Review: You, Me, and Infinity

You, Me, and Infinity by Deb Caletti
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Margaret felt a connection towards Mars the first time they met in a waiting room, and their connection solidified at his door when she delivered a pizza to him.  Their relationship grows deep quickly as they look at the stars, and Mars shares his love of the Voyager record that is in space.  Margaret falls fast, and even her anxiety about all the worst-case scenarios does not prepare her for what is about to happen. Now Margaret is working through her grief and is glad she has the stars to look up to.

You, Me, and Infinity is a stand-alone realistic fiction story that includes some romance within its pages.  Caletti has taken a topic that no one really wants to address and weaves it into a story that is easy to digest.  Without giving any spoilers, readers need to be aware that some triggers dealing with grief are included in this story, but it may also be the book a person needs to help themselves deal with their own heartache.  

View all my reviews

Review: A Fortune of Sand

A Fortune of Sand by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Marjorie has never been accepted by her family.  She is artistic and free-spirited, and they are controlling and money-hungry.  After she learns about an artist’s program near her, she applies and is accepted.  This is her chance to develop her talent away from her family.  She quickly learns that the program has a lot of rules, some of which don’t make much sense.  There is a rumor that the building is haunted and that women have disappeared.  Is Marjorie’s grip on reality starting to slip?  What happens to the women who don’t follow the rules?

A Fortune of Sand is an historical fiction story set in 1927 Detroit.  Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in the roaring twenties as the story slowly unfolds.  I found the hidden nuggets of history were fun to learn about, and the overarching story kept me turning the pages.  Sepetys has taken a time period that is often explored and placed it in a city that isn’t.  A Fortune of Sand will be a hit for all historical fiction fans.  

View all my reviews

Review: Royal Summer

Royal Summer by Kass Morgan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hannah has a great summer planned.  She is spending it in Edinburgh, Scotland, as a summer intern for her favorite author.  She is in the country for less than 48 hours when her employer tells her she is going to Japan with her boyfriend, and Hannah isn’t needed.  Thank goodness Finn, a boy she met the night before, stopped by because he has connections and can get her a summer job at Inveresk Castle.  She finds out on her first day of work that Finn is also known as Finnian … the prince of England.  Are Finn and Hannah destined for a summer fling or something more? 

 

Royal Summer is a stand-alone romance that will be perfect for fans of all things royal.  There are a few scenes that stretch the limit on being racy, but overall, this romance is good for most teen readers.  The story was interesting and exciting, and I enjoyed it even more because I have visited some of these areas in Scotland.  I’m not on the lookout for a new romantic encounter, but if I were… this is what I would want.  Royal Summer is a great teen romance.   

View all my reviews

Review: In the Blood

In the Blood by April Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tessa has lived a good life, but she doesn’t know who her biological parents are. She was left at a fire station as a newborn and adopted soon after. She has just turned 18 and decides to take an at-home DNA test that she anticipates will give her some answers. Although she does find out some things about her mother’s family, no one has spoken to her since the day she ran away, and her father is a complete mystery. Soon after her test results come in, she is contacted by the Portland police because it appears that she is related to the Portland Phantom, a serial killer who has spanned fifteen years. What is Tessa’s origin story? Will the Portland Phantom be caught?

In the Blood is a stand-alone mystery that was an interesting read with the advancements in forensic science and AI. I normally think of Henry’s books starting with a dead girl, and this one was a different format. I enjoyed the different points of view (Tessa, the detective, and the serial killer), and these views give the reader a deeper understanding of the events. In the Blood was a quick read and kept me invested until the end.

View all my reviews

Review: Change of Plans

Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finley is happy with her life.  She has recently graduated from high school and is going to the same college as her boyfriend.  Her summer is upended when her mother takes her on an unexpected trip to the family vacation house she didn’t know about.  Finley is suddenly surrounded by family she’s never met and facing an uncertain future … since her boyfriend dumped her on a video call.  Why has Finley’s mom been estranged from her family?  What will her future hold with this change of plans?

Change of Plans is a realistic fiction story that I would call romance adjacent.  There is love weaved into the story, but the overall plot is not about romance.  Dessen has created a cast of characters that I enjoyed spending time with, and it had a satisfying resolution.  Change of plans is a great read for all YA fans, even if you aren’t a romance fan.  

View all my reviews

Review: Soundtrack: A Novel

Soundtrack: A Novel by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stuy has left his mother and moved in with his uncle. He had taught himself to play the drums, just like his mom, and while at his uncle’s house, he meets other players and they form a band. They are becoming popular as an underground group, yet the pressure each is faced with is varied and real. When their bassist must hide from the police, they must really go “underground.”

Soundtrack is a realistic mixed medium story. Most is narrative with a lot of poetry and play-type dialogue interspersed. The original story was an audiobook with a full cast performance, and this print version does a wonderful job adapting it to a new format. Fans of Reynolds will not be disappointed with this newest addition to his library.


View all my reviews

Review: Skyshattered

Skyshattered by Julie Kagawa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Remy and Gem may be an unlikely duo, but with the help of Storm and some sky pirates, they may be exactly what the world needs to keep the land from falling into the Maelstrom.  As this group races to find the machine the dwarves were tasked to create, they must also overcome an evil pirate and a True Dragon.  Gem’s powers continue to grow, and she quickly learns what her future throne will require of her.  Will they stop the land from falling and save the world?

Skyshattered is the third book in the Storm Dragons series.  Readers of the first two books will easily fall into the continuation of this story and, with a few strategic nudges … recall pertinent details.  Kagawa wraps up this tale with a satisfactory ending, although most readers will be disappointed that it is a trilogy.  A great read for fans of dragon adventures. 

View all my reviews