The Underdog by Agatha Christie page count unknown

I listened to this Hercule Poirot mystery for the first time.  I can't even find it as a stand alone book in print, but I would guess it is only around 100 pages.  For one of the shorter Poirot stories, it certainly packs a wallop.  Someone has done a murder and the lady of the house is convinced she knows who.  The problem is that the only thing she's going on is her intuition.  Poirot is the only one who does not scoff, but decides to see why she is so resolute in her conviction.  Read by David Suchet, the best Poirot ever. 

Educated: a memoir by Tara Westover 334 pages

I struggle with how I want to describe this book.  It was riveting, but so unsettling.  This autobiography was remarkable in that the author got out and away from her upbringing as well adjusted as she did.  Don't get me wrong, I'll bet she's going to be struggling for the rest of her life to undo the damage growing up the way she did caused.  However, the fact that she was able to break away from her family and all their psychological problems and abuse is really impressive.  Her story is never really presented in a woe-is-me way, it is presented in a very matter of fact way that is almost more unsettling.  I love biographies and this is one that I will probably never forget. 

Shadow Weaver by MarcyKate Connolly 310 pages

Set in a world where some children were gifted by a specific cosmic event, this story follows Emmeline.  Emmeline was born a shadow weaver, she can literally draw shadows to her, craft them into tangible items, cloak herself in them and use them to try to fill her lonely days.  The child of wealthy parents, she is not allowed to make friends, everyone seems frightened of her and she feels terribly misunderstood.  Only Dar, her own shadow, is always with her.  She can hear Dar speak, but no one else can.  A serious and terrifying event leads Emmeline to run away from home.  When she meets a boy who can weave with light, her shadow begins to act very strangely.  This is a great introduction to fantasy and psychological thrillers for young people.  It also gives clues to what toxic relationships can look like.  I really enjoyed this story for its sensitive treatment of its characters and realistic response to situations, even though the situations themselves were fantastic.  I highly recommend this to children 4th grade and up. 

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling 260 pages

I saw that this book was being compared to Holes by Louis Sachar.  How could I not read it?  Nowhere is a tiny town that most people dream of fleeing.  A group of kids form an unlikely alliance to satisfy a demand from the local bully and enter into the most dangerous local, condemned mine.  Their search for gold yields more than they ever thought possible.  It also often made me think of The Goonies, which is one of my all time favorite movies.  For 4th graders and up who love realistic fiction with a bit of adventure and mystery thrown in, you can't miss with this one. 

The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs 179 pages

This was one of my favorite books when I was young.  It was also my first introduction to the artwork of Edward Gorey.  I can't tell you how much I loved experiencing this again, it was my first time reading it with my ears.  Read by George Guidall, it was as enjoyable as I remembered from my youth.  You've probably seen the trailers for the movie, or the movie itself, so you know it is a story about magic, good vs. evil, growing up, trying to fit in, loss and love.  It is told in such an accessible way for a young audience, I simply cannot recommend it highly enough! 

Ghosts of Greenglass House by Kate Milford 456 pages

This is the sequel to Greenglass House.  It's one year later and Milo is not in a great mood.  It's not snowing, his teacher makes unfair assumptions because of Milo's race, and worst of all, his parents' hotel has a guest that just won't leave and it's almost Christmas.  It certainly doesn't help that his friend, Meddy, who happens to be a ghost, hasn't appeared for nearly a full year and Milo doesn't understand why.  Milford is exceptional at describing settings and having completely character-driven plots.  Her dialogue between characters is so believable, you can actually hear the voices.  I love these books with their quiet, but intriguing stories unfolding within the pages.  I wouldn't recommend this for a reluctant reader, but if you have a kid who loves to read and get wrapped up in a story, this is an excellent choice. 

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder 215 pages

This was one of those books I'd heard about, but had put way down on my list.  Only recently I read another book about challenged and banned books and it put The Egypt Game at the top of my to-read list.  It's no wonder this book is a classic and a past Newbery honor book.  It is a book that any kid can relate to, the desire to find the people who will understand you, the imagination and creativity that happen naturally when kids are left on their own for entertainment, and the excitement of creating your own world are all very engaging and inspiring.  Of course, there's a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in just for fun, too.  If you haven't read this one since you were a kid, or if you have a kid 4th grade or older, this should move to the top of your to-read list, too! 

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan 264 pages

This was a fascinating book.  Susannah Cahalan was young, driven and intelligent.  Suddenly she starts behaving in ways she can't rationalize or understand.  Eventually, she becomes someone her family and friends barely recognize.  This was a compelling story about a neurological disease that is barely understood still.  Susannah was lucky to have recovered as well as she did, others have not.  She is a reporter, and she wrote this book largely based on her investigative skills, by interviewing her family and medical teams, and by watching videos of herself during a period she has absolutely no recollection of.  I couldn't put this down, it was engrossing.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah 288 pages

If you think Trevor Noah is smart and funny already, just wait.  This was such a great book, especially since I listened to it read by Trevor himself.  More than anything, it is a tribute to his mother, but the stories from his childhood in South Africa are compelling, funny and thought provoking.  This book never delves into current politics, or even talks about how Trevor got his career started in America.  This is strictly about his experience growing up under apartheid and its fall.  It's no wonder he is the intelligent, and thoughtful man he is, with his mother being the woman that she was.  I highly recommend this to everyone, I enjoyed it so much! 

Calypso by David Sedaris 259 pages

The most recent of works by David Sedaris was as enjoyable as any of his others.  While this one did have a significant amount of discussion of how our bodies fail us as we age, it was hysterically funny.  I was so happy that he included another exploration of idioms from around the world, as those are my favorites in his works.  This time it was "How do you tell off another driver when they, say, cut you off in traffic?"  The answers were so good, I may add them to my own repertoire.  As I always do, I listened to this read by the author.  In my opinion, this is the only way to go with Sedaris books.  His impressions of his family are so fun to listen to. 

Winter (Lunar Chronicles fourth book) by Marissa Meyer 827 pages

This was the final story of the Lunar Chronicles series.  All the characters come together, get split apart, come back in different groups, separate again and there's no time to register calm or relief for any of them.  The end was hard fought, but well worth it.  If you are looking for a very satisfying, female character-driven, sci-fi, light romance, adventure story, you need to jump into the Lunar Chronicles at your very first opportunity.  This was an incredibly well-crafted series with characters that constantly surprised me with their complexity and depth.  I listened to the whole series read by Rebecca Soler who did a fantastic job.

The Best Man by Richard Peck 232 pages

I absolutely loved this book.  It's told first person in one of the most believable young voices I've ever read.  The boy telling the story isn't super smart, in fact, it's a running joke that it takes him a while to figure out all the random subtexts of life.  He has three men in his life that he knows are what men should be.  His grandfather, his father and his uncle.  By the end of the book, he'll add a fourth.  This is a brilliant, subtle and engrossing look at family dynamics and what really makes a good man.  There are no unrealistic characters and the introduction of a gay character is done with finesse, straightforward and unapologetic frankness.  In my opinion, this is as close to perfect as a book for young people can get. 

The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O'Reilly 370 pages

This book made the preliminary nominees for the Mark Twain award, but didn't make the cut to final nominee.  It gave the impression that it was going to be a ghost story, but certainly never followed that track.  I'm still not sure what the explanation for the odd...very odd happenings would be, if not haunting, but it was made very clear throughout the book that this was not the solution.  Most of the children who have read it tell me they absolutely love it, so I'm going to go with their review.  It was a sweet story about a lonely girl finding her place in a new setting, but it never really wowed me.  That being said, there were some very nice touches to the book, so it's worth placing in the hands of kids 3rd grade and up. 

Cress: the Lunar Chronicles book 3 by Marissa Meyer 552 pages

The third book in the sci-fi/dystopian twist on fairy tales that is The Lunar Chronicles ramps up all the pre-existing tension of the first two books.  The romance, violence, and drama are all set to new highs.  This had just the right amount of romance for me, since I don't care for the bodice-rippers.  It really takes a back seat to the adventure and action surrounding all the main characters.  Cress (Rapunzel) has been held captive on a space station for years, using her tech skills to hide Lunar ships, spy on Earthens and do the bidding of the horrible Sybil Mira.  When her story gets woven into the main story of Linh Cinder, everything starts to get buck wild.  I can't wait to read the fourth book!

Scarlet: Book 2 of The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer 454 pages

Scarlet's grandmother is missing and the police refuse to accept Scarlet's theory that she was kidnapped.  A mysterious street fighter named Wolf offers to help, but how far can she trust him?  Meanwhile, Cinder is going to have to break out of prison and start figuring out how to take down Queen Levana.  This installment is full of action and adventure.  This is a solid sequel that only makes you want to snag the next book immediately!

Noir : a novel by Christopher Moore 339 pages

Thank you, Chris, for finally writing another book!  I know I shouldn't get frustrated, but when you go too long without publishing, I get edgy.  I need my fix! 

One thing I love about Moore's works are that they (especially the last 5 or so) are so wildly different subjects, but still deliciously his writing.  He writes paragraphs you want to chew for a while.  This was a foray into post WWII San Francisco, with night clubs, sassy dames, racial issues, and - oh, yeah - a government cover-up of the existence of aliens.  If you love 30s and 40s-style noir and really appreciate a well-turned phrase, don't pass this one up! 

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake 310 pages

I am so happy that there are several books coming out for middle graders that offer realistic looks at what it is like to be LGBTQ.  This is one of the best books yet that I've read.  It was sensitive, and didn't ever have a heavy hand.  It literally just followed a young girl as she tried to sort out why and how she was different.  More than anything it allows young people to understand two things: 1) it's okay to be different and 2) it's okay to not have all the answers.  This story was filled with warmth and characters that you really won't be able to help but love and want the best for them.  I highly recommend it to everyone 8 years+  without reservation. 

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman 460 pages

If you loved Pullman's His Dark Materials series, as I did, you absolutely must read this new series!  It was like putting on your favorite, comfy pajamas jumping back into the rich alternate reality of Lyra's Oxford.  Of course, this is a prequel to the other series, so Lyra is just a baby.  The main character is Malcolm, an industrious boy who helps his parents at their inn, does odd jobs for the nuns nearby and jack-of-all-trades tasks up and down the river.  His trusty canoe, La Belle Sauvage, affords him the luxury of accomplishing this in quick fashion.  Strange folk and rumors are moving through his parents' inn and Malcolm gets absorbed in a dangerous mission to protect the mysterious baby that is being sheltered at the nuns' priory.  

This was an absorbing, beautifully written story and I can't wait for the next one in this series! 

The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout 271 pages

This is one of the best Nero Wolfe mysteries.  It is full of intrigue, and an awful lot of flirtation.  If you love excellent dialogue and mysteries that keep you guessing, you won't be disappointed.  When a powerful government official scheduled to speak to a group of millionaires turns up dead, the business world clamors for a solution and Nero Wolfe takes the case.  There’s really not a lot more to tell…Archie is irresistibly charming, as always.  Wolfe gets sick of having too many clients and warring agencies constantly crashing his office calm.  Another fantastic Nero Wolfe mystery read by Michael Prichard!

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie 295 pages

This is a great story to hand to a kid who likes mysteries, especially with some spookiness, and 'new kid' books.  Tessa has had to move from sunny Florida to very grey Chicago.  She wants to be happy for her parents, whose talents garnered them awesome new opportunities, but she's having trouble adjusting to a new environment, trying to make friends, and - oh, yeah - she's pretty sure her new house is haunted.  This is a fun little mystery with just enough spooky for a young audience.