| (from Goodreads) Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb — males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out. When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape — to find her twin brother and go home. |
(my comments) I read this in a day. I couldn't put it down once I started. Yes, I had some questions, but nothing big enough to make me not want to read. And now I wait (impatiently!) for the sequel...
(from Goodreads) Fourteen-year-old Finny Short can’t make sense of her family’s unusual habits: Her mother offers guidance appropriate for a forty-year-old socialite; her father quotes Nietzsche over pancakes. Finny figures she’s stuck with this lonely lot until she meets Earl Henckel, a boy who comes from an even stranger place than she does. Unhappy with Finny’s budding romance with Earl, her parents ship her off to Thorndon boarding school. But mischief follows Finny as she befriends New York heiress Judith Turngate, a girl whose charm belies a disquieting reckless streak. Finny’s relationships with Earl and Judith open her up to dizzying possibilities of love and loss and propel her into a remarkable adventure spanning twenty years and two continents.
(my comments) This unfortunate cover doesn't convey what a great story lies inside. It's interesting to see a guy's perspective on a love story, of how much he thinks a female will put up with from the man she loves. Technically not a YA, but the book definitely has crossover appeal.
(from Goodreads) According to her guidance counselor, fifteen-year-old Payton Gritas needs a focus object-an item to concentrate her emotions on. It's supposed to be something inanimate, but Payton decides to use the thing she stares at during class: Sean Griswold's head. They've been linked since third grade (Griswold-Gritas-it's an alphabetical order thing), but she's never really known him. The focus object is intended to help Payton deal with her father's newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis. And it's working. With the help of her boy-crazy best friend Jac, Payton starts stalking-er, focusing on-Sean Griswold . . . all of him! He's cute, he shares her Seinfeld obsession (nobody else gets it!) and he may have a secret or two of his own.
(my comments) Lindsey Leavitt's sense of humor always comes through in her books and this one is no exception. Full of fun characters, heartbreaking situations, believable family dynamics and a sweet budding romance, this book confirms that Lindsey can write about more than just tiaras :P
(from Goodreads) Princess Wisdom, known as Dizzy, longs for a life of adventure far beyond the staid old kingdom of Montagne.
Tips, a soldier, longs to keep his true life secret from his family.
Fortitude, an orphaned maid, longs only for Tips.
These three passionate souls might just attain their dreams while preserving Montagne from certain destruction, if only they can tolerate each other long enough to come up with a plan. Tough to save the world when you can't even be in the same room together. Magic, cunning, and one very special cat join forces in this hilarious, extraordinary tale by the author of Dairy Queen and Princess Ben. An incredibly creative tale told with diaries, memoirs, encyclopedia entries, letters, biographies, even a stage play, all woven together into a grand adventure.
(my comments) I read this MG to review for Shelf Awareness Consumer, so I can't post it here until it posts there! But I will say that the story was quite unexpected -- and that can be a good thing :D
What great books have you been reading this summer? Any recommendations?
15 comments:
Wither was on my Bday list but I didn't get it. :( BUT, I will be buying it on my next trip to Borders. Thanks for sharing the others too!
So often great middle grade, the timeless, the classic, don't get very good covers. I recently read Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt and it was incredible!
The first two have both been on my list for a while. Glad to hear they don't disappoint!
I'm looking for books to add to my TBR pile, so your post is timely. (I wish I had another birthday coming up ... I could sure use another Amazon gift card.)
Thanks for the recommendations! I've had Wisdom's Kiss on my shelf since afriend got it for me at BEA...now I want to start it!
I've never heard of Finny, but it does sound like an interesting read. You're right about the cover though. I don't hate it, but it doesn't really give me any idea of what I'm in for.
I still need to read Wither! Glad to hear you liked it as I have some reservations, but I'm still excited to read it!
I've never heard of Finny either, but your review makes it sound great. LOVED Wither. Just fascinating stuff. Haven't read the others, but I have ARCS.
Just finished Relic Master by Catherine Fisher, and it definitely leaves you wanting more. But I don't think it's quite as powerful as Incarceron.
I'm curious about the last book that you couldn't get through. All the way up to page 78, yet you couldn't finish it?? Dying to know what it was...
You are back from vacation! I missed you. I'm reading (get ready) The Price of Privilege: How Parental and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids. It is *very* interesting.
Also, I'm reading Quickening, Liza Wieland's latest collection of short stories. Just re-read The Sky is Everywhere, too. Think it will never get old.
Thanks for the great recommendations!
I love vacation reading!!
Though all I've been reading in the last 3 weeks are textbooks from my Gifted and Talented Education and Reading Strategies grad courses!
I enjoyed Wither and I'll read the sequel when it comes out.
The other three look good, too.
I love how much reading I get done during vacation time.
I loved Wither too.
I need to get reading!!
I read Wither too, and I loved her prose. I agree, there were a few questions I had, and the world-building had me scratching my head at times, but the story of the main characters had me riveted.
I still haven't read Wither! But I'm glad to hear that you really liked it! Wow. I hope I devour it as well.
I love hearing what other people are reading! All of these sound great. I'm finally reading LOOKING FOR ALASKA, and I'm loving it. That John Green...he's awesome.
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