Somewhere Beyond the Sea by T.J. Klune

5 stars ++++ Fantasy

I loved, loved this book! Actually, I loved this series and I’m going to miss these characters. If you’re looking for something different, heck even if you’re not ready for something different, listen to the audio of this book/series. The characters in this book will make you laugh, think, and cry. Each one of them is unique and you will fall in love with how they made their world a better place.

This book took me on a magical journey. I left the status of my own world behind, and I stood beside them on Marsyas Island watching the new arrivals. Since book one, I knew that the government wouldn’t leave the island alone, but I didn’t expect Miss Marblemaw. She’s a strict one, that’s for sure, and when she meets the children, I had a feeling that she wouldn’t be ready for that. She’s there for a purpose just like Linus was but I really doubt that Miss Marblemaw will soften like Linus.

Linus is standing with Arthur now, as he has decided that Marsyas Island is now his home also. The children have welcomed him and like having them both there to watch over them. A child named David finds his way to the island and although deemed to be a monster, he’s the nicest monster that I know. I loved the relationships built and strengthened on the island. I loved how they looked out for one another and how they empowered each other. The characters themselves were unique and different yet together they achieved and conquered what they set out to do.

As Miss Marblemaw investigates the orphanage of magical beings and works at dissolving the relationships that have developed within it, what she does is just the opposite. This orphanage has evolved into a family. For “family” is more than blood. This family welcomes others, is hard-working, and committed, and is a host to a wide variety of other qualities. Can they change her mind? Will she leave? What will David decide to do? Definitely a 5 star read!!

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

5 stars Fantasy

This book was so much fun! After reading this book, I went to the library and checked out the audiobook which I highly recommend. Putting actual voices to the characters made this book much more enjoyable and I can still hear each one of their unique personalities as Linus steps on the island so he can investigate the Marsyas Island Orphanage, home to six orphans which are supposed to be extremely dangerous.

Linus takes his job seriously, a job with the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. When summoned by Extremely Upper Management, Linus is given a top-secret mission, a job he must leave immediately for. For one month, Linus must live on the island, assessing the orphanage and report his findings back to upper management. As Linus begins his reports, he’s very structured as he writes about the six orphans and Arthur, the individual in-charge of the orphanage but as his month comes to an end, his reports become more emotional in nature.

Arthur knows exactly why Linus has arrived and he’s protective of the individuals that he’s in-charge of. They’re not just orphans to Arthur; they are his family, and you can feel the love and commitment that Arthur has to these children. Linus, on the other hand, is a character who seems rigid and is one of those by-the-book, kind of individuals when he arrives but as he gets to know the children, he begins to soften. He starts to understand them and appreciates them for who they are. He likes what they have, he likes how he feels around them, and he notices things that he has never noticed before – it’s like Linus has finally woken up. His senses have finally woken up and everything is alive.

The children are a mixed bunch, a group of extremely dangerous individuals, they say. Do these individuals really know who these children are? I can’t tell you how many times I laughed at their comments and/or the things that they would do. I admit, they were a quirky and unique group of children, but they were “magical youths.” I liked how they accepted one another, and they acted like siblings. They each knew their place and were appreciative of each other.

It was an entertaining and fun read. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this story. The world building and the characters were fabulous! 5 stars

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

5 stars Children/ YA/Middle School Graphic Novel

It only took a minute to change Manuel’s life. What happened to change his life isn’t immediately apparent as I started reading this book but with his teacher absent, counselor’s available and Manuel walking on eggshells, unfortunately I had a feeling I knew what had gone down. Manuel wasn’t a popular child and now, he seemed even more on the outside looking in.

When Manuel is grouped with Sebastian and Caysha to work on a school project, I liked how these two kids accepted Manuel into their group. Looking into Manuel’s face and eyes, I felt he was off into another world, as his two peers carried out the conversation, making plans for the three of them.

As they gathered at Sebastian’s farm in the country, Manuel is still in his own dark world inside his head. Glancing around, he’s fascinated by what he sees, and Manuel takes out his phone and starts snapping photos. As they begin to work on the project, Manuel finally emerges from his shell and joins his peers. There is laughter and joy on his face, it has finally occurred.

I liked how Sebastian and Caysha encouraged Manuel but didn’t try to pry into his personal life. When they saw how fabulous his photographs were, they encouraged him to enter some of them in the fair. When Manuel helped them, they were appreciative and enthusiastic about his assistance which kept Manuel out of his dark world.

What occurred is revealed in pieces throughout the book, in black and white flashbacks which stand out in comparison to the colorful illustrations of the present-day activities. From the facial expressions, the body language, the text, you can really tell how this event has changed Manuel. This is a heavy graphic novel (physically heavy) with nice, slick thick pages. 5 stars

Mr. Watson’s Chickens by Jarrett Dapier

4.5 stars Children’s Picture Book

It started with 3 chickens in a chicken house, and they ended up with 456 chickens! They lived in a large honking house in a big, honking city but who wants 456 chickens!! Mr. Watson loves chickens, and they entertain him and Mr. Nelsen in their home. From playing instruments, reading books, to roasting marshmallows on sticks in the fireplace, the chickens love living inside their home. Things start to get out of hand when the shower, the sink and the bed get overrun with chickens! One chicken, Aunt Agnes creates a song and sings it to entertain everyone. Finally, Mr. Nelson has had enough of the chickens and tells Mr. Watson that he needs to do something with them.

The problem gets solved and soon all the chickens get a great home, and they are chicken-free. Or are they? What is that they hear when they climb into bed? Busy, colorful illustrations and a fast-moving text create this story. This is a funny and entertaining story. 4.5 stars

Being You: a First Conversation About Gender by Megan Madison

4 stars Nonfiction Children’s

Finally, a book by Megan that doesn’t go negative. This is my third book of Megan’s that I have read in this series, and this is one that I finally liked. Megan addresses how everyone has some of the same body parts (belly buttons, elbows, etc.) and then, males and females each have something different.

Megan does use specific terms for those body parts, so be prepared for that. The book moves into growing up and how individuals keep the gender they are born with, or they change them. For some individuals, they don’t know what gender they are.

The main point here is that whatever a person is feeling is what’s important and they can use pronouns to describe themselves. The author addresses history and even though the rules may state that girls can do this, and boys can do that, there are feminists who are working to change these rules so anyone can do anything that they want.

Even the reader can be an active participant. They can “work together” with others to make things fair because the “things we say and do matter” and make the “world better for everybody.”

A more positive book and it didn’t get off the main topic. It showed the reader that they can do something to help the situation instead of creating more hostility or anger. 4 stars

I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

3 stars YA

Well, I’ve been waiting for the latest Courtney Summers book, and I finally got around to reading it. I tried reading it before, but I just couldn’t get into it, so I thought I’d give it another go. This book just didn’t grab me like Courtney’s previous books have.

Georgia stole some money from her brother which her brother discovers. With their mother no longer with them, it’s important and urgent to replace these funds. Georgia feels that the time has come for her to become an Aspirant Girl. This dream job can finally now become a reality. Her brother though, will begin working more hours at work.

Aspirant Girl. Nestled in the mountains, the member-only resort, just might be Georgia lifeline. Surrounded by wealthy individuals, Georgia might be able to repay her brother and fulfill her dream. Sounds simple enough but the road to her dream is complicated and not direct. Georgia does land a position at Aspera but it’s not what she desired. An accident while in route to Aspera has Georgia discovering a young body in the woods. Did I mention that Georgia’s mother used to work at Aspera and Georgia believes that she was terminated from her position? Why oh why would you want to work there Georgia? To prove yourself or are you shouting something to someone who is not even there?

I felt like Georgia was playing. I could understand her confidence and esteem to a point, but the book kept going and what was she doing? I felt frustrated and tired, feeling confused and lost at where this all might go. The whole thing was confusing. Sorry, but this book just wasn’t a good fit for me. Not a thriller but more drama than anything.

Brighter Than the Sun by Daniel Aleman

5 stars YA

What had once been an opportunity had now turned into an obligation as the situation changed. It had felt like privilege to cross into the U.S to attend school but now, as the family situation changed, Sol felt that attending school would have to go on the back burner as the family’s restaurant needed her attention. Trying to juggle school and work just wasn’t cutting it, perhaps she should just work as the family needed her financial help now before it was too late.

What a heavy burden for a 16-year-old to carry. Being the only individual in her family born in the U.S., Sol had the ability to travel back-and-forth freely between the U.S. and Mexico which was a tremendous benefit for their family. Sol and her family lived in Mexico and they owned a restaurant there. Her mother had just recently passed away and this restaurant was her passion. Since her death, this restaurant has struggled to stay afloat and unfortunately so has her family. Her mother was a huge part of their family and they all miss her badly. Sol has traveled to the U.S. to attend school for a few years with her father being her driver to the border. I can just imagine this ride as the two of them sit in the car twice a day. Sol proud that she is able to get a better education and her father proud and reserved, his daughter the person he could never be. As the restaurant struggles, Sol takes a job after school to help the family financially. With the long hours, Sol decides to stay with her best friend in the U.S. during the week and return to her family in Mexico on the weekends. I was having mixed feelings as I know that some sixteen-year-olds can handle this separation and for some, it’s a breaking point.

The first couple weeks went good as Sol tried to get into a routine. She was embraced by her new weekday family and when she returned to Mexico, she crammed as much as she could into those few days. Needing more money, she worked more hours and her time away from Mexico stretched. The more money that she brought it, it didn’t seem to be enough. Losing the restaurant would mean losing another piece of her mother, she couldn’t let that happen. As she fought with her emotions, I could feel the tension and her hope fading. When is enough……enough.

I really enjoyed this book. The cover of the book and the synopsis is what hooked me on this one. The book starts off rather sad as Sol talks about her name. Born on the day of the Feast of Our Lady of Solitude. Soledad feels the loneliness follows her wherever she goes. She had even tried to give herself a couple nicknames to get away from her name but nothing took. So, she was stuck with Sol. She has high expectations for herself which she has a hard time lowering throughout the book. Her best friend, who she stays with in the U.S. tries to talk to her about this. Ari tells her that she needs to let go and that she doesn’t need to control everything all the time and Sol listens but its hard to apply this information when you life is spinning out of control. The more that Sol spends in the U.S., Sol realizes that she’s different than when she’s at home. I love it when she makes this light-bulb moment yet what can Sol do with it. A great read that worth picking up. 5 stars

Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty

4.5 stars Childrens

A fun, rhyming book that will have children and adults laughing. Rock the dishes? Scrub the lawn? Vacuum the cat? What has gotten this family all riled up? Grandma is coming!

This is a cute story about a family of 5 who have to quit playing and clean up before grandma arrives. When one of the fathers announces that it’s time to clean up, he assigns everyone in the family a couple jobs to complete and that’s when the fun begins. Bobby, Sarah and the other father each listen as he reads off the assignment chart he created. It sounds like a great plan until he assigns himself the job of, “bathe the cat.” Just looking at the cat on that page, tells me that this is not a good idea.

Everyone goes back to playing, including the cat but the clock is ticking away, and grandma is on her way. Father walks into the room they’re all playing in. Father gets angry as no one is cleaning and he starts to remind them of their assigned jobs again, only this time he changes them up and they’re even more confusing. Feed the floor? Scrub the fishes? The illustrations are funny and large as the characters follow the father’s directions.

Father again tries to correct his assignments but again he fails and there’s more hilarious chaos. How will this house ever get clean? Just looking at the illustrations and seeing this family try to complete their job is more than half the fun, in this book. This book will definitely put a smile on your face as you watch them try to follow what the father has to say. 4.5

Kisses for Jet by Joris Bas Backer

I was totally confused in this graphic novel. I felt as if I was missing whole sections of the story and the author just provided these random thoughts and called it a story. I was hoping for a more complete story, one that didn’t leave me confused.

When Jet is forced into attending a boarding school, she has more than that adjustment to focus on. She’s on her own, living and going to school with other kids who Jet needs to start, to connect with. It’s supposed to be easy but as Jet begins this process, she begins to wonder exactly where she fits in all of this. She knows where she’s “supposed” to fit but is that where she feels she belongs? With a staff that’s supposed to now care for her needs, Jet wonders what those needs are.

I liked the use of the single color in the illustrations. I thought using one color, brought more focus on the issues in the text than to the illustrations. Some of the illustrations were great and others seemed so washed out. I liked the concept of this graphic novel but it was really hard following this story. Our library had this as a child’s graphic novel but for the content/illustrations that this graphic novel includes, I think it’s more of a middle school novel. (Nudity, smoking, sexual content) Kisses for Jet 2-2.5 stars

Aristole and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World by Benjamin by Saenz

And this is why I wait. When I first read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, I thought it was an okay read but reading it a second tim, I found it was a different experience for me. Whether this was because I was in a different place in my life, or my mood was different, or perhaps I was just more ready for what this story was all about. Reading this story again, I found that the first book in this series had become more enjoyable and full of life. After discussing it in book club, instead of gazing into my crystal ball and envisioning the future of the characters, I picked up the new sequel. I couldn’t believe that it had taken this long for it to finally come out. At least now, I would have some solid answers.

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World begins right where Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe left off, so I’d read the first book before diving into this one. Since the two boys have finally come to terms with their feelings towards each other in the first book, now it’s time to address the rest of the world. We knew the struggle would be difficult as the boys’ deal with their peers and with the family dramatics but they’re also looking at their future together. Will this love last?

What I enjoyed about this series were the relationships and how realistic these characters felt to me. Having other family members and their stories in the book filled out the story and gave us a more realistic picture. These characters struggled, their emotions felt strapped, and yet inside, a part of them was still shining. I listened to this book on audio and I highly recommend it. 4 stars.