Nic Chen’s story is one of unbearable loneliness and devastating loss. Two years ago, Nic and her best friend Ben became more than just friends. In one drunken […]