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Shatter ( Destine Academy book 8)
Sara Snow | 2022
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
222 of 230
Kindle
Shatter ( Destine Academy book 😎
By Sara snow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Caroline and her friends are in a race against the clock as they try to protect themselves from any insidious influence from Tempeste.Gaspar is running out of time in his plight to save his family, andMarguerite Destine, the headmistress, is becoming increasingly desperate in her bid to find Eloise.Can Caroline keep Eloise safe, or is Eloise unable to be saved?

As Caroline struggles to protect those around her, it becomes all too clear the Tempeste—and the Entiere—are coming.

...and she is out of time

This is such a good series in short bursts. I’ve said so many times how this author packs so much into a few chapters it’s like reading a full book. This has a sad undertone especially at the end we find Caroline has finally been pushed to her limits by her dad and aunt.
  
The Ghost of Christmas Granny
The Ghost of Christmas Granny
Sue Ann Jaffarian | 2022 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Who Is Reaching Out to Emma for Help?
This short story opens with Emma Whitecastle receiving a cry for help in the middle of the night. She’s confused because it doesn’t appear to be coming from a ghost. It sounds like a young child. Can she figure out who is calling for her help?

This is a short story in the author’s Ghost of Granny Apples series. Fans who want a quick check-in will be delighted with it. If you are new, it would be a good way to sample the characters, too. The characters are solid, and the mystery is wonderful, with plenty to keep me engaged as Emma and Granny follow a logical path to a suspenseful climax. The Christmas setting is fun, too. Being a short story, I read this is a little over an hour. If you are looking for a fun, Christmas themed short story, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.
  
In the Role of Brie Hutchens...
In the Role of Brie Hutchens...
Nicole Melleby | 2020 | LGBTQ+, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Brie Hutchens is an eighth-grader at a Catholic school. She loves soap operas and dreams of being the star of the school play. She wants to go to drama school next year. Brie also has feelings that she's pretty sure are different than the other kids at her school. For instance, she gets a fluttery feeling looking at photos online of her favorite soap opera actress. But when Brie's (very religious) mom walks in on her doing so, Brie freaks out and tells her Mom she's been chosen to crown the Mary statue at her school's ceremony. She hasn't of course, and even worse, she probably stands no chance at earning the gig, since it usually goes to a top student. One like Kennedy, whom Brie usually avoids. But as Brie starts to spend a little more time with Kennedy, she realizes Kennedy gives her the same feeling as that soap actress. And that none of this is going to make her mother happy (or help her crown Mary).

This is a very sweet, heartwarming, and touching story about a young girl finding her way and finding herself. I'm a sucker for coming of age stories, but when they are lesbian coming of age stories? I'm sold. Brie is an interesting character, who even comes across a little ungrateful at times--though perhaps she's just a typical teenager. She's embarrassed her dad works at her school and often seems a bit self-centered and in her own world. Okay, yeah, she's a teenager. But her battle with her sexual identity is certainly one I could identify with and it's presented in a lovely and truthful way. It's exactly the kind of book kids this age need, especially teens being raised in a religious environment.

The book is more religious than I expected, but it's not off-putting. As someone whose first love love came from a religious Catholic family, I saw so much of my past life in this book. I loved the fact that Brie is a soap fan--as kid who grew up loving Dallas, Days of Our Lives, Passions, and Sunset Beach, this part of the book was totally fun. Yet, Melleby worked in the angle in a serious way, too, as Brie uses soaps as a way to realize that maybe she isn't so different after all (thank you, soaps, for having some progressive characters ahead of your time).


"But when Brie and her mom sat in the living room, watching their soaps, Brie forgot they had so little in common."


Brie is fun and sweet and she's decidedly her own person, yet scared of how her religious mom and her Catholic school friends might see her if she reveals she likes girls. Her agonizing over this, her fear of coming out, is raw and realistic. The difficultly of coming out really resonates here, and Melleby does a wonderful job capturing how hard it is, even now.

Overall, this is a lovely and tender book--funny and sweet--and a great children's/YA read. If you love coming of age stories, YA novels, or any LQBTIA youth fiction, I think this novel will tug at your heartstrings.
  
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Lindsay (1760 KP) rated Grimm Woods in Books

Sep 7, 2017  
Grimm Woods
Grimm Woods
D. Melhoff | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
6
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Really good Plot and written Well (0 more)
Gimm Woods is a good book. It tells the story somewhat of the fairy tales. Counselors come to help with children that are coming for summer camp. There are few kids coming for some fun. You and many people and kids know what the fairy tales are like now.
 
In Grimm Woods, you will find out, what happens in some fairy tales. There are twist and turns and surprises throughout the book. I think it is a good book. What I like about it is it keeps you guessing who and why things are happening. There are crimes that happen throughout the book. Some counselors body shows up.

There is a dark ending to the children stories that you once thought you knew. I was surprised by this when two counselors put on a play for summer camp children. D. Melhoff does a good job on this book. I would though think that parents would take cautiously and only allow their children to read this book if they are 15 plus and older. I will let parents decide for themselves.
  
LA
Live and Let Fly (Kite Shop Mystery #2)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
There’s a kite contest coming to town, and Emmy Adler has pinned her hopes on winning. She thinks that the fame will drive people to her website and help her shop survive the upcoming winter. The judge is, Jasmine Normand, a local who gained fame on a reality show, and Emmy has a run in with her in the weeks leading up to the contest. When Jasmine turns up dead, a tabloid starts insinuating that Emmy had something to do with the death. Can she learn the truth and save her reputation?

Emmy’s town is a wonderful Oregon beach side town, and the atmosphere makes me want to settle in for a vacation. The mystery starts out strong, but loses some steam in the middle before coming back to life for a great climax. Emmy is learning some patience, and it shows in this book. I enjoyed seeing her and the rest of the returning characters again. The new cast of characters are just as strong.

NOTE: I received a copy of this book.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-live-and-let-fly-by-clover.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
CI
Calves In The Mud Room
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

While this may not be your typical "coming of age" story as it only takes place over the course of a couple days, I would still term it as "coming into your own".
Wade lives on a farm which has gone to crap since his granddad passed and his stepdad started taking over. Not "taking over the farm", mind you, because he can't be bothered to lift a finger. No, he's just taken over Wade's life, and not for the good.

When we meet up with Wade, it's the date of a school dance and the girl of his dreams as actually asked him to be her date. He should be on cloud nine, right? Well, he is, until his day snowballs into one from Hell. Cue all the ill-timed things which can possibly happen when you're in a hurry and need to look your best, and multiply it by 10 because he's on a farm. How will his night turn out?

Great little story, and I'd definitely be interested to see where this character and author go from here.

5 stars
  
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Lindsay (1760 KP) rated Grimm Woods in Books

Aug 30, 2018  
Grimm Woods
Grimm Woods
D. Melhoff | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Book Tour: Grimm Woods Gimm Woods is a good book. It tells the story somewhat of the fairy tales. Counselors come to help with children that are coming for summer camp. There are few kids coming for some fun. You and may people and kids know what the fairy tales are like now.
&nbsp;
In Grimm Woods, you will find out, what happens in some fairy tales. There are twist and turns and surprises throughout the book. I think it is a good book. What I like about it is it keeps you guessing who and why things are happening. There are crimes that happen throughout the book. Some counselors body shows up.
There is a dark ending to the children stories that you once thought you knew. I was surprised by this when two counselors put on a play for summer camp children. D. Melhoff does a good job on this book. I would though think that parents would take cautiously and only allow their children to read this book if they are 15 plus and older. I will let parents decide for themselves.
  
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
1955 | Classics, Drama

"Last but not least, man, will be a classic that really holds up and it’s not a comedy. I don’t want to end this on a neutral or serious note, but Rebel Without a Cause, man. I really, really dig that movie. I really dig that movie and I really dig James Dean. I dig what he was about. I’ve watched interviews and movies about him and stuff, and I just dig him as an artist and I really think that that captures… It’s a coming-of-age story, too, but it’s not the ones that we’re used to — that we’re going to laugh at and feel like, “Oh, they won out.” He’s coming from a very dark place as a teenager, which we all go through. I’m sure a lot of us haven’t been in the darkness as long as his character has, but we get how that feels and it’s kind of cool to see him simmering in that emotion. It’s not anticipated at all, so it’s really seamless. It’s really nice to see. You kind of see him growing up in, like, the scrappiest version it can look like."

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