In The Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

I have been a huge fan of Jeff Zentner since his debut novel, The Serpent King.  His newest novel, In the Wild Light, lives up to the promise of his first three books.  This story is wonderful, one of my favorite reads of the year.  This story screams Jeff Zentner.  If I started reading it without knowing who the author was, I would have figured it out pretty quickly.  Zentner's beautiful style is all over this book.  In the Wild Light is a story about family and grief.  It is about young love and finding your voice amid the chaos of the world.  The language of this story is beautiful and it is a book I won't soon forget.   

In the Wild Light is the story of Cash Pruitt, a young man growing up in small town Tennessee.  He has faced his share of tragedy already, with the passing of his mom from an opioid addiction and the slow on-coming death of his grandfather from emphysema.  But his best friend, Delaney, has recently made a big scientific discovery and has received a scholarship offer from one of the best prep schools in the country.  But she's not going if Cash can't come with her.  After much deliberation and hesitation, he agrees to join her at Middleford Academy.  When he struggles to adjust to a school he doesn't feel he belongs in, the support around him continues to grow.  From new friends to incredible teachers to his grandfather who's health is continuing to decline, Cash starts to find a place where he can not only survive, but one where he can grow and thrive.  In Jeff Zentner's beautiful writing, we see the story of a boy who not only finds where he fits in, but discovers a way to blaze a trail along the way.  

 

From Amazon:
 

From the award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a beautiful examination of grief, found family, and young love.

Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.

But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind.

They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman

My newest review is for the thrilling new novel by Jessica Goodman, They'll Never Catch Us.  This book combines cross country and murder mystery....I mean, how could I not like this one?!?!  I love a good mystery and this story doesn't disappoint.  It is fun and fast-paced and will keep you guessing as you try to unravel what has happened to Mila Keene.  If you are a fan of such writers as Kara Thomas and Karen McManus, you will enjoy this novel from Goodman.

They'll Never Catch Us is the story of the Steckler sisters, Stella and Ellie.  These two sisters are the stars of the Edgewater cross country team, a town and a team with a dark past.  Edgewater has moved on from this past and the team is focusing on bringing home a state championship.  With the addition of Mila Keene, a transfer student who is one of the best runners in the region, things look promising.  But when Mila goes missing during an early morning run, questions start swirling.  Is the old Deadwater killer back?  Did Stella, with her violent past, feel the need to eliminate her biggest competition?  Goodman does a fantastic job of creating suspense and mystery as the story unfolds.  If you are looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you can't go wrong with They'll Never Catch Us.

From Amazon: 

**A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**

From rising star Jessica Goodman, author of They Wish They Were Us, comes a new fast-paced thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team—until a teammate’s disappearance throws their lives off course.
 
"An utter page-turner. Goodman's voice is razor-sharp and keenly precise. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn!" —Tiffany D. Jackson NYT Bestselling Author of White Smoke and Grown

Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and she keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.

The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. At first, Ellie and Stella view the new star athlete as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend to share her secrets. Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.

With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
 

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson

My latest read is White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson.  If you have ever read my reviews before, you probably know about my feelings for Jackson's writing.  The author of such incredible books as Allegedly and Monday's Not Coming, Jackson is one of the best YA authors of the time.  With her newest novel, she does something new, taking a dive into the world of horror.  In doing that, she is also able to keep some of the psychological thriller elements that often make her novels so memorable.  If you are a fan of hers like I am, White Smoke will not disappoint.  

Mari has a troubled past and is all set up for a fresh start.  Her mom is recently remarried, has accepted a new job in a new town, and has even been given a home to live in free of charge as she completes her job.  But Mari's new little sister isn't the easiest to live with and the new home isn't what it is cracked up to be.  Renovated in a run down part of Cedarville, the new house seems to take on a life of its own.  Mari eventually discovers that the city of Cederville and the house itself has a dark history.  While trying to keep her sanity amid the growing chaos that surrounds her, Mari starts to understand that the Sterling Foundation, her mom and step-dad's new employer, isn't the generous and well-meaning group that it appears to be on the outside.  The house itself is closing in on Mari and her family and she must find a way to survive when it seems like the odds are increasingly growing against her.  

This one continues to build the suspense and creepiness as the novel progresses.  It culminates in a twist that Tiffany D. Jackson has come to perfect.  If you are a fan of Jackson's or just a fan of horror, this novel should be right up your alley.   

 

From Amazon: 

The Haunting of Hill House meets Get Out in this chilling YA psychological thriller and modern take on the classic haunted house story from New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson!

Marigold is running from ghosts. The phantoms of her old life keep haunting her, but a move with her newly blended family from their small California beach town to the embattled Midwestern city of Cedarville might be the fresh start she needs. Her mom has accepted a new job with the Sterling Foundation that comes with a free house, one that Mari now has to share with her bratty ten-year-old stepsister, Piper.

The renovated picture-perfect home on Maple Street, sitting between dilapidated houses, surrounded by wary neighbors has its . . . secrets. That’s only half the problem: household items vanish, doors open on their own, lights turn off, shadows walk past rooms, voices can be heard in the walls, and there’s a foul smell seeping through the vents only Mari seems to notice. Worse: Piper keeps talking about a friend who wants Mari gone.

But “running from ghosts” is just a metaphor, right?

As the house closes in, Mari learns that the danger isn’t limited to Maple Street. Cedarville has its secrets, too. And secrets always find their way through the cracks.

 

Once A Runner by John L. Parker, Jr.

Okay, so it has been a while since I have done one of these.  Life has been busy and I just never found the time, so here goes the first of two new book reviews.  The first is for John L. Parker, Jr.'s Once A Runner.  You will often see this one described as the best running book ever written.  And while I haven't read them all, I think you would be hard pressed to find one better than this.  I am not a runner myself, but my son is and he has turned me into a student of the sport.  Even though it was fictional, this novel gives some great insight into the training and mental state of elite level runners.  

 Once A Runner is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a star collegiate runner at Southeastern University in the 1960's.  He dreams of breaking the 4:00 barrier in the mile and is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this goal.  Amid growing discontent among the athletes and athletic department policies, Quenton spearheads a protest.  And as the face of this protest, he faces the most severe consequences, indefinite suspension.  This means no more running for the university he has so proudly represented.  But his good friend, mentor, and Olympic gold medalist Bruce Denton gives him an alternative.  Go live by yourself in the woods and train like you have never trained before.  In preparation for a race against the world's best miler, Quenton takes Bruce's advice and pushes himself to the limit in the hopes that he will find a way into the race that could change his life.

This story is fun, heartwarming, and inspiring and would be a fantastic read for anyone who likes a good story.  You don't have to be a runner to find yourself rooting for Quenton Cassidy as he sprints down the homestretch!

 

From Amazon: 

The undisputed classic of running novels and one of the most beloved sports books ever published, Once a Runner tells the story of an athlete’s dreams amid the turmoil of the 60s and the Vietnam war.

Inspired by the author’s experience as a collegiate champion, the novel follows Quenton Cassidy, a competitive runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school’s athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes’ protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team. Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life against the greatest miler in history.

A rare insider’s account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners, Once a Runner is an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one individual’s quest to become a champion.

Sorry For Your Loss by Jessie Ann Foley

Sorry For Your Loss by Jessie Ann Foley is my latest read and absolutely one of my favorite books that I have read this year.  This is such a powerful book about grief and trauma, how it affects us, and the things we can do to start to heal.  This is a story that is going to stick with me for a long time, a story that I won't soon forget.  This is a novel about the devastation of losing a loved one, the different ways in which we deal with it, but most importantly the hope that can surface when we can find peace.  I just can't say enough good about this beautiful novel!

Sorry For Your Loss is the story of Pup, the youngest of eight Flanagan children.  Being the youngest, he is often overlooked by those around him, especially as the family is still dealing with the death of Pup's older brother, Patrick, from just a couple short years ago.  With Pup about to fail his art class, his eccentric teacher gives him one more shot at redemption.  When he absentmindedly snaps a picture of his brother passed out on the roof, he sets into motion a budding love for photography and more importantly a chance to start healing as a family.  Through the portfolio he starts building for an art competition, Pup gracefully captures the grief his family still feels, but also the ways in which they can overcome this grief and find peace with the loss they have all suffered.   

 

 

From Amazon: 

From Printz Honor winner and Morris Award finalist Jessie Ann Foley comes a comitragic YA novel that will appeal to fans of Jandy Nelson and Jeff Zentner.

As the youngest of eight, painfully average Pup Flanagan is used to flying under the radar. He’s barely passing his classes. He lets his longtime crush walk all over him. And he’s in no hurry to decide on a college path.

The only person who ever made him think he could be more was his older brother Patrick. But that was before Patrick died suddenly, leaving Pup with a family who won’t talk about it and acquaintances who just keep saying, “sorry for your loss.”

When Pup excels at a photography assignment he thought he’d bomb, things start to come into focus. His dream girl shows her true colors. An unexpected friend exposes Pup to a whole new world, right under his nose.

And the photograph that was supposed to show Pup a way out of his grief ultimately reveals someone else who is still stuck in their own. Someone with a secret regret Pup never could have imagined.

Winner of the 2020-2020 North Star YA Award

Named to YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults list

 

That Weekend by Kara Thomas

Kara Thomas is an automatic read for me.  If she has a new novel coming out, I'm going to read it.  That Weekend is her latest novel and it lived up to all of my expectations.  Thomas is a master storyteller.  She creates novels that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out the plot twist that you know is coming.  If you are looking for a fast-paced mystery, That Weekend will surely fit the bill.

 Claire is excited to spend prom weekend at the lake house of her best friend's grandma.  Claire and Kat, along with Jesse, Kat's boyfriend, are going to get away from all the drama that prom is sure to bring.  But when a camping trip goes terribly wrong, Claire is discover on the mountain with no memory of what happened and two missing friends.  Claire will try to piece together what exactly took place over that weekend and the reader will be left grasping at their own theories as the discover the truth behind what really went down on that mountain.  

 

From Amazon:
 

 "A bold and expertly plotted page-turner." --Courtney Summers, New York Times bestselling author of Sadie

From the author of The Cheerleaders, comes a thriller about best friends on a weekend getaway that goes horribly, dangerously wrong.

THREE BEST FRIENDS, A LAKE HOUSE, A SECRET TRIP -- WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

It was supposed to be the perfect prom weekend getaway. But it's clear something terrible happened when Claire wakes up alone and bloodied on a hiking trail with no memory of the past forty-eight hours.

Now everyone wants answers--most of all, Claire. She remembers Friday night, but after that . . . nothing. And now Kat and Jesse--her best friends--are missing.

What happened on the mountain? And where are Kat and Jesse? Claire knows the answers are buried somewhere in her memory. But as she's learning, everyone has secrets--even her best friends. And she's pretty sure she's not going to like what she remembers.

Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden

I'm way behind on getting a couple of book reviews done, so here we go.  Flight of the Penguin is a middle grade novel by Ann Braden. This was an incredible story about the power of kindness.  I loved Braden's previous novel, The Benefits of Being an Octopus, so I was really excited to read her latest.  It did not disappoint!  It is such a heartwarming story that shows us what can happen when we start showing the world a bit of kindness.  We learn that our past doesn't have to be our future.  Through kindness we can change the life of a stranger.  This is such a wonderful novel and one that I am sure will bring a smile to your face.   

 

From Amazon:

One small act of kindness ripples out to connect four kids in this stirring novel by the author of the beloved The Benefits of Being an Octopus.

Libby comes from a long line of bullies. She wants to be different, but sometimes that doesn’t work out. To bolster herself, she makes a card with the message You are amazing. That card sets off a chain reaction that ends up making a difference in the lives of some kids who could also use a boost—be it from dealing with bullies, unaccepting families, or the hole that grief leaves. Receiving an encouraging message helps each kid summon up the thing they need most, whether it’s bravery, empathy, or understanding. Because it helps them realize they matter—and that they're not flying solo anymore.