Review: Road Tripped

Road Tripped by Pete Hautman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stiggy’s life seems to be in a downward spiral and he just feels the need to get out town. His father committed suicide a few months before, his mother is walking around in a fog and his girlfriend has left to stay with a friend. Stiggy takes his mom’s credit card and his father’s Mustang and decides to drive the Great River Road. He quickly finds out that life on his own is not any better than life at home and his road trip changes in ways he never expected.

Road Tripped is a stand-alone coming of age novel with a little bit of humor included. Stiggy runs into a variety of characters that challenge his way of thinking and encourages him to reassess why he isn’t at home. Hautman has taken the classic road trip story and given readers a new spin on teen issues. Road Tripped is a fun escape read that doesn’t take too long to finish.


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Review: Aurora Rising

Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tyler Jones is in the top of the class and is looking forward to draft day. That is when he will be able to pick his dream squad and start a great career. Unfortunately, his inner heroism gets in his way and because he takes the time to save a girl who has been in cryo-sleep for over two hundred years, he is now stuck with the leftovers from the academy. Having a crappy team isn’t his only issue, though. It turns out that the girl he saved, Aurora, could be the very person to start a war that has been in process before humans were even started. Is this group of misfits the team that will save the galaxy? Is there a connection between Tyler and Aurora that runs deeper than usual?

Aurora Rising is the first book in the Aurora Cycle and is a wonderful science fiction adventure with a dash of comedy. Overall the story is serious and great, yet the characters have a comedic side that will have readers chuckling throughout the book. Kristoff has created a variety of characters that I truly enjoyed spending time with and the ending of this book left many future books available for publication. I highly recommend Aurora Rising and will personally be looking for the next book when it is released.


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Review: Finale

Finale by Stephanie Garber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Two months have passed since the final Caraval was completed. Legend has claimed the empire’s throne and the Fates have been freed from the cards. Tella does not believe that Legend is the rightful heir to the throne and will risk more than she imagined to see her plans through. Scarlett has not gotten over Julian and is ready to meet with her former fiancé or is she? Scarlett has decided to have her own game where the winner gets to marry her. Is Scarlett in control of her destiny or are larger powers at work? Will Tella be able to stop Legend or is his fate part of her destiny?

Finale is the third and final book in the Caraval trilogy. The sisters have learned a lot about love and magic over these last few months and now they must determine what their own hearts desires are. Garber’s world is a wonderful place to escape into and readers who invested time in Scarlett and Tella during the first two books will not be disappointed to learn their fate. I am glad I was able to read all three books in a short amount of time because this trilogy is definitely devour worthy.


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Review: The Lovely and the Lost

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Kira doesn’t remember much about her childhood, but she does recall being lost in the woods and being found by Cady Bennett and her search-and-rescue dog. Although she was adopted by Cady, she still has trouble feeling like she belongs in a family. She has no difficulties interacting with the canines used with the search-and-rescue business and she hopes to continue with this endeavor into her adult years. When Cady and her team are asked to help search for a missing child in the Sierra Glades National Park, Kira can’t stop thinking about this missing girl and her own experience being lost in the wilderness.

The Lovely and the Lost is a stand-alone mystery that leaves a lot to be desired. Even though there were some twists and turns as the pages were turned, overall there was just something lacking in the novel. Barnes usually has dynamic characters that make readers want to know more, yet these characters were a little flat and didn’t make me want to stay with the story. Overall I liked the ending and decided I liked the book, so I encourage those who want to read it to stick it out till the end because it is worth it.


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Review: We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults

We Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults by Susan Kuklin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

These nine young people have a story to tell. They all have lived in the United States for most of their lives, but they are undocumented. They come from a variety of countries: Columbia, Mexico, Ghana, Independent Samoa, and Korea. They came for different reasons; most for an education, some were running away from violence and others were trying to leave a life of poverty. They all have a story to tell and this is it.

We Are Here to Stay is a non-fiction book filled with truths and heartache. These young adults have not only overcome the obstacles of getting to the United States, but they have also navigated a system that is not always looking out for their best interests. This was originally scheduled to be published in 2017, but with the changes in immigration procedures, this book was released later without many of the pictures originally planned. Kuklin is hopeful that the book will be re-released in the future with all of these pictures. Whether readers are current about all of the DACA information or this is their first glimpse at these issues, We Are Here to Stay will be an eye-opening read for all.

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Review: Shout

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

It has been twenty years since Anderson published her book Speak, yet people of all genders are still struggling with talking about sexual assault and schools are still restricting access to content about sex and rape. In this book filled with verse, Anderson tackles a tough topic and leaves the reader thinking hard … long after the pages have been finished. She tells about her early childhood, her own sexual assault and the years following the publication of Speak. Whether readers have experienced sexual assault, know of a survivor of sexual assault or just wants to know more, Speak is the book that must read, must be considered and must be shouted about.

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Review: Summer of '69

Summer of '69 by Todd Strasser
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lucas’ plans for the summer are simple: hang out with friends, smoke some weed and take some pills along the way. His plans go off track when he finds out that he did not get into college. He is now at risk of being drafted and sent to the Vietnam Conflict. Also, his girlfriend is spending time in Canada and his friend Tinsley wants to practice her free love by temping Lucas to cheat on Robin. If his life wasn’t crazy enough it looks like his parents might be getting a divorce and his friend in Vietnam is in constant danger. What will Lucas do to avoid ‘Nam? What else will life throw at him?

The Summer of ’69 is a coming of age story inspired by the author’s own time in this iconic era. The drugs are abundant and the choices are less than noble, but the story will be appealing to readers of all ages. Since this is the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, some young readers may see articles and shows that talk about the events, yet this story will help them understand what was going through many young people’s minds in the months and weeks leading up to the festival. Strasser has based his characters and events on his own life and stories he heard from friends and this makes this book just a little bit more appealing.


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