Random Reads

This category is an assortment of all genres that I read and loved, but could not find a home for them in the other categories.  They have nothing in common except I read them, loved them, and think you will too.

Before, After, and Somebody in Between by Jeannine Garsee

     Tenth grader Martha Kowalski has a hard life.  She's living in a bad neighborhood and she is the only white girl in her high school.  Her mother is an alcoholic drug user who's living with another addict.  Her mother's boyfriend Wayne begins hitting her and Martha is at the end of her rope.  Her mother falls off the wagon and enters rehab.  Martha is sent to a foster home where she lasts only a couple of days.  By a stroke of good luck, she is invited to stay with a rich family where she thrives.  She is introduced to an entirely different lifestyle and she decides she wants to stay forever.  Martha is also musically gifted and plays the cello.  Although this tale has been told before, Garsee tells it in a way that immediately captivates the reader and draws them in for the rest of the story.  A truly unforgettable tale you'll remember for quite a while.

Fragments by Jeff Johnston

     Chase has partial amnesia after a deadly auto crash in which he is the lone survivor.  He is also getting secret visits from his older brother who was recently released from prison.  Chase eventually returns to school as he struggles with survivor's guilt and trying to recover his lost memories of the night of the accident.  As his memories return, they reveal a different scenario and Chase begins to panic.  This debut novel is full of surprises!

Echo by Kate Morgenroth

     The young adult novel meets Groundhog Day.  The novel begins when Justin witnesses his 12 year old brother accidentally shooting and killing himself.  Justin becomes a troubled young man and soon finds himself fighting his former best friend who ends up falling down a flight of stairs.  Justin goes home and swallows a bunch of pills to end his life.  Does he die?  The novel becomes very confusing as Justin relives the events leading up to his suicide attempt.  Overall, the novel was engaging but very confusing.  I found myself becoming frustrated as I reread the same text over and over again.  I will let readers decide for themselves on this one.

Life As It Comes by Anne-Laure Bondoux

  Bondoux's novels are all different but equally engaging and spectacularly written.  In her newest book, the reader meets 15 year old Mado who is mature beyond her years.  When her parents suddenly die in a car accident, her irresponsible 20 year old sister Patty assumes guardianship.  Later, Patty reveals she's pregnant and Mado supports her sister by preparing her for childbirth and motherhood.  Once the baby is born, Patty fails to bond with the baby and even temporarily abandons Mado and the newborn.  This novel explores family relationships, first loves, and loss.  Although this European author uses France as the setting, readers will devour her latest novel with gusto.

Shelter by Beth Cooley

  Fifteen year old Lucy's life has turned upside down.  Her father died unexpectedly and left her family in debt.  Lucy's previous lifestyle involved attending a private school, a big house, and family vacations.  Reality sets in and she must relocate with her mother and younger brother to a homeless shelter until her family can get back on their feet.  Lucy slowly adapts to the new lifestyle and she realizes the many things she took for granted.  She begins attending public school and meets Aspen, a friend turned love interest.  This is a nice story with a happy ending that many readers may find a bit too unrealistic.

Nailed by Patrick Jones

    In his second novel, Patrick Jones attempts to capture the burden of being a high school outcast who refuses to conform to the norm of society.  Jones remarkably “hits the nail on the head” (pun intended) by introducing the character Bret Hendricks.  Bret's passions include theatre, the WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin, his violet haired girlfriend Kylee, and playing in his band Radio Free Flint.  Although he always seems to find trouble and gets suspended from school a few times, readers will openly admire Bret for his refusal to change into something he's not.  Although the author explores many diverse topics, the key storylines involve Bret’s dysfunctional relationship with his father and his unwillingness to change despite the bullying and his father’s disapproval of his ponytail, goodwill clothes, and lifestyle.  His father’s message is clear, “the nail that sticks out the farthest gets hammered hardest.”  Jones convincingly portrays a character and storyline central to almost any high school.  Patrick Jones is clearly a Young Adult author to watch as he cements his future as a novelist with staying power.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

  People of all ages will fall in love with this novel.  Edward Tulane is a fine stuffed rabbit made of porcelain.  He has the best clothes and even his own pocketwatch.  He also thinks very highly of himself and most would consider him to be quite arrogant.  He is quite loved by his owner, Abilene Tulane.  In a drastic turn of events, Edward finds his ritualistic life turned upside down as he lands at the bottom of the ocean.  He begins a remarkable journey where he encounters various characters such as a fisherman, a hobo, a gardener who thinks Edward would make a fine scarecrow, and a sick girl.  Edward's extraordinary journey teaches him about love and the ending is truly miraculous.

      Carrie Fitzgerald is an extremely superstitious sixteen year old but feels she is the luckiest girl in the world.  She is dating the cutest boy in school, she is the only sophomore on the Varsity basketball team, and always has the lead in school plays.  She attributes all her luck to a favorite t-shirt that her father bought for her on a trip to Morocco.  Everytime she has worn the shirt, good things have happened.  For example, she gets A's on all her tests, she scored extremely high on her SAT's, and she was invited to a birthday party of a popular girl when she was younger.  One day, her mother accidentally gives her t-shirt to her best friend who was donating it to the Help India relief drive.  Suddenly, Carrie's luck dramatically changes.  Her boyfriend breaks up with her on their one year anniversary and she gets into a huge fight with her best friend Piper.  Carrie is determined to retrieve her t-shirt and ends up travelling all the way to India in order to track it down.  During her journey, Carrie's quest of self discovery is a great learning experience.  The novel could be considered chic lit but has a little more depth than the usual books which makes it an enjoyable read.

Dark Angel by David Klass

     Seventeen year old Jeff has a family secret.  His older brother Troy is in prison for murder.  Having served six years of his sentence, Troy is released on a technicality.  Jeff's parents rally around Troy and believe that he is a changed man.  They allow him to live with the family until he gets his feet back on the ground.  Jeff thinks the opposite.  He thinks his brother Troy is the same rotten kid that went off to prison.  When Jeff's nemesis on the soccer team mysteriously disappears, suspicion naturally falls upon Troy.  The novel will keep you guessing until the end about whether or not Troy is guilty or if he really is a changed man?  Although I was disappointed in the ending, I finished it in one day and it was a fast paced, suspenseful read. If you are a fan of Klass's other works, you will not be disappointed in his latest novel.

     Lucy is forced to move across the country from SanFrancisco to New York because her father has gotten married.  Lucy's new family consists of an evil stepmother and twin stepsisters.  Lucy's main interests include basketball, art, and worshiping the high school basketball captain Connor.  Lucy's passion and knowledge of basketball lands her a date with Connor and instant popularity.  She also befriends a moody fellow artist named Sam.  Lucy's two new best friends Jessica and Madison take her shopping for the perfect prom dress since they are the only three sophomores attending the prom.  During the prom, Jessica makes several realizations about her love life and family.  The author does a credible job of showing how a blended family functions in the present day.  She also captures the essence of teen angst of life and love for a typical high school sophomore.