With a head full of dreams: I LOVE YOU SO MOCHI.

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very cute YA story.

Kimi is still figuring out what she wants to be. (Totally normal for a teen, by the way!) The one thing she's starting to realize: she doesn't want to be a painter like her mom is--and wants her to be. After a particularly brutal argument with her mom, she heads to Japan to spend the summer with her maternal grandparents, whom she has never met. In Kyoto, Kimi gets to know her grandparents better (probably my favorite part). She meets a cute boy, Akira. Through these new experiences, she learns about her self and explores her love of fashion.

This story is a little basic, but very sweet. It might be a little unrealistic -- everything gets fixed via a two-week spring trip? Sign me up for a trip to Japan. But Kimi's grandpa is adorable and the story works through the idea of finding yourself and the difficult teen years, when you feel torn between what you want and what your parents wish for you.

This book is well-suited for its YA audience, as long as they have the understanding that all problems may not be fixed so quickly (or by meeting a cute guy). 3.5 stars.

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My past has caught up to me, and I've lost track: GREYWAREN.

Greywaren by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I'm not sure I can adequately review this book, because the magical world within is so intricate that it feels wrong to judge it. I still get a little confused reading this series, with all the dreamers and Zeds and Moderators and dreaming worlds and real worlds, but I love it anyway. Perhaps the most amazing thing about book 3 is that it made me like Declan, ha! Overall I found this to be a fitting end to the trilogy, even if it dragged just a bit in the middle. 3.5+ stars.

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I was waiting for an indication, it was hard to find: MISTER IMPOSSIBLE.

Mister Impossible by Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the second book of the Dreamer trilogy, the Dreamers are finding the source of their power (the ley line) diminished. Ronan Lynch and his mentor, Bryde, set out to restore it, along with Hennessy, but it seems to mean leaving everyone they love behind.

As with every Stiefvater book, this is a magical and beautifully-written tale. It centers on dreaming, family, and friendship. We still get the POV from Ronan's brothers and Hennessy's dreamed copy, Jordan. In the Dreamer trilogy, the Dreamers can dream worlds and bring back what they dream--anything from magical cars, ravens, and even people. It sounds wonderful, but sometimes what they dream is a nightmare and has horrible consequences. A group of people (the Moderators) believe the Dreamers are going to ruin the world and are out to kill them all.

The story is often a little weird and sometimes I found myself avoiding it. Other times, I was completely sucked in. A few twists blew me away, and I am so amazed how fantastic and imaginative this series can get. By the end, I was totally lost in the Dreamers battle for the world (in their eyes), and I'm looking forward to reading book three.

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You and I were meant to be: RAMONA THE PEST & PIP BARTLETT'S GUIDE TO SEA MONSTERS.

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read RAMONA THE PEST with my eight-year-old daughters. We had such fun with this one, and wow, the story really holds up over time. They were totally into it, laughing and engaged throughout the entire book. The actual physical copy we read was mine, given to me by my Dad in 1987, and I loved that I could share it with them now.

Ramona--what can I say? A timeless character. The girls adored her, and I fell in love with her all over again. Cleary has such an amazing knack for writing children and capturing their true essence. Reading it again as a parent I was truly blown away by how well she could write from a child's perspective. Grace and Zoe loved Ramona's antics, and we are already on to the next book.

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Pip Bartlett's Guide to Sea Monsters by Jackson Pearce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third entry in the Pip Bartlett series. My eight-year-old daughters loved the entire series and spunky Pip! This book was just as loved as the previous two. Despite all those pesky sea monsters, it made us all want to be at the beach with Pip and Tomas--and maybe even Callie and the triplets! The girls absolutely loved all the amazing magical creatures Maggie and Jackson come up with, especially the spinnerseals!

This series is so wonderful for kids with imaginations and who love animals. It always inspires my girls to come up with their own magical creatures. I love how Pip works to solve her own problems, keeps a positive attitude and open mind, and is always a friend to everyone. These are excellent books!

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You hurt me one time, I finally learned: NOT IF I SAVE YOU FIRST.

Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Maddie and Logan were best friends when they were kids. Granted, it was under slightly unusual circumstances: Logan's dad was President, and Maddie's dad was one of his Secret Service agents. So when something happens that causes Maddie's dad to move the two of them to an isolated cabin in the middle of Alaska, everything in Maddie's life changes. She has no contact with the outside world beyond letters--no Internet, no phone, no anything. Just a tiny cabin, a few library books, and her Dad. Maddie learns to become self-sufficient, and she learns to be alone. Then, suddenly, six years later, Logan turns up at her door. In Alaska. Before she knows it, someone attacks Maddie and Logan. Maddie has no choice but to put her wilderness skills to the test to save them both. Maddie's pretty angry that she hasn't heard from Logan in the past six years, but she's going to have to get over it for a bit, while the two cling for life in the cold.


"She was through with waiting for letters, for phone calls, for people and friends. Maddie was absolutely through with looking back."


So this is a totally crazy and wild book (just read that plot summary), but it's also really fun and an enjoyable read. I've never read anything by Ally Carter before, but this book inspired me to grab a couple others by her. It's exactly what it claims to be.

Even though they are tramping through the Alaskan wilderness, trying to save their own lives, Maddie and Logan's banter is pretty great. The story is dramatic at times, but also romantic and cute at others. It's complete and utter escapism, but that's what I wanted when I picked it up.

Overall, a really fun, quick read. I felt transported to Alaska, and I enjoyed the back-and-forth between Maddie and Logan. 3.5 stars.

I received my copy of this book through one of my favorite websites, Paperbackswap.com, where you can swap copies of all your favorite books (hardcover, paperback, and more).

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But there's a secret garden she hides: ALL THE CROOKED SAINTS.

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Maggie Stiefvater's latest--a stand-alone novel--tells the tale of the Soria family, who live in Bicho Raro, Colorado in the 1960s. On the family compound, you'll find the extended Soria family, including the three cousins: Beatriz, Daniel, and Joaquin. Beatriz is scientific-minded; so much, in fact, that she believes she has no feelings. Daniel is the Saint of Bicho Raro, and performs miracles for the Pilgrims who come in droves for the magic the Sorias can offer. Joaquin loves music and performs as Diablo Diablo on an illegal radio station he operates. The Sorias live apart from the Pilgrims they serve, believing helping and interfering with them after performing the first miracle will only bring on darkness. After all, it happened with Daniel's late parents. But when Daniel becomes involved with a Pilgrim named Marisita and a young man named Pete arrives at Bicho Raro looking for work, the Sorias are forced to confront many of their long-held beliefs.

I won't lie: it's a little hard to review this book, beyond saying that it's very much a Maggie Stiefvater novel. If you haven't read one of Stiefvater's novels before, I'm not sure I'd start with this one, even if it is one of her few stand-alone books. Her novels are typically full of all things fancy and fantastical, forcing the reader to suspend reality and be prepared to come along fully for the ride. If you can't do that, or don't enjoy such books, this isn't for you. Even I, who am familiar with her style, had a little trouble with this one at points.

Stiefvater has a way with language; she loves words and weaving a spell with them, and her novels are dense with beauty and picturesque scenes. She uses a repetitious style here in many of her sentences and the overall structure: again, something you might have to get used to.

Still, this book is bizarre but compelling. I put it aside the first night I started it and wasn't sure I'd enjoy it, but when I picked it up again, I was sucked into the Soria's story. The cousins are all rather enthralling characters, and you truly become a part of their journey. Sure, the miracle idea seems a little crazy, but it really just is part of the book, along with the owls, a giant, the moving earth, etc. It's really lovely at times, and I enjoyed the comparisons between miracles and radio waves.

As mentioned, Daniel, Beatriz, and Joaquin are all fascinating characters, and I also really grew to care for Pete, as well, along with another character named Tony. Even Marisita grew on me. There's a bit of suspense and tension to the novel, and you'll find yourself intrigued to see how things turn out. The themes of humanity, darkness, and family are well-done overall.

This probably isn't my favorite of Stiefvater's books; I love the Shiver series and The Raven Boys series, much like this novel, is even more mystical, but features the same sort of compelling characters as here. However, the story and characters grew on me, and I don't regret reading it. It's enjoyable, albeit somewhat odd at times. The story of love, loss, and sadness at its core is one everyone can appreciate. 3.5+ stars.

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