Starbird Murphy and the World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock

 I enjoy reading books about people involved in cults.  I am fascinated how one person can hold such control over a group.  Starbird Murphy lives on The Free Family Farm, a commune in the woods of Washington State.  Starbird loves her "family," and doesn't really see any problems with their lifestyle.  Then she gets her "calling." She is "called" to be a waitress at the Family run restaurant in Seattle.  This is Starbird's first dealing with the "world outside" and she is not so sure it is the best place for her.  I loved Starbird's journey of self discovery as she navigates going to public school, handling money and other activities for the very first time in her life.  If you also like books about those living in communes or cults you may want to try The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecelia Galante and Schooled by Gordon Korman.

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin

Oh my goodness, I read Blind about a month ago and completely forgot to blog about it!  One time when I was little (around 4 or 5) the power had gone out in the middle of the night, but I didn't realize it and just thought I had go blind.  I was in a complete panic till my mother showed up in my bedroom to explain what happened.  Unfortunately for Emma, the main character in Blind, this unthinkable tragedy happens to her and there is no "waking up from it".  After a horrific accident leaves her blind, Emma has to figure out how to live again. She does this at the same time as she is trying to make sense of why a friend of hers took her own life. I really liked this book. So much of the imagery of books is visual..."this person looked like this" or "the setting looked like this."  With Emma giving a first person narrative, you don't get that.  The author did a great job describing Emma's world to us as she "saw" it with her other senses and feelings.  Great read.  

Wild Boy by Rob Lloyd Jones

This book is a delightful, fast-paced read.  I loved the main character of Wild boy.  Wild Boy is a child that is covered with hair and was abandoned as an infant and has been raised in workhouse.  He is found by the owner of a freak show and taken to live there.  Wild boy is treated so poorly, it just breaks your heart.  He has learned to be a keen observer of people just like Sherlock Holmes.  This is a very good skill to have when he is accused of murder and he and Clarissa, an acrobat in the circus that accompanies the freak show, have to solve the case.  This book takes place in Victorian London, which I loved as well as the fantastical sci-fi slant that it has.

Seven Wonders: The Curse of the King by Peter Lerangis

Another exciting installment of the Seven Wonders series.  This is book number four.  If you haven't read 1-3, I would go back and start from the beginning.  This is not a series you can read out of order if you want to understand what is happening.  Jack and his friends continue searching for the lost Loculi (the source of power for the lost city of Atlantis that has been split up into 7 pieces).  This series is like the Percy Jackson series in that you learn about ancient civilizations and gods and the adventure never ceases to entertain.  The only bad thing is now having to wait until book number 5 is released.

After Eden by Helen Douglas

This was a quick, easy read that I enjoyed and finished in a day.  Eden is in her last year of school in a small town in England.  A new, very handsome, boy shows up.  Ryan seems to know a lot about the subjects in school but not a lot about simple things like what pizza or hamburgers are or who Hitler is.  Eden figures out his secret and then decides to help Ryan with his "mission," the whole reason he has entered her world.  I found Eden's reaction to Ryan's secret just a tiny bit unbelievable, she believed him a little too readily and his secret is something that is pretty "out there."  Other than that, I liked the story.  

Golden Sower Nominees 2015-2016

I did it! As soon as school ended I started reading the 10 Intermediate and 10 Young Adult Golden Sower nominees and I have just finished them!  There is something for everyone in the Golden sower titles this year: dystopian, realistic fiction, mystery, historical fiction, fantasy and magic.  If you are looking for a good book to read during the rest of summer vacation check out one of the Golden Sower titles.  

      

Intermediate Nominees:

• The Blossoming Universe of Violet Diamond
• Charlie Bumper vs. the Teacher of the Year
• Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I
• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
• The Girl from Felony Bay 
• Half a Chance
• Hold Fast
• Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin
• Sky Jumpers
• A Snicker of Magic

Young Adult Nominees:

• Counting by 7s 
• Far Far Away
• The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die
• Golden Boy
• The Lightning Dreamer
• Prisoner 88
• QB 1
• Stung
• The Testing
• Turn Left at the Cow

Haunters by Thomas Taylor

I am a vivid dreamer, but this novel takes vivid dreaming to another level!  In this story, those that have the ability can "dreamwalk" themselves into other times in history.  Yes, that's right...time travel through dreaming.  When they appear in history they appear as ghosts.  The agency that David gets involved with try to protect the past and "uphold the dreamwalker's" code.  But there are other dreamwalkers, the Haunters, that are attempting to change history to gain power and wealth for themselves.  It is up to the dreamwalkers to stop them and protect the past, their present and their future.  Lots of action in this book and a great surprise ending!!  I am thinking this will probably become a series, but haven't heard about when the release of the next book might be.