Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson ~ beautifully written ~ serious subject matter that keeps you turning the pages

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I sat down with this book and read it, cover-to-cover in one day. Then I had to put it aside to wait a few days before I could write this review. The book was just that stunning.

I'm not new to the works of Laurie Halse Anderson. I have read and enjoyed two other stunning titles from her, including Catalyst and Speak. Yes, this is young adult work, but it is appealing to all ages. So, I am already a fan of her writing style.

This is the story of a girl's decent into the horrors of anorexia, along with what it does to that girl's family. But before you write it off as not subject matter that would interest you, give it a try. Laurie Halse Anderson joins the ranks of Alice Hoffman and other's who write in a nearly poetic way. She builds in just enough suspense to keep you reading.

This book is a beautifully written story about a harsh, heart-breaking subject matter that will leave you thinking for days.

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A very grown up, magic-laced YA novel!

Spellbinding by Maya Gold
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very grown up, magic-laced YA novel!

I didn't have high expectations for this book, but Maya Gold drew me in quickly with the ancestor search and subsequent trip to Salem that the protagonist Abby Silva makes, especially since that ancestor was an accused witch.

Abby Silva is a self-conscious girl, not in the "in" crowd at school. She and friend Rachel are overachievers at school, yearning to be at the top of their class. When Abby goes for her driver's test and celebrates with her friend Rachel by taking a trip to Salem to research an ancestor, a cast of interesting and some magical characters enter the story. One of the most magical is Rem, a young man she meets that she feels somehow connected to. Meanwhile, Abby suspects that she has some untapped magical abilities and begins to use them to change things that shouldn't be changed.

Don't want to give away too much of the story, but I will say that the story arc builds to a climax that takes your breath away.

This reads like a stand alone novel, but I'm hoping Maya Gold has more in store for those of us who really enjoyed this magical ride.




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Angels and demons and girl convinced she's crazy

A Shimmer of Angels by Lisa M. Basso
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Just finished reading this book and am happy to see that another book in the series is due out in 2014... especially since this one ended without all the threads of the story tied up neatly.

Rayna is 16 and she's been committed to the nuthouse three times because her visions of angels are seen as schizophrenia. I also must add that there is something deeper going on with her father since he's a little too quick to pull the trigger on his daughter's commitment. Unfortunately, the early Rayna sounds incredibly childish and weak minded, believing she must really be as crazy as they say she is. That went on for so long that it almost made me put the book aside and quit reading it. But then I would have missed all the fun stuff, with angels and demons, hunky Cam and Kade, and a story arc that was unpredictable. Characters were so well created that they felt real.

This was an excellent YA novel, especially when Rayna grew stronger and less childish. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series!




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