Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

Interest Level: Young Adult

Reading Level: 5.8

Lexile: 880

Genre: Fantasy

Currently on pg. 57, chapter 9

Gwen and her artist mother travel from job to job never staying long enough to call one place home. Another reason to keep moving is Gwen's mom belief that they are being chased by monsters. Now they find themselves in London. Gwen's mom's previous employer has a daughter named Olivia. Olivia came with them to London to spend the summer. 

At this point in the story, Gwen and Olivia have been kidnapped by a shadowy figure. They wake up to find they are in the middle of the ocean on a ship. All the crew appear to be Gwen's age or younger. The author has not said how old Gwen is, unless I missed it, but I believe she is around middle school or high school age.

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher

Finished the book

The "Author's Note" at the end of the book echos my feelings exactly. 

"One of the things that baffles me is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls........ At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage, so if you're living with this illness and functioning at all, it's something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication one has to ingest."

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fischer

Interest Level: Adult

Reading Level: NR

Lexile: NR

Genre: Autobiography

Currently on pg.143, chapter 10

I wanted to read this book because I admire Fisher and her openness in discussing her mental health issues. This book is in no way meant for middle school students. Although, I think that some high school students could handle the frankness of the topic and the language. I believe that people with mental issues and those who love them could find comfort in knowing that they are not alone. Fisher jokes about all the celebrities that have mental health issues. She even states that her bipolar diagnose has brought her more fame than Star Wars. What Fisher realizes is that there is a stigma that is associated with mental illness. By sharing her journey, hopefully others can find the strength to continue on.

Dancing Barefoot by Wil Wheaton

Interest Level: Adult
Reading Level:NR
Lexile: NR
Genre: Autobiography

Finished book

Wheaton states in the foreword that this book contains five short stories that did not make it into his book, "Just a Geek." One of these autobiographical narratives takes you behind the scenes at a Star Trek convention. In others Wheaton shares tales of loss, love, and a journey through his childhood. I am a Star Trek fan. I enjoy Wheaton's work on The Big Bang Theory and admire his work with Project UROK. I am an avid reader of his wife's blog. And I have now added "Just a Geek" to my "Want to Read" list. I would recommend this book to 11th grade students to adults. I give it 5 stars.

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Finished the book

This book was not what I expected. I thought that it was going to be a straight up Nancy Drew type mystery but then the book appeared to be a coming of age story. Was Grace insane or did she really see her mother murdered? As Grace tracks her mother's killer, the plot twists and turns. The ending did surprise me. I think that the thriller genre better fits this book than calling it a mystery. I would recommend this book to 6th - 12th graders.

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Currently on pg. 191, chapter 24

At this point in the story, it is unclear whether this is a mystery or a story about Grace's emotional trauma. There have been a few hints to the mystery/thriller that this book was marketed as, such as Grace following the scarred man. With roughly 120 pages left, the author still has time to turn this into more of a mystery.

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Interest Level: Young Adult

Reading Level: 3.7 grade

Lexile: 610 HL

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Currently on pg. 82, chapter 9

The premise of the plot is believable and interesting. The adversarial character has just been introduced. The book is enjoyable but she yet to grab me. We shall see.

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

Finished by book

I highly recommend this book. I loved how the author wraps up the story. I love historical fiction but even if you do not, I think you might like it. The characters are well developed and likable. There are many colorful characters. I think anyone could find a character to connect to. I can see why this book was nominated for the Newbery award.