The Search For Us by Susan Azim Boyer

 

Samira Murphy will do anything to keep her fractured family from falling apart, including caring for her widowed grandmother and getting her older brother into recovery for alcohol addiction. With attendance at her dream college on the line, she takes a long shot DNA test to find the support she so desperately needs from a father she hasn’t seen since she was a baby.

Henry Owen is torn between his well-meaning but unreliable bio-mom and his overly strict aunt and uncle, who stepped in to raise him but don’t seem to see him for who he is. Looking to forge a stronger connection to his own identity, he takes a DNA test to find the one person who might love him for exactly who he is―the biological father he never knew.

Instead of a DNA match with their father, Samira and Henry are matched with each other. They begin to search for their father together and slowly unravel the difficult truth of their shared past, forming a connection that only siblings can have and recovering precious parts of their past that have been lost. Brimming with emotional resonance, Susan Azim Boyer's The Search for Us beautifully renders what it means to find your place in the world through the deep and abiding power of family.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: The Search for Us: A Novel: 9781250833709: Boyer, Susan Azim: Books

After obtaining a Certificate in Screenwriting from UCLA in the early aughts, I was accepted to the Sundance Producers Conference and went on to write and direct the independent feature, All You Need, starring two-time Academy Award nominee, Shirley Knight, which played on the festival circuit.

After several “it’s my breakthrough!/oh no, it’s not my breakthrough” moments, I began writing young adult fiction featuring Iranian American heroines (whom I *never* encountered growing up), who make messy, complicated choices that rapidly snowball into avalanches. Jasmine Zumideh Needs a Win is my young adult fiction debut. I live in the Palm Springs/Palm Desert area with my husband, Wayne, and my Pug mix, Teddy. Our son, Alec, lives in New York.

My Thoughts...

You would never guess that this was a debut. It was such a touching read. If this great book was Boyers first, I can't wait to read the next book.

I love all things DNA so this was right up my alley.

I have to say this is a must read. Very well done. 4 stars from this avid reader.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Pumpkin War By Cathleen Young

At the end of every summer, Madeline Island hosts its famous pumpkin race. All summer, adults and kids across the island grow giant, thousand-pound pumpkins, then hollow one out and paddle in it across the lake to the cheers of the entire town.

Twelve-year-old Billie loves to win; she has a bulletin board overflowing with first-prize ribbons. Her best friend Sam doesn't care much about winning, or at least Billie didn't think so until last summer's race, when his pumpkin crashed into hers as she was about to cross the finish line and he won. This summer, Billie is determined to get revenge by growing the best and biggest pumpkin and beating Sam in the race. It's a tricky science to grow pumpkins, since weather, bugs, and critters can wipe out a crop. Then a surprise visit from a long-lost relative shakes things up, and Billie begins to see her family, and her bond with Sam, in a new way.

Pick up your your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-War-Cathleen-Young/dp/1524767336/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Pumpkin+war&qid=1557616599&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Like Billie in her book The Pumpkin War, Cathleen grew up among storytellers. She often went fishing all around the Badger State with her father, who was a newspaper reporter. Ever since she was little, Cathleen’s dream was to write for kids.

After graduating from the University of Georgia, Cathleen began writing for magazines like McCall’s and Working Mother. Later, she worked as a police reporter at CITY NEWS BUREAU in Chicago. She then moved into television, writing everything from soap operas like The Young and the Restless to shows like Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and MacGyver.

She has over a dozen television movies to her credit, including the award-winning HALLMARK HALL OF FAME movie, A Place for Annie. Cathleen is now the executive director of HUMANITAS, where she gets to help aspiring writers break into film and tv. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her twin daughters, Shaelee and Gemma, her husband Patrick, and the family dogs Butch and Rexxy.

It was only after her twins were born that Cathleen discovered her true writer’s voice.

My Thoughts...

This is a book for (8-13) year olds. It was a fun read. Who would not want to be in a competition to see who can grow the biggest pumpkin?  I want to ride in a giant pumpkin in a lake. this was so fun to read.I hope that all the young ones read this. 
I gave this book 4 stars and I recommend it. Ask your school library to get a copy so everyone can enjoy it.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own. 

Pretend She's Here By Luanne Rice

Emily Lonergan's best friend died last year.

And Emily hasn't stopped grieving. Lizzie Porter was lively, loud, and fun -- Emily's better half. Emily can't accept that she's gone.

When Lizzie's parents and her sister come back to town to visit, Emily's heartened to see them. The Porters understand her pain. They miss Lizzie desperately, too.

Desperately enough to do something crazy.

Something unthinkable.

Suddenly, Emily's life is hurtling toward a very dark place -- and she's not sure she'll ever be able to return to what she once knew was real.

Pick up your copy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Pretend-Shes-Here-Luanne-Rice/dp/133829850X/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=2H1GET21JNHL&keywords=pretend+shes+here+by+luanne+rice&qid=1551121549&s=gateway&sprefix=pretend+shes+he%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of 34 novels, which have been translated into 24 languages. The author of Dream Country, Beach Girls, The Secret Language of Sisters and others, Rice often writes about love, family, nature, and the sea. She received the 2014 Connecticut Governor’s Arts Award for excellence and lifetime achievement in the Literary Arts category.

Several of Rice's novels have been adapted for television, including Crazy in Love for TNT, Blue Moon for CBS, Follow the Stars Home and Silver Bells for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, and Beach Girls for Lifetime. Rice's four cats are her muses, and she speaks their language. She lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut.

My Thoughts...


This book took off from the beginning. It's not one of those books that picks up half way. I did not however find the kidnapping appropriate for young adults. But the storyline was done very well and held my attention. I would say this book is more for almost adults.
This is a 3 star book for young adults, not sure they will under stand the kidnapping and the mental illness. But as an adult reader it was a 4 star read for me!
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

The Friendship War By Andrew Clements

Stickers, Silly Bandz, Rainbow Looms, fidget spinners . . . buttons?! A brand-new school story about friendship and fads from the bestselling author of Frindle.This is war. Okay--that's too dramatic.
But no matter what this is called, so far I'm winning.
And it feels wonderful.

Grace and Ellie have been best friends since second grade. Ellie's always right in the center of everything--and Grace is usually happy to be Ellie's sidekick. But what happens when everything changes? This time it's Grace who suddenly has everyone's attention when she accidentally starts a new fad at school. It's a fad that has first her class, then her grade, and then the entire school collecting and trading and even fighting over . . . buttons?! A fad that might also get her in major trouble and could even be the end of Grace and Ellie's friendship. Because Ellie's not used to being one-upped by anybody. There's only one thing for Grace to do. With the help of Hank--the biggest button collector in the sixth grade--she will have to figure out a way to end the fad once and for all. But once a fad starts, can it be stopped?

Andrew Clements, the beloved author of Frindle, returns with a deliciously entertaining and deeply satisfying story that will resonate with anyone who's ever been in a classroom . . . or been a kid. A fad is a tough thing to kill, but then again, so is a friendship.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Friendship-War-Andrew-Clements/dp/0399557598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545874879&sr=8-1&keywords=the+friendship+war+andrew+clements

Most of my characters are fairly normal people who are dealing with the basics of everyday life--getting along with others, finding a place in the world, discovering talents, overcoming challenges, trying to have some wholesome fun along the way, and getting into some scrapes and a little mischief now and then, too. I guess I hope my readers will be able to see bits and pieces of themselves in the stories, particularly the novels that take place in and around school. School is a rich setting because schools and education are at the heart of every community. The stories that are set in school seem to resonate with kids, teachers, parents, librarians--readers of all ages. Everyone's life has been touched by school experiences. And I also hope, of course, that kids and others will enjoy reading, enjoy the use of language, enjoy my storytelling.

My Thoughts...

This was such a cute story for Second or third graders. Do you remember fads from when you were in school?
Friendships are so important and this book is a great edition to your young readers library.
I recommend this book and gave it 4 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Inkling By Kenneth Oppel

From the acclaimed author of The Nest, The Boundless, and Airborn comes a brilliantly funny, breakout book about a boy who discovers an ink blot that's come to life! Perfect for those who love Hoot and Frindle and sure to be a hit with kids everywhere!
The Rylance family is stuck. Dad's got writer's block. Ethan promised to illustrate a group project at school--even though he can't draw. Sarah's still pining for a puppy. And they all miss Mom. So much more than they can say.

Enter Inkling. Inkling begins life in Mr. Rylance's sketchbook. But one night the ink of his drawings runs together--and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything.

Ethan finds him first. Inkling has absorbed a couple chapters of his math book--not good--and the story he's supposed to be illustrating for school--also not good. But Inkling's also started drawing the pictures to go with the story--which is amazing! It's just the help Ethan was looking for! Inkling helps the rest of the family too--for Sarah he's a puppy. And for Dad he's a spark of ideas for a new graphic novel. It's exactly what they all want.

It's not until Inkling goes missing that this family has to face the larger questions of what they--and Inkling--truly need.

Kenneth Oppel has given us a small masterpiece of middle-grade fiction. Inkling is funny and fizzy and exciting, and brimming with the kind of interesting ideas and dilemmas that kids will love to wrestle with. And Sydney Smith is creating wonderfully inky illustrations to bring the story to vivid life. Get ready. A little ink blot is about to become your new favorite character!

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Inkling-Kenneth-Oppel/dp/152477281X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541592968&sr=8-1&keywords=inkling+by+kenneth+oppel

Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide, and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn was winner of a Michael L Printz Honor Book Award, and the Canadian Governor General's Award for Children's Literature; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children's Novel of the Year by the London Times. He is also the author of Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor, The Boundless, and The Nest, winner of the CLA Book of the Year for Children. His latest book is the YA novel EVERY HIDDEN THING. Born on Vancouver Island, Oppel has lived in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, England, Ireland, and now lives in Toronto with his wife and children.

My Thoughts...

Young adult books just keep getting better and better.
8-12 years is what the author had in mind but this adult really enjoyed this book. So don't put an age on it. It's for all ages to enjoy.
Good Characters, good story, good writing.
I gave this book 4 stars and I hope that you will give it a try. It would make a great stocking stuffer.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

A Forest, A Flood, and an Unlikely Star By J.A. Myhre

Just thirteen-years-old, Kusiima has no time for school, sports, or hanging out with the other boys in his African village. With no father or mother to take care of him, he works long hours to support his grandmother and sickly baby sister. Then one day, Kusiima s life suddenly changes when he travels into a nearby protected forest. In the forest, Kusiima is presented with many choices, all with uncertain outcomes. Should he go along with illegal logging? Help to save an endangered baby gorilla? Follow a donkey to who knows where? With each choice, Kusiima has to make yet another decision about what is right in front of him. As he does, he meets a mysterious doctor who holds the key to his past and his future. In the end, Kusiima is faced with the hardest choice of all. Can he forgive a great wrong and heal a broken relationship? Readers of all ages won t want to put down this exciting book that addresses current realities like AIDS, malnutrition, and environmental destruction, all set in a richly detailed African adventure story. Following along as Kusiima makes his decisions, readers will find themselves considering their own choices and growing in empathy for others. This action-packed tale of a boy, his sister, and an orphaned gorilla is also a clear call to give up bitterness and forgive deep hurts, restoring broken lives and relationships. A Forest, a Flood, and an Unlikely Star is the third book in the Rwendigo Tale Series and follows Book One, A Chameleon, a Boy, and a Quest, and Book Two, A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue.

Pick up your copy....

https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Flood-Unlikely-Rwendigo-Tales/dp/1945270179/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508111066&sr=8-1&keywords=a+forest+a+flood+and+an+unlikely+star

J. A. Myhre, MD, serves as a doctor with Serge in East Africa where she has worked for over two decades. She is passionate about health care for the poor, training local doctors and nurses, promoting childhood nutrition and development, and being the hands of Jesus in the hardest places. She is married to her best friend and colleague Scott, and together they have raised four children for whom The Rwendigo Tales were written as Christmas presents.

My Thoughts...

 

This is story is set in the jungles of Uganda.  It's a young adult adventure, spy type story. A story of hope. I would say it's a read that most young adults would enjoy. It was different but it was worth the read. 

The  black and white illustrations were very different.

I gave this book 4 stars.

The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Knee High Lies By Dawn Ford

What happens when the lies you tell grow so high you can’t see the truth? To the outside world Avery Denton’s life looks happy, normal even. But it isn’t. Not even close. She believes nothing can make it worse. When her mother skips town with their banker, the small-town gossips focus on her. Jaxson Stewart, Avery’s neighbor and friend, has had a crush on her for years. She makes his heart race, which is dangerous for a boy with a heart condition. Unlike their community, he refuses to hold her mother’s actions against her. Avery’s summer heats up when Jaxson kisses her under a star lit sky. The rest of her life boils over, though, when Avery becomes the target of revenge, her alcoholic father’s anger escalates, and long-hidden family secrets come to light. Can Avery find strength in the truth? Or will she continue to struggle through knee-high lies?

Pick up your copy here...

https://www.amazon.com/Knee-high-Lies-Dawn-Ford/dp/1942462158/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501201390&sr=8-1&keywords=knee+high+lies+by+dawn+ford

 

 

 

Dawn Ford lives in a small town nestled among the Loess Hills in Western Iowa with her husband, youngest son, and a wonder beagle. Dawn’s love for stories came naturally to her as a child who was lucky enough to be able to explore the Iowa pastures and countryside in search of adventure.

Dawn adores anything steampunk, is mesmerized by shiny, pretty things, and needs at least one good, strong cup of coffee to wake her up a day.

Dawn’s novel, Kingdom Come, won the 2016 ACFW Genesis Award. Her flash fiction stories have been featured in Splickety Publishing Group’s Havok magazines.

Reach out to Dawn Ford via her website: www.dawnfordauthor.com.

My Thoughts...

This is what I call a Life Lesson book. You can't help but to cheer Avery on. I loved the lessons and the author did a great job of  capturing my attention from the very first chapter. 

This a book that every teenager would love to read and one that I would be honored to share with them.

This is a 4 star book. I recommend it. Don't you all LOVE this cover.

 The Mary Reader received this book from the author for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Dragon Seed By Marty Machowski

An angry teen, a desperate mother, a missing father, and a shadow lurking in the background. Things were going from bad to worse for Nick and his family. Tempted to run away after yet another argument with his mom, Nick receives a handwritten, leather-bound copy of an old book a family legend passed down to him from his great grandfather. The book, called Dragon Seed, leads Nick deep into his family s history and introduces him to another angry young man who lived in the shadows (the shadows of the tombs). Like Nick, you ll be shocked to discover where he fits in this story of epic proportions! This page-turning, young adult fiction story invites older children and teens into the real-life struggles of Nick. But it also ushers them into an imaginative exploration of the life of the young man Jesus saved as he wandered through the tombs. Best-selling author Marty Machowski uses both stories to introduce the reality of spiritual warfare and how its shadows affect and change us. Machowski, a trusted teacher for children of all ages, presents a thoroughly biblical view of spiritual warfare that emphasizes the importance of humility and dangers of pride. Teens will be drawn to the story of Nick and his struggles and will learn, as they read, to also identify the shadows in their own life and turn from them. While the biblical teaching is evident throughout the narrative of Dragon Seed, Machowski also includes a twelve-lesson Bible study at the end of the book to help teens ground their understanding of spiritual warfare on biblical principles. Youth pastors, leaders, and parents will also want to explore with teens the small group study at the end of the book with its unique take on spiritual warfare that emphasizes the biblical theme of humility. This is a perfect book to read with a group and discuss together the implications of Nick s struggles for their lives.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Seed-Marty-Machowski/dp/1945270004/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498923187&sr=8-2&keywords=dragon+seed

Marty Machowski is the Family Life Pastor at Covenant Fellowship Church in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, where he has served on the pastoral staff for over 25 years. Marty leads Promise Kingdom, the children's ministry of Covenant Fellowship. He is the author of a systematic theology for children entitled The Ology, Long Story Short, Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God, The Gospel Story Sunday School Curriculum and the companion Gospel Story Children's Bible. He and his wife Lois and their six children reside in West Chester Pennsylvania area.

This book was reviewed by Willard Jackson for The Mary Reader.

Willards thoughts...

At first I didn't know if I would enjoy reading Dragon Seed. I must say I was a little surprised. The Story and characters are introduced and relationships develop very well. I did find myself wanting to know more about the side story more than I did the main plot. Although there are two stories being told at one time it doesn't confuse the reader. Machowski  seamlessly switches from one story to the next. 

 I must say that even though the book is for young adults I wouldn't give it to a reader that is to young. The main story is a fictional story around the Bible. A younger reader may confuse the two.

After the story there is a 12 week Bible study with topics like how to overcome pride. There are also questions at the end of the bible study chapters. 

I gave this book 4 stars.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.