Stepsister

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly

Okay, I’ll admit that I dog-eared a few pages in this one, thinking to myself “oh- this is good” or “this is a powerful quote, I need to share this…” I need to remember to get some more sticky notes and use those instead.

So anyways, this was goood! If you like cheering for the underdog, or enjoy transformations, or love a good fractured fairytale – then this should be on your “to read next” list.

Here’s the summary from the back cover:

Don’t just fracture the fairytale. Shatter it.

Isabelle should be blissfully happy – she’s about to win the handsome prince. Except Isabelle isn’t the beautiful girl who lost the glass slipper and captured the prince’s heart. She’s the ugly stepsister who cut off her toes to fit into Cinderella’s shoe… which is now filling with blood.

When the prince discovers Isabelle’s deception, she’s turned away in shame. It’s no more than she deserves. She cut away pieces of herself in order to become pretty. Sweet. More like Cinderella. But that only made her mean, jealous, and hollow. Now she has a chance to alter her destiny and prove what ugly stepsisters have always known: It takes more than heartache to break a girl.

Book trailer:

Author interview:

 

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Wildfire

Wildfire by Rodman Philbrick

If you enjoy an survival story with relentless action, this should be the book you choose.

Here’s the summary:

Flames race toward Sam Castine’s summer camp.Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his only chance to evacuate. There’s just one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die.

Drought has made the forest a tinderbox. How will he survive? Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Alone and lost with no chance of rescue, it’s a stroke of luck to find another lost camper – Delphy, a tough older girl with spunk and wit. The pace never slows, and when flames finally surround Sam and Delphy on all sides, there’s no place to turn. But a powerful bond that can only grow out of courage and hardship has been forged -as tow unlikely friends beat all odds and outwit one of the deadliest fires ever.

Book trailer:

New title from a favourite author / illustrator

I just finished reading this one. 5 stars!!! 10/10 100% Perfection!

So much to love!

Here’s the summary:

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her Mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she’s dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away… and it coincides with her worries about, food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on?

Raina Telgemeier once again brings us a thoughtful, charming and funny true stories about growing up and gathering the courage to face – and conquer- her fears.

Book trailer:

and an author interview:

New title from a favourite author

The new books have started to roll in, and I’m so excited to get started reading them. Here’s one that I’ll be taking home tonight. Allies by Alan Gratz

Here’s the summary: June 6, 1944:The Nazi’s are terrorizing Europe, on their evil quest to conquer the world. The only way to stop them? The biggest, most top secret mission ever, with the allied nations coming together to storm German – occupied France.

Welcome to D-Day.

Dee, a young US soldier is on a boat racing towards the French coast. And Dee, along with his brothers-in-arms, is terrified. He feels the weight of World War II on his shoulders.

But Dee is not alone, behind enemy lines in France, a girl named Samira works as a spy, trying to sabotage the German army. Meanwhile a paratrooper James leaps from his plane to join a daring midnight raid. And in the thick of the battle, Henry, a medic, searches for lives to save.

In a breath-taking race against time, they must all fight to complete their high-stakes missions. But with betrayals and deadly risks at every turn, can the allies do what it takes to win?

Here’s the book trailer:

Great News!

Yes! Today is a great day to share GREAT news!! As some of you know I am a big fan of The Last Kids on Earth series by Max Brallier. I think the series is clever, inventive, hilarious and fun (don’t get me started on the art work, which I think perfectly matches the writing).

So, anyway… the great news is on September 17 there will be a new release Book 5 (it’s like early Christmas!!!).

The Last Kids on Earth and the Midnight Blade

Here’s the summary:

Surviving their first winter after the monster apocalypse was no easy feat, yet Jack and his buddies waste no time springing to action against the nastiest most evil monsters around. When Jack discovers his Louisville Slicer has new otherworldly powers, he is thrown into epic new training to find out what kind of destruction the blade can wield. But between fighting off zombies, fleeing from strange, glowy vine-thingies growing from the ground, and squeezing in a video game session or two, there’s barely time to figure out what’s wrong with their buddy Dirk, who has been acting weird any time he’s around the undead. When an unexpected villain appears, can Jack and his friends save themselves and the rest of the world from cosmic domination??

Can’t wait.

But wait… there’s more! I know – this is already like Christmas but now throw in New Years celebration too!

Netflix has made an animated series from the books!