Where'd You Go, Bernadette
"People like you must create. If you don't create, Bernadette, you will become a menace to society.” Maria Semple, Where'd You Go, Bernadette

Where'd You Go, Bernadette has the mood of Arrested Development and the pacing of a Woody Allen movie. Maria Semple did indeed write for Arrested Development and it shows, quirky and bizarre meet reality in this family tale of Seattle living. Keens, five way intersections, blackberry bushes, one way streets, and Microsoft are all part of the Seattle stew that makes this novel. 

The awesome combination of breakneck speed and humor, Where'd You go, Bernadette is a perfect vacation read. Caution: salty language.

Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting"Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.” 
Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

Tuck Everlasting is beautiful and thought provoking, a snapshot of just a couple of days in the life of Winnie Foster.  Winnie gets restless and "runs away" into the woods. There she meets an unusual family who change her perspective on the world. Is eternal life a blessing or a curse? 

Quick and powerful, much like Kneenock Rise, Natalie Babitt manages to pack a lot of wisdom into little packages. Clocking in at 139 small pages, this lovely story stays with you. 
Lexie 770, Ages 8+

Eleanor Elephant is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine
"There are days when I feel so so lightly connected to the earth that the threads that tether me to the planet are gossamer thin, spun sugar. A strong gust of wind could dislodge me completely, and I'd lift off and blow away, like one of those seeds in a dandelion clock."
Gail Honeyman, Eleanor Elephant is Completely Fine

This book is hilarious, heartbreaking, and by the end I absolutely loved Eleanor!  Eleanor has been going through her life alone, through a series of small interactions she comes out of her shell and opens herself up to friendship. As you can tell from the quote at the beginning of the post the writing is beautiful. It is also really funny. Super wry and understated Eleanor's inner dialogue was the best part of the book. "She wasn't actually chewing gum, but her demeanor was very much that of a gum chewer." Eleanor's observations about her coworkers, people on the bus, behavior at parties, and beauty rituals were spot on and gut busting.

There is a dark undercurrent, but the mood of the book is really hopeful. A lot of aspects of the book reminded me of the Rosie Project. Contains some salty language and excessive drinking. Overall my favorite new read of the year!

Love and First Sight

Love and First Sight
What a fun book! My daughter read this book in two days and loved it. This is squarely in the YA category, cute love story, a few misfits, and a little drama. Main character Will Porter decides to transfer from his school for the blind to a regular high school. He wants to be as independent as possible and the only way to do it is to make his own way in the world. When an experimental surgery to give him sight becomes a possibility, he has to decide if being able to see is worth the risk of changing who he is. 

I really loved the different perspective that came with this book! it was interesting to hear the characters trying to describe things to Will using visual metaphors and how hard it was to convey certain things. The author lost his leg to cancer at age nine, so he has faced a different set of challenges.  I appreciated his interpretation on what it may be like to be blind. 

Content notes: there is a few instances of mild swear words (maybe 5), and a small amount of kissing.  670 Lexile, Ages 12+

Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery 
"It seems all wrong to me--her looking like that. Money and looks--it's too much!...Got everything, that girl has. Doesn't seem fair..."
Agatha Christie, Death on the Nile

Linnet Ridgeway has it all, and if she doesn't have it yet she can get it.  On her honeymoon trip to Egypt everything boils over in the hot sun.  This moody mystery has it; jilted love, revenge, and rebellion.  A romantic cruise on the Nile, where evil is lurking just under the surface. 

Unlike some of Christie's novels, this one weaves a more intricate plot that is going strong well before the mystery unfolds. It's a real page turner from the beginning, as many possibilities of plot and intrigue are possible. 

A great vacation/summer read, for anyone who loves a good who done it!

Alex Rider

Stormbreaker (Alex Rider)
Alex knows something is fishy with the way his uncle died. The car he was driving is covered with bullet holes, what was he really up to? Does Alex have the courage to take up where his uncle left off?

Full of gadgets, man eating squids, and odd characters; Alex Rider is James Bond for kids. This series will appeal to boys who like video games and action movies. With 14 books in the series, it could keep a boy occupied for months!
670 Lexile, Ages 10+

Dragon Slippers

Dragon Slippers, Dragon Spear , and Dragon Flight
What a fun series for middle grade and tween girls. Creel is sent as a sacrifice to the local dragon in the hopes that she will be rescued by a knight, become rich, and in the process bring the family out of poverty. What unfolds is a surprising tale of friendship and intrigue!

Creel is talented at embroidery and has some big ideas about how she wants to live her life. Empowered by the slippers she choose from the dragon (which contain some magic) she embarks in her new life to find some great friends and some enemies. Chock full of action and secrets, this series is a perfect summer binge!

Dragon Slippers 850 Lexile, Ages 8+
Dragon Spear  920 Lexile, Ages 8+
Dragon Flight 870 Lexile, Ages 8+