Sunday, September 24, 2017

A List of Cages

A List of Cages
By Robin Roe

Julian is used to hiding out--whether at school or at home--but when Adam, a senior who was Julian's foster brother years ago is sent to escort Julian to the school counselor's office, Julian suddenly finds himself a lot more involved. Adam keeps inviting Julian to do things with him and his friends. For his part, Adam is excited to reconnect with the foster brother he didn't want to lose, but he quickly realizes that something isn't right about Julian's home life and has to figure out how he can help him. This book was totally engrossing; I read it in as close to one sitting as I could (breaking only when my kids forced me to pay attention them). I absolutely couldn't wait to find out how things played out. Told alternatively from Julian's and Adam's POV, it gives the reader a chance to care deeply about both boys--happy, friendly Adam, and shy, scared Julian, which I think is brilliant in keeping the balance just right. If it were just Julian, I think it'd be too heavy and dark; if it were just Adam, it wouldn't delve deeply enough into Julian's experiences (and, Julian definitely sounds younger than Adam--as he should since he's three years younger--and entire book in his voice would likely make it too young for the intended audience). It's not an easy read; what Julian goes through is scary and horrifying and hard to read, but it's also a story that needs to be told. There were some elements that frustrated me--I'd like to have known more about the motivations of certain characters and the ending wasn't quite enough for me--but it's one I won't be forgetting easily.

4 stars.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

The Thing with Feathers

The Thing with Feathers
By McCall Hoyle

Emilie has been homeschooled for most of her life--and that's the way she likes it, because it means she doesn't have to worry about having a seizure in front of other people. So when her mom decides it's time for her to go to high school, Emilie absolutely doesn't want to go. Even when she starts to make friends--and even attracts the interest of super cute, super nice Chatham York, Emilie still thinks it'd be better to be homeschooled than to have to explain her epilepsy to anyone.

 Emilie's voice was realistic--her thoughts seemed very true to what someone in her situation would feel. And Chatham was just adorable. I loved seeing their developing relationship, but I also appreciated seeing Emilie's struggles to get along with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend. I think there are a lot of issues that will resonate with teen readers.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Love Remains

Love Remains
By Sarah M. Eden

Since the accident that left his younger brother blind, Tavish O'Connor has been trying to hold his family together. Desperate to help Finnbarr, and to restore hope to all of his family, he sends for a teacher for the blind. Cecily Attwater, who starting losing her own sight as a child, knows that she can help Finnbarr--if he and his family, proud Irishmen who dislike her for her for being an Englishwoman will let her. While she and Tavish butts heads at first, their mutual goal of helping Finnbarr draws them together, but even as they become closer, they know the animosity between the Irish and the English will make a future impossible.

I have been waiting for this book for years! (Tavish was my favorite character in the first two books in the series, so I've been waiting for him to have a chance to find love.) I was a little worried about the book and if it'd be as satisfying as I hoped, and it totally was. I loved seeing Tavish and Cecily come to understand each other and help each other. It was hard seeing the O'Connors, who I love, treat Cecily the way they did, as well as seeing Finnbarr (who might be my second favorite character in the series) be so broken initially, but I thought it was realistically written. I loved the humor in it, in spite of darker themes and situations. I hope there will be many more books in this series, and I can't wait to reread this one!

5 stars.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Love and Other Consolation Prizes

Love and Other Consolation Prizes
By Jamie Ford
When the World's Fair comes to Seattle in 1962, Ernest Young's reporter daughter JuJu wants to know more about Ernest's connection to the first World's Fair (then called the Alaskan Yukon Pacific Expo) held in Seattle in 1909. As he faces his daughter's questions, as well as dealing with his wife's health issues, Ernest reflects on his early life--when he, a half-Chinese, half-white immigrant, was a raffle prize at the fair. When the winner--the owner of a brothel--claims him, Ernest finds himself with a family of sorts for the first time and in love with two girls--Maisie, the daughter of the brothel owner, and Fahn, a Japanese servant. This book was absolutely engrossing. In some ways it's not an easy read, seeing the heartache and hardship in Ernest's life, as well as the experiences of Fahn and Maisie. It's a sobering look at the way Americans essentially kidnapped Asian people and auctioned them to the highest bidder and at racism, hypocrisy, and more. However, it's also so much more than that, with a collection of unforgettable characters and relationships. It looks at human nature, and at survival, and at love, and it's so well-written, alternating between Ernest's early life and his life in 1962. I was a little nervous about how it was going to end--but I loved it. Ernest is one of those characters you just fall in love with, and his story is definitely worth reading.
5 stars.



 Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for allowing me to read an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Monday, September 11, 2017

A Dangerous Legacy

A Dangerous Legacy
By Elizabeth Camden

Lucy Drake, a telegraph operator for the Associated Press, and her brother Nick have been caught up in a family feud for years--their grandfather invented a plumbing valve that his brother ended up making a fortune off of. Lucy and Nick, following in their father's footsteps, want the valve to be used to help everyone, not have the price so high only the rich can afford it, and they're in a legal battle with their uncle, aunt, and cousin, over the family legacy. Although it means sacrificing just about everything, Lucy is determined to see the battle through to the end.

Sir Colin Beckwith, a British aristocrat who heads up a rival news agency, needs to find a wealthy wife in order to save his family's estate, Whitefriars--which means he has no business getting involved with Lucy, who doesn't have at the fortune necessary to save his crumbling home. But as he learns about Lucy's family battle--and the larger secrets her foes are hiding--he can't help but becoming involved.

 I've read all of Elizabeth Camden's books, and while I have enjoyed all of them, this one is my favorite. It was fascinating. The plot was so interesting, with twists and turns and historical tidbits that made me want to learn more (like the completion of the AP's Pacific Cable and the controversy over whether to build a canal through Panama or through Nicaragua); there was a fair bit of action and it kept me guessing about how things would play out. I loved the banter between Lucy and Colin; they made me laugh so many times. It's fast-paced and entirely gripping. I highly recommend this one. 5 stars.

 I received a free copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.