Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian

It took me awhile to get around to reading this book, but I am so glad that I finally did.  It was great.  I loved how complex Thora/Theodosia was and I truly hated the Kalovaxian leaders - the Kaiser and Theyn especially.  I can’t wait to read Lady Smoke when it becomes available to see where the story goes.  I’ll be recommending this book to others

The Day I Ran Away! by Holly Niner & illustrated by Isabella Ongaro

You need to check out this book when it becomes available.  Everything was going wrong for Grace, so she decided to run away, but what do you do when you aren't allowed to cross the street?  Grace tells her dad all about her day and running away while he tucks her into bed at night.  He listens intently, commenting at just the right times.  It's precious.

Look for it in April!

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

An absolutely amazing historical fiction.  I highly recommend the audio book.  Each of the characters is read by a different person and it really makes each character come to life with their own personalities.  It is a sad tale set during World War II so be prepared...but it is so poignant.  There is a beauty to the writing of Sepetys.

The Infinity Year of Avalon James by Dana Middleton

A great book about friendship and the magic it creates.  Besides the relationship between Avalon and Atticus, the book also deals with several issues familiar to kids namely, the issue of bullies and learning from our own mistakes.

4 stars

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog

An absolutely adorable book about a young girl struggling to read and the library dog who helps her gain the courage she needs.  This is exactly why libraries want to have therapy dog programs.

What She Wanted by Julie Anne Lindsey

What She Wanted tells the story of Katy, and orphaned 17-year-old living with her grandfather.  Her mother died when she was just a baby after succumbing to cancer.  She refused treatment because she was still pregnant with Katy when she was diagnosed.  Her grandmother died when she was 8.  Her grandfather never recovered from the death of his daughter or wife and has kept Katy at a distance since she was 8.

Katy has one friend, Heidi, a camera, and a dream.  She just has to turn 18, move out of her grandfather's house, and figure out how to get into NYFA.  Her life is filled with one obstacle after another, and things go down hill when her grandfather suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma.  After discovering a journal that her mother wrote for her, Katy decides that she wants to live up to her mother's wishes.  With the help of Heidi and an unexpected friend, Katy discovers that family is what you make it and sometimes you just have to open your heart to the world.

Julie Anne Lindsey did a great job with this book.  Katy is a very likable teenager who gets dealt a bad hand from birth.  I found myself rooting for Katy and hoping that she would have something to celebrate instead of grieve.

Alone by D.J. Brazier

I almost stopped reading this book because it was just a bit too much for me to stomach at first.  I'm glad I didn't and kept reading.  It was a gripping story and Brazier did an amazing job telling the story of a young boy stranded in the Amazon following a plane crash.  As a reader, I felt every struggle and celebrated the triumphs as his will to survive is pitted against the harsh reality of being alone in the Amazon.