Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

 

Unlocked  by Karen Kingsbury  323 pages

Holden Harris is an autistic eighteen-year-old who is bullied at school. Ella Reynolds is the head cheerleader who befriends Holden but has problems of her own at home.

Very sweet story about an autistic boy who finds his "voice" again through music.  I liked the way it taught many lessons about bullying, acceptance, and standing up for others.  It touches on the controversial concept of vaccinations causing autism, not sure I agree with that and I don't think it needed to be addressed in the book.  I like the way the story started when the kids were young and how they came back into each others lives. 

The Blind Woodsman by John & Alli Furniss

The Blind Woodsman by John and Alli Furniss-187 pages

Wow..what an inspirational read!  A true story of a very courageous man whose overall mission is to help others find true happiness despite everything life throws at you. You have to read this book to understand all that John has overcome in his life.  When the world around you is getting you down you should pick up this book and absorb his attitude.  He is so grateful for everything.  I enjoyed it very much! 

 

Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey

Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey - 349 pages

Last Herald-Mage #1

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the famed Herald-Mages of Valdemar.

But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin'a'in Adept, Vanyel's wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone's ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and                                                             Valdemar itself in desperate peril...

Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica

 Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica - 384 pages

People don’t just disappear without a trace....

Shelby Tebow is the first to go missing. Not long after, Meredith Dickey and her six-year-old daughter, Delilah, vanish just blocks away from where Shelby was last seen, striking fear into their once-peaceful community. Are these incidents connected? After an elusive search that yields more questions than answers, the case eventually goes cold.

Now, 11 years later, Delilah shockingly returns. Everyone wants to know what happened to her, but no one is prepared for what they’ll find....

In this smart and chilling thriller, master of suspense and New York Times best-selling author Mary Kubica takes domestic secrets to a whole new level, showing that some people will stop at nothing to keep the truth buried.

I really loved this book. I loved the flashbacks to when Meredith was around and then back to present time. I instantly fell in love with Meredith's character. This book really kept me guessing until the very end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - 288 pages

Nora Seed finds herself at the lowest point in her life due to tragedy and regret  and everything is going wrong.  As she looks back at the decision points in her life she decides not to carry on but soon discovers that in between life and death there is a library filled with all the lives that could have been.  Nora's journey begins in the midnight library to find her way back to herself or to decide to move on to what's next.  

This book is odd but interesting in how it looks at how decisions both big and small impact not only our only lives but people around us, both close and strangers.  Plus a little education on the nature of multidimensional physics to boot!

What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson

What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson - 293 pages

James is popular, smart, and attractive.  His brother Alex no longer has any friends since a suicide attempt several months ago.  James can't wait to escape this town that he's bored with and go to college.  Alex is surprised to find that he has an escape in running and the possibility of a new friendship.

This book takes place over the course of a year -- exploring the lives of the two brothers and how they start to reconnect.  It was an interesting story that I enjoyed.

Sand Chronicles, v. 1 by Hinako Ashihara

Sand Chronicles, v. 1 by Hinako Ashihara - 200 pages

Ann goes to live in the country with her mom after her parents' divorce.  While at first she hates the country, she quickly makes a couple friends.  These friends will help her through a personal tragedy that shapes her life.

I enjoyed this first volume in the series.  I'm going to have to find the following volumes to read. 

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas-384 pages

I had read both The Darkest Corners and Little Monsters by Kara Thomas (I also met her back in April along with Veronica Roth), so I wanted to read her latest book. I was not disappointed. She is good at keeping the suspense going and keeping it interesting. I was eager to find out what really happened to the cheerleaders of Sunnybrook High School throughout the book and was not disappointed in the reveal/ending. Kara Thomas is a good teen true crime mystery writer.

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera - 295 pages

After enduring his father's death, his own suicide attempt, and broken relationships with his friends and girlfriend, Aaron determines he want to go through memory alteration treatment -- especially when a friendship starts to turn into unrequited love.

This book was extremely depressing.  There is nothing happy at all about it.  The description alone acknowledges that the book probably will not be cheerful, however, a twist that comes towards the end makes the book probably one of the most depressing things I have ever read.  Those who want to read this book will need to have the box of kleenex handy.

Pasadena by Sherri L. Smith

Pasadena by Sherri L. Smith-240 pages

Maggie Kim dies of an apparent suicide and is found floating face down in her pool. Jude is her best friend and doesn't buy that it's suicide, so she sets out to solve what really happened that night. Was it murder, as Jude believes, or was it suicide? If it was murder, then who killed Maggie? These are the questions to which Jude seeks answers (and finds them, but I won't spoil it). This novel is okay, but I didn't like reading it as much as The Darkest Corners or Little Monsters by Kara Thomas. Next, I am reading The Girl I Used to Be by April Henry.

Define Crazy by Donna Snyder, RN, BSN

Define Crazy by Donna Snyder, RN, BSN, 138 pages

Define Crazy was a very interesting book by a local author and mental health professional about the field of psychiatry and mental health patients.  Donna writes about real stories that actually happened to her and her patients.  Of course, she changes the names for privacy reasons.  She has experienced a lot in her 20 years on a locked psych ward especially when she worked at the state hospital.  I found this book very relevant especially in today's society.

The Gatekeepers
by Jen Lancaster ( 452 pages)

When you've grown up living in the best neighborhoods, going to the best schools, and wearing the best clothes, life is perfect. So, why have there been an unusual number of suicides in the idyllic town of North Shore, Illinois? Sometimes having the best of things and opportunities isn't always what it is cracked up to be.

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti

The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti - 383 pages

I chose this book because it was the Big Library Read.  While I love reading teen selections, I don't know that I would have normally chosen this particular one.  I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  This novel dealt with many teen issues, such as self-esteem, bullying and suicide.  There were times I laughed and times I cried, as I could envision myself in the main character's shoes.  I would encourage anyone that deals with teenagers or has a teenager at home to read this novel.

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris

Night Shift by Charlaine Harris - 308 pages
Midnight, Texas #3

There's something wrong in Midnight.  People are being drawn to town to commit suicide at the crossroads.  Though the residents try to stop it, they can't.  A demon is waking beneath Midnight calling to the residents and others in his attempt to enter and conquer earth.

This is the third and final book in the Midnight, Texas series.  I've really enjoyed this series and wish there were books.  I enjoyed the characters and their interactions.

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins

Rumble by Ellen Hopkins, 546 pages

I think I have read most of Ellen Hopkins books, and I must say this is probably one of my least favorites.  Matthew Turner is a teen in high school dealing not only with everyday issues but also dealing with the suicide of his homosexual brother, Luke. Luke was driven to suicide by the bullying he faced at school after he came out.  All this has made Matthew question his religion, his faith and his relationship with his girlfriend. All of Ellen Hopkins books are a little depressing, but this one was hard to get into.

Orange by Ichigo Takano

Orange, v. 1 by Ichigo Takano - 384 pages
Orange, v. 2 by Ichigo Takano - 384 pages

The day Naho starts 11th grade, she receives a letter from her future self giving her directions on how to save the life of new friend Kakeru.  Working with the letter's directions and with the help of her friends, can Naho save him?

This was an unusual manga.  It was a lot more serious in content than a lot of manga series that I have read in the past, even with the inclusion of the time travel story line.  The themes of self-confidence, depression, and suicide run through every story told in the collection.  I would recommend this to those who like more serious stories or a little mysticism with their realistic stories.

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley

The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley-240 pages

I wanted to read this book because it was on a list to choose from for a YA course that I took in my last semester of library school. I didn't get a chance to read it then, but wanted to now, mainly because it is set in Ireland. I have been to Scotland and have had an affinity (and ancestors from) Ireland for a while now. This is the story of a teen from Chicago who moves to a small town in Ireland called Bray when her mother marries a local from Bray. It chronicles Maggie's relationships with her mom, Nanny Ei, and the rest of her family, including her Uncle Kevin. She travels to Rome to see Nirvana with Eoin, her Irish boyfriend who she falls in love with because it was her Uncle Kevin's dying wish (he left her a letter before he committed suicide). Maggie meets a local elderly man named Dan Sean O'Callaghan and visits him often during the story. It is a story of first love, finding one's place, and family and I enjoyed reading it.

A Mother's Reckoning: Living In The Aftermath Of Tragedy by Sue Klebold

A Mother's Reckoning: Living In The Aftermath Of Tragedy by Sue Klebold, 305 pages

One of the most tragic school shootings happened at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999.  Sue Klebold is the mother of one of the shooters.  On that day in April, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris walked into their school armed with bombs and guns intending to do the most harm they could do to their fellow classmates.  It was a tragedy.

A Mother's Reckoning is an account of what Sue Klebold has gone through in the past 16 years of her life.  Her account starts on that fateful day when she receives a phone call from her husband urging her to come home.  Fearing her son was one of the victims, she was in denial when she found her son was possibly one of the shooters.  Her account of what follows is chilling.  She tries to convince herself that her son in no way could be responsible for his actions and that rather he was a victim of brainwashing or drugs. We all thought of what was going through Dylan's and Eric's minds, but what about the parents who have to live with the aftermath of what their child has done.  Sue and her husband faced over 30 lawsuits in the years to follow.  Sue also had to return to her life and the person she once was.  Not only was it a fact that her child had killed others, but that her child had committed suicide.  This book will make you think and run to hug your children.

The River Knows by Amanda Quick

The River Knows by Amanda Quick - 422 pages

Louisa Bryce is sure that Anthony Stalbridge must be pretending interest in her as a diversion for some other plan.  Turns out he is investigating his fiance's death a year earlier.  His investigation however is threatening to uncover her own secret.

I enjoyed this historical romance.  It was quick and fun to read.  Some of the mystery was fairly easy to figure out early on, but there were also aspects of the story that were a surprise at the end.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, 288 pages

Thirteen Reasons Why is a teen book which may be considered controversial, but I found it a great story about teens and is really quite relevant in today's society where kids may be bullied. Clay Jenson finds himself on the receiving end of mysterious tapes that contain the thirteen reasons why Hannah Baker committed suicide.  Listening to this book on a playaway made the story all that more intense as you are listening to Hannah's voice on the tapes.  I recommend this read to both teens and adults.  It was really eye opening.