Recently Read...

This past month has been hectic to say the least. My two new exchange students arrived in the middle of August, and we haven't stopped since! Between a family wedding out of state and getting the girls registered and then starting high school, this past month has flown by.

Even though I have been insanely busy, I wanted to mention some of the books I have read in the last couple of weeks that really stood out.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
June 14th 2012 by Dial Books For Young Readers

I adore this book. I would reread this book every month if I didn't have such a huge TBR pile staring at me. Everything about this book drew me in and made me read faster and stay up later because I didn't want to stop reading. The characters, both the main and supporting ones, were amazing. I wish I was younger and had Jase as my next door neighbor. Actually, I wish I had his whole family living next door! The main story line and even the minor story lines were extremely engaging. Even the cover is wonderful. If you haven't picked this one up yet, do so soon!

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin
August 2nd 2012 by Putnam Juvenile

I loved this story with stormchaser as characters! Something about the intensity of the race to find the next tornado and gather the necessary scientific data, crushing on a member of an opposing chaser team, plus the mama drama thrown in, made for some interesting, faced-paced, pages-flying, reading for me. Yet again, I loved this cover and what it represents: not only the stormchasers hunting down tornadoes, but the internal storms Jane is bottling up.  Be sure to check this one out!

The Forsaken by Lisa M. Strasse
July 10th 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

I can't really ever get enough dystopian books.  This one was tells the tale of Alenna, already forced to grow up an orphan when her parents were taken away when she was 10, who gets sent to The Wheel, an island in the middle of nowhere when the inhabitants are forced to pretty much fight each other for the right to survive. Yes, it does sound like the Hunger Games, but who cares! Bring it on!  I just keep reading, hoping Aleena was smart enough, savvy enough, or could at least fake it to make it through this book. I was getting worried in some parts!

Other outstanding books that deserve a shout out:

Insignia Book Trailer

Check out the book trailer for Insignia by S. J. Kincaid (@sjkincaidbooks).

 

Insignia by S.J. Kincaid

July 10th 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.

Have read this one already? I just put myself on hold for one of my library's copy after watching this trailer and reading the synopsis. What about you?