Librarian Book Review: Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Summary:
After her father is killed in a fire and she kills a man who attempts to rape her, Chinese American Sammy escapes with the help of Annamae who is a runaway slave. Both girls know that the punishment if they are caught will be death. Together they head west along the Oregon Trail, hoping to find Annamae's brother and Sammy's father's business partner so they can start a new life. Along they way they fall in with a group of young cowboys, who help them survive the dangers of the trail.​

Review:
There aren't many young adult westerns written, so I was very excited to find this one. There have been two other young adult westerns written in the last year (Vengeance Road  by Erin Bowman and Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson), so I am hoping this is a new trend in young adult publishing. This book tells the story of a Chinese American girl who is on the run with a runaway slave after she kills a man who attempts to rape her. Sammy is a likable character and her history and background are well developed. She is a real person, but so often people judge her by the color of her skin. The story is fast paced from the very beginning when Sammy kills the man and doesn't stop moving until the very end.

Overall:
This was one of those books where I finished and I wanted more--it was just so much fun to read. The story has action, adventure, danger, and romance--a great combination.​

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Sex: attempted rape
Drugs/Alcohol: some hard cider and other drinks are present in the novel
Language: mild
Violence: yes

Librarian Book Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Summary:
Meira is one of the few free Winterians left after her kingdom was captured when she was a baby 16 years ago. She longs to fight to free the captive people of Winter and to restore their prince to the throne. In a world ruled by magic and politics, Meira begins to realize that she is a pawn in a much larger game, and that her destiny isn't what she thought it would be.​

Review:
​Like many fantasy novels this one has a lot of world building and it takes a while for you to get used to the world Raasch has created. Meira is a fighter. She is strong, determined, and more than a little rash. She longs to prove herself, and free her people. In some ways this novel was predictable--as a saw the ending coming. Still it is a well written and entertaining fantasy for those who love books like Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. 



Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Violence: Definitely
Sex: Vague references
Language: None
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild

Librarian Book Review: Slasher Girls & Monster Boys stories selected by April Genevieve Tucholke

Summary:
​This short story collection contains a number of horror stories from well known YA authors. From creepy birds to tragic tea parties, this collection has it all.

Review:
Normally, short story collections are hit and miss. You get really great stories, and then some not so great stories. This collection is different. While all the stories are greatly varied, they are all wonderful. Each story is inspired by film or classic horror tales. This is definitely for the horror fan as some of the stories are a bit disturbing, but fantastic. This is one of the best short story collections I have read in a while.​

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
​This one can be more than a bit disturbing. There are stories of abduction, cutting off body parts, and many other nightmare scenarios. Be warned, this one is amazing, but could be disturbing to the sensitive reader.

Click here to place a hold.

Waiting On Wednesday: Interference by Kay Honeyman

“Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine, and it gives you a chance to spotlight a book that you are eagerly waiting to be released.

This week, I picked:

Interference

By Kay Honeyman

Publication Date: September, 27th 2016

From Goodreads:

As a Congressman's daughter in Washington, DC, Kate Hamilton is good at getting what she wants -- what some people might call "interfering." But when her family moves to West Texas so her dad can run in a special election, Kate encounters some difficulties that test all her political skills. None of her matchmaking efforts go according to plan. Her father's campaign gets off to a rough start. A pro tip for moving to Texas: Don't slam the star quarterback's hand in a door. And whenever Kate messes up, the irritatingly right (and handsome) Hunter Price is there to witness it. But Kate has determination and a good heart, and with all her political savvy -- and a little clever interference -- she'll figure out what it takes to make Red Dirt home.

Why I picked it:

1. Because when I think of Texas, I think of cowboys... And who doesn't love cowboys?
2. I'm curious to see how things work out between Hunter and Kate. I tend to fall for the books when the main character and the love interest argue and irritate each other at first... It makes them getting together at the end that much more satisfying.
3. But what if it's not Hunter and Kate together at the end? What if it's Kate and the star quarterback who end up as a couple? What if Hunter and the quarterback are the same person? These are the questions I need answered!
4. This sounds like one of those cute contemporary novels similar to that of Sarah Dessen, Kasie West, and Morgan Matson. And I am rather fond of those authors,.. So we shall see if this one lives up to my expectations.

Monday Meme: Social Media

Social media. It can be good, it can be bad, it can be ugly. Here are some novel choices inspired by the Internet world.

Girl Online- Zoella- The story of a girl who catalogs her life on a blog by a girl who is famous as an Internet personality. Click here to check it out at the library!

The Future of Us- Jay Asher, Carolyn Mackler- In 1996, two teens discover a future Facebook where they can find out what their lives are going to be like as adults. When they realize that different decisions affect what their lives are like, they realize that even small decisions affect the outcome of their lives. Click here to check it out.

#scandal- Sarah Ockler- A story about how plastering your life on social media- or someone else doing it for you- can lead to unexpected consequences. Click here to get it from the library.

Librarian Book Review: Court of Fives by Kate Elliott

​Summary:
All Jess dreams of doing is running the Fives and being a competitor, but when a ruthless lord rips apart her family and takes her on as a student she finds that she is running the Fives to protect her mother and sisters. With the help of Kal, a friend way above her station, she will do what she must to protect her family.

Review:
It took me a little while to settle into this novel, but once I got past the beginning I was hooked. Jess's society was at first difficult to understand. In many ways it seemed reminiscent of Roman society. You have the high ranking Patron class and the commoners. Jess's mother was a commoner and her father a Patron, and as a result his family with Jess's mother isn't recognized and it leaves the girls vulnerable because they are not protected by the rights of either class. Like I said--it was a rocky start to understand all this, but as the novel progressed it began to make more sense. Jess's character is well developed and there is plenty of action in this novel. The second book Poisoned Blade will be out soon, and is definitely going to be on my reading list.

Overall:
Overall, this was an interesting adventure and I look forward to reading what comes next for Jess and her sisters.​

Cautions for Sensitive Readers:
Violence: Yes
Sex: References, but nothing explicit
Language: No
Drugs/Alcohol: Mild drinking

Monday Meme: Back to School Books!

Yep, it's time for back to school! Here are 3 such themed books to get you in the mood (except for #3-- that one just might scare you into never wanting to go back). Click the cover to go to the goodreads page or the link below to request a copy from the library.

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