Review of Up at Butternut Lake by Mary McNear

 Rating - 4

 After ten years away, Allie Beckett has returned to her family's cabin beside tranquil Butternut Lake, where as a teenager she spent so many carefree days. She's promised her five-year-old son, Wyatt, they will be happy there. She's promised herself this is the place to begin again after her husband's death in Afghanistan.

Allie and her son are embraced by the townsfolk, and her reunions with old acquaintances—her friend Jax, now a young mother of three with one more on the way, and Caroline, the owner of the local coffee shop—are joyous ones. And then there are newcomers like Walker Ford, who mostly keeps to himself—until he takes a shine to Wyatt . . . and to Allie. (Amazon Desc.)

McNear easily draws the reader in with likable characters, a beautiful setting, and an interesting plot. The romance between Allie and Walker is hot and problematic given the past issues both must overcome. The glimpse we see into Jax's life and Caroline's, leaves the reader wanting to know more about this interesting little town and the people who live there.

Review of Love Anthony by Lisa Genova

Rating - 4

 Olivia Donatelli moved to Nantucket after her autistic son died and she and her husband separated. Olivia is hoping to find answers and gain perspective on why he died. Beth Ellis gave up her editing job in New York City to marry Jimmy and move to Nantucket. Now after 14 years of marriage and three children, she discovers that Jimmy is cheating on her. Two women, each dealing with grief and life changes, have a chance encounter and that brief connection will change their lives forever.

Lisa Genova holds a PhD from Harvard in Neurscience. Her books combine a great story with explanations about the science behind certain mental conditions using language that her readers can understand. In this novel, autism is the issue underlying the story and after reading it, people will gain a new perspective on the disease that 1 in 88 children in the United States have. Genova has a gift for writing strong characters and bringing the reader right into the story. I highly recommend this book.

Review of Postcards from Cedar Key

Rating - 3

 Berkley Whitmore moved to Cedar Key, Florida to open a chocolate shop. She quickly makes new friends, and learns to love her new home. But Berkley moved to Cedar Key for another reason. Her mother lived on the island years ago when Berkley was a child and left Berkley behind. Berkley has never understood why her mother left her and why she went to Cedar Key. Now a series of postcards she found after her mother died, draws Berkley to Cedar Key, hoping to find the answers to her questions about her mother.

This is the 4th book in the Cedar Key series, but the only one I've read. It seems to stand on it's own pretty well. The book is very slow-paced, suitable to the genre, but there is way too much description and information provided, which slows the story down and makes it difficult to stay interested in the plot. It's entertaining and heart-warming and will be enjoyed by people who like to read about small towns and the quirky characters who live there.

Review of Paper Towns by John Green

Rating - 4
Young Adult

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew. (Amazon desc.)
Green is a master at exploring the character of teens as they search for adulthood. "Q" is a great character and his friendship with Radar and Ben is spot on. I found myself laughing out loud in several places. This is a very satisfying, enjoyable look into the lives of teenagers on the brink of adulthood.

Review of Hummingbird Heart by Robin Stevenson

Rating = 4
Young Adult

Sixteen year old Dylan has never met her father. Now, out of the blue, he has contacted her and asked her to be a bone marrow donor for his other daughter, Casey, who is 4 years old and suffering from a form of leukemia. Dylan lives with her mother, Amanda, and her adopted sister, Karma in near poverty. She discovers that her mother has been lying to her for years about her father and more and now she doesn't know how she feels or who to trust.
This is a well-written story about a teenager being forced to confront questions about her past, her family, her relationships and her very identity. Dylan is a well-developed, realistic character and teens will be able to relate to her dilemma. Highly recommended.

Review of Casting About by Terri DuLong

Rating = 3 

Monica and Brad have been married only a few months when Brad learns his ex-wife has been in an accident and he will have full custody of his 11 year old daughter, Clarissa. Monica has never been sure she wanted children and now must learn to care for an 11 year old child. Clarissa's life with her mother has been unstable since her mother is an alcoholic and it takes time for her to learn to trust Brad and Monica. Now Monica has her hands full being a newlywed, raising a pre-teen and running her own business, a yarn shop in the small town of Cedar Key.

This is a sweet, entertaining story of life in a small town, the importance of family and friends and the many faces of love. The dialog spoken by the characters seemed to be a southern dialect, maybe, but it didn't ring true and seemed stilted at times. Although this second book in the Cedar Key series can be read as a stand alone title, I think it would be more entertaining to read the books in order.  I'm looking forward to going back and reading book 1, Spinning Forward.

Review: The Cruisers by Walter Dean Myers

Rating - 3
Young Adult

Zander Scott and his friends, Kambui, LaShonda and Bobbi are students at the DaVinci Academy for the Gifted and Talented in Harlem. Unfortunately, their grades are slipping and Mr. Culpepper, the assistant principal, is just waiting for the opportunity to kick them out of the school. Part of the problem is their alternative newspaper, The Cruiser, which allows them to present their own unique point of view to the rest of the students. They are given one last chance to stay. The school has begun a study of the Civil War. Instead of just learning dry facts and dates, the school has divided the students into the various factions who were present at the time of the War...confederates, slaves, plantation owners, etc. Zander and his fellow Cruisers are presented with the task of bringing the factions together peacefully and preventing the Civil War altogether. As the students get into the project, the students representing the confederacy begin acting out their roles a little too realistically, causing much friction among the blacks and other minorties, resulting in fights and ill will among all of the students. Zander and the Cruisers have their hands full trying to avoid a second Civil War...right in DaVinci Academy.

Walter Dean Myers is a prolific writer and knowledgable voice for African-American teens. He has tackled tough issues facing teens and presented those issues in a realistic way. "The Cruisers" takes on the issue of racism today, by illustrating how those same issues caused the Civil War. Myers' voice is casual and humorous, making his work very readable. This particular book, however, is a little "preachy" at times. It feels like the author is trying to teach a lesson rather than present the situation through realistic dialogue. Other than that, the book is a fast, enjoyable read, providing lots of food for thought and discussion and leaves the reader wanting to see more of the Cruisers.

Kevin R. Free narrated this Book-on- CD by Brilliance Audio

Review: The Other Mothers' Club by Samantha Baker

Rating: 4

A group of women...Eve, Clare, Lily, Melanie, and Mandy... form a group called "The Stepmothers' Support Group so they can discuss the issues they each face as stepmothers or soon to be stepmothers.
The story held my attention to the very last page. Each woman's story is different and will resonate with women facing some of the same problems. The setting is Great Britian and the author is British, so much of the vocabulary is British...occasionally, I wasn't sure what a character was referring to, but it was fun. A very readable and thought-provoking book.

Also published under the title: The Stepmothers' Support Group

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