Starters by Lissa Price

by Lissa Price
Ages- 12 +

Callie (16 years old) lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first-the young and the old.  With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters and fighting off young renegaded.  Callie finds a way to make some money by renting her body to seniors who want to be young again.  When her chip malfunctions, Callie finds herself living in a mansion, dating Blake (grandson of senator) and her renter is not just partying, but using her body to commit murder.  She tries to discover why and uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan and has to make a decision to help commit the murder to protect others or take the money and run. 

Thoughts- It was an entertaining book.  It is another dystopian book about a futuristic world where technology can be used to control people.  They is a higher and lower class.  The whole body renting thing freaks me out. 

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

by R. J. Palacio
Ages- 8+

 August Pullman was born with a facial deformity and it had prevented him from going to mainstream school.  Starting the 5th grade, he wants nothing more than to be treated as ordinary, but his new classmates can't get past Auggie's extradordinary face. 


Thoughts- I LOVE IT!!   I am drawn towards feel good books with a powerful message.  This book is told from different points of views starting with August.  These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community's struggle with empathy ,compassion, and acceptance.  I loved how the story moved forward and didn't tell the same story from different points of view, but moved forward with different points of view.   

Tiger's Curse

By Collen Houck
Ages 12+

Kelsey Hayes never thought she would be helping to break a 300 year old curse after her parents died and she began her summer job before college. With a mysterious white tiger named Ren and halfway around the world her journey begins. She faces dark forces, spell-binding magic and mystical worlds. Kelsey risks everything to piece together an ancient prophecy.







Thoughts_
I liked this book more than I thought. Yes, it is the first book of four. I was sucked into the series and luckily for me all the of books had been written and I didn't have to wait. There is a love triangle that forms between Kelsey, Ren and Kishan (Ren's brother-also part of the curse). I learned a ton of about Indian and Chinese folk-lore, I was kind engaged. I admit I did skip some of the poems to get to the action. Each book covers the a different aspect of breaking the curse and the book series ends with a surprising ending.

Tiger's Quest
Tiger's Dragon
Tiger's Voyage

I have not read a Tiger's Dream-which is the 5th book in this series. I am not sure how it would fit into the series but I am excited to learn how it would go all together.

Princess of Midnight Ball and Tuesdays at the Castle.

By Jessica Day George
Ages- 10+

Rose is the oldest of 12 princess that are cursed to dance every third night for the King Under Stone and his 12 sons.  They are prevented from speaking about the curse and how it began to any prince who tries to solve the mystery of why the princesses dancing shoes are worn out every 3rd night.

Galen Werner just returned from fighting in the war and lives with his aunt and begins to work at the palace garden with his uncle. Galen meets an old woman, whom he shares his food, and she returns the kindness with giving him magic knitting needles and invisibility cloak.  When Rose meets Galen in the palace garden she knows he will be the one to break the curse, but how and what price? 

Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book and the creativity of the story.  It is a magical world that curses those that make deals with the wrong people.  Good overcomes evil.  This is the first book in a series, Twelve Dancing Princess.  Each book has its own story about one of the princess as they grow up.
Book # 2- Princess of Glass
Book #3- Princess of Silver Woods

Another book about written by Jessica Day George Day that I enjoyed was Tuesdays at the Castle.  It is about a "living" castle.  Princess Celie is excited that every Tuesday the castle creates a new room.  The king and queen's fate becomes unknown and Celie protects the castle with her knowledge of the castle's powers.   

Little Pea

Little Pea
Written by: Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by: Jen Corace
Ages: 2-6

Little Pea has a loving Mama and Papa pea and has so much fun-until dinner time arrives. But what is a cute green pea to have for his dinner? Why, some delicious candy, of course! Poor Little Pea finds his dinner just deplorable. But if Little Pea doesn't eat all of his candy dinner, he can't have dessert! What is a little pea to do?

The vegetable averse in your life will love this book. Silly and fun with simple, yet charming illustrations Little Pea is sure to become a favorite in your house.