The Text by Julane Fisher reminds me of the classic 1984 by George Orwell. I read that in high school years ago, but the feelings from the novel lasted all these years. Both dystopian novels address government control and lack of privacy. In The Text, 16-year-old Rami and her friend Fin play a coding game…
Are you (or your kids) looking for a novel where the villain keeps the heroine on her toes? Do you like stories where good triumphs evil, but you’re not sure how this problem can be resolved until you reach the end, cringing through the climax and fretting that the characters you have come to admire…
Tinsel in a Twist by Laurie Germaine continues the story of Tinsel, the Christmas elf from Tinsel in a Tangle, a YA novel I raved about in February. Just in time for the holidays, the second novel arrives, just as endearing. Tinsel travels with Niklas and Santa and Mrs. Claus to Germany for Niklas’ initiation…
Castle of Refuge, the second book in the Dericott Tale series by Melanie Dickerson, picks up the story of Edwin, Lord Dericott, after he returns home to his castle after losing an arm. I learned from this novel that if you lose your arm, you have trouble with balance for a while. I never considered…