Poems and Poets

Publication Date:  June 23rd, 2015 Genre:  Young Adult, Romance, Realistic Fiction My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source:  Own Copy Emmy's best friend was kidnapped ten years ago. Life in her small town home has been stilted since Oliver was taken by his father. Her parents are the most over-protective parents in town and she keeps so many secrets from them it's hard to keep count. Then Oliver comes back. After ten years, Oliver finally learns that his father was the bad guy. It wasn't his mother who deserted him, it wasn't a messy separation that led to him never seeing her again. He needs time to figure out his new world. He's back in a place he doesn't remember calling home and his life has changed drastically. In the second grade, Emmy and Oliver pledged to be best friends forever. Has their relationship withstood the test of time and distance? Can they mend their friendship and build it into something greater? Emmy has held onto him for a decade. Has Ol...

Publication Date: August 15th, 2017 Genre: Young-Adult Contemporary My Goodreads Rating: 3/5 Source: Own Copy Emma's life had forever revolved around the actions of her elder sister, Henri. This wasn't some sort of eternal punishment or trap she couldn't escape- Emma simply adored Henri to the extent that she worshiped her every step and molded her life to fit Henri's. While this may seem like an unhealthy relationship to some, Emma and Henri had perfected their routine- sharing a seamless experience together for all their teen years. Suddenly, after a devastating fight (left a mystery to the audience), the siblings find themselves awash on an island after a boating trip gone wrong, with only a fellow teen to guide them. They must find their way back to each other to find their way home- but with their shattered past, can the sisters shape a new future?

Publication Date: September 19th 2017 Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source: Publisher (Through Edelweiss) Kadi is a young girl in modern-day Timbuktu. Daughter of a scripture librarian. A fan of literature, music and art, she hopes one day to become the esteemed guardian of the scriptures her father currently looks after. Ali is a small-town boy from the villages of Mali. He's joined the Defenders of Faith, a branch of Al Qaeda and is an important player in the take of Timbuktu. As life changes drastically in Timbuktu, Ali and Kadi meet. They hate each other instantly- but something about their natures encourages them to interact with one another. Opening up to each other was a huge mistake- or was it?

Publication Date: 26th September 2017 Genre: Historical Fiction My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source: Publisher (Through Edelweiss) Daughter of a well-respected General, Elizabeth Schuyler is well-versed in the standards of social etiquette. Her family often entertains officers and messengers, but none of them leave as much of an impression as her future husband. Alexander Hamilton, soldier and aide to General George Washington, causes Elizabeth's heart to flutter and never really leaves her heart. She courts Alexander briefly and they marry quickly. Amidst the chaos of the American Revolution, Eliza and Alexander find time for their ever-growing family. After the war, Hamilton finds himself devoting more time to work and less to his health, as he becomes an essential part of the government. Hidden from the public eye, Eliza manages the house-hold, calms her husband and helps to stabilize her family. In the capital, she entertains regularly, socializing with the wives of ...

Publication Date: August 1st 2017 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source: Publisher (Through Edelweiss) Olivia wakes up confused in a hospital bed. After a week-long coma, she can't remember the accident that brought her to the hospital. What she soon figures out however, is that she's lost four precious years of her life. She can't remember starting- or graduating- from my high school. She doesn't remember her boyfriend Matt. She doesn't remember why one of her best friends is no longer in touch with her. She realizes that she's quite different as an 18-year-old and struggles to figure out who she really is. With a constant army of people supplying her with memories she doesn't know she had, Olivia needs to hear from her savior to figure out the truth. Olivia feels different with tight-lipped Walker, the man who rescued her. As she determines whether or not she still loves Matt, she finds herself getting closer to Wa...

Publication Date: February 17th 2016 Genre: Young-Adult (Contemporary) My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 Source:  Own Copy Maddie has just graduated from high school and she plans on spending the summer before college ticking items off her bucket list- or her "loose ends" list, as she likes to call it- with her best friends. Her socialite grandmother, who's young-at-heart and fiercely passionate- calls a suspicious family gathering at her town house one day which changes the way Maddie looks at life forever. Her amazing grandmother has been diagnosed with cancer- and she doesn't want to be treated for it! To spend as much time with her family as she can, the O'Niell Matriarch books an international family cruise. The up-side? Great food, interesting people, amazing destinations. The down side? Grandma O'Niell may not come home at the end of the trip.

Publication Date: February 26th 2013 Genre: Romance, Young Adult My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 Source: Own Copy Eleanor is a social misfit. Her bright red hair stands out, she uses the wrong language, wears different clothes and she generally doesn't fit. She meets Park on the bus. Park is a social misfit. He sits alone, always listens to music and just seems different. Together they are the perfect pair. They laugh before they finish their jokes, talk about the same things, worry about the same issues, and confide in one another. I think this could possibly be one of Rowell's best books. It won the Goodreads Choice Award for 2013 (the year it was released) and warmed the hearts of many fellow readers.

Publication Date: June 8th 2013 Genre: Young Adult & Mythological/Fantasy My Goodreads Rating: 3/5 Source : Own Copy Katie Greene has just lost her parents, but to make the situation even worse she's being sent across the world to live with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan. Katie feels lost in a new culture, struggling to learn Japanese and Asian cultures as she tries to fit in at her new Japanese school. Then she meets Tomohiro, the star of the school's Kendo team. His mysterious scar draws Katie in, but when she sees his drawings moving, she understands that she may not be prepared to understand how he really got hurt. Katie and Tomohiro make a dangerous team. A team dangerous enough to put a target on their backs.

Publication Date: 4th October 2016 Genre: Young Adult My Goodreads Rating: 5/5 Source:  Own Copy This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills is the tale of a young girl from New York (Sloane) who moves to Florida and finds herself in a great friendship with twins; Vera is a social-media star with an incredibly bright personality and Gabe a serious and profound boy.  Vera and Gabe's father has recently remarried, and the twins are struggling to accept the loss of their mother. When one of her beloved paintings goes missing, the twins are absolutely crushed. Feeling a fierce sense of protectiveness for her friends, Sloane takes it upon herself to track down the missing painting and secure her friendship with Vera and Gabe.

Publication Date: November 1st 2016 Genre: Young Adult, Romance My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source:  Own Copy I've finally got down to reviewing "The Sun is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon. This contemporary romance, about two incredibly different characters who attempt to get past each others' boundaries is a very interesting read. It's also quite a quick read, as it deals with heavy emotions in the colloquial style that is more common today. Natasha is a Jamaican girl who has lived in America since she was 8 years old. She is a strong believer in fact and science, and from experience, has learned that practicality outdoes passion, and that plans are better than poetry. She is most definitely not the type of person who falls in love- especially when her family is 12 hours away from being deported back to Jamaica.

Publication Date: April 14th 2011 Genre: Young Adult, Romance My Goodreads Rating: 3/5 Source:  Own Copy I finished reading "Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell last month, and although I wasn't quite sure if I should review it, I've decided to do so now. I don't have many reviews where I present negative views, but they might help some of you make your decision about trying out the book. After all, what I don't enjoy may be exactly what you do. So let's get to it, shall we? (we shall...)

Publication Date: March 22nd 2011 Genre: Realistic Fiction, Grief My Goodreads Rating: 4/5 Source:  Own Copy This novel was a recommendation by my mom, and I was surprisingly  interested in the story right from the beginning. I can't say that this book has been on my to-read list for a long time, but I simply can't understand why I didn't pick up this book earlier!  Night Road by Kristin Hannah follows the story of a young teen who's been in the foster care system since she can remember. Alexa (or Lexi) has finally found her permanent home with her Great Aunt. Her social worker enrolls her in a prestigious high school, where she befriends Mia, an introvert who's twin brother is the school's most popular boy.

Publication Date: 1991 Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance My Goodreads Rating: 2/5 Source: Library Copy I recently finished reading " A Little Love Song " by Michelle Magorian. Initially I wasn't too sure about the book, however, I enjoyed the story line and the contrast between the characters. The story, set in the English Country during the Second World War, is one of self-discovery, courage, love and friendship.  The main character, Rose HighlyRobinson has come away to the town of Salmouth for vacations with her elder sister Diana. Their mother has gone away with an acting troupe for the summer who hope to entertain British and American soldiers around Europe.  At the young ages of 21 and 17, the two sisters are left under the charge of Ms. Hutchinson for 3 months. As their caretaker is called away on duty at the factories, Roe (Nickname for Rose) and Diana take the brave decision to live on their own.