True Biz by Sara Novic

 River Valley School is for the deaf. Our main character, Charlie is a new transfer and she is experiencing culture shock as she has never met another deaf person until now. Austin is the golden boy who's family has generations of deafness amongst them until his little sister is born hearing. February is the headmistress of the school who is dealing with personal and professional crisis's. 

The story is told from the perspective of Charlie and February. The story itself isn't very interesting and the characters are quite bland.  I couldn't connect to any of them. The book is about 200 pages too long. I had to force myself to finish it. I went in with high hopes. I wanted to learned and be immersed into the deaf culture and while it happens to a degree it  just fall flat. The book is all over the place and disjointed.

It just wasn't my cup of tea.

The Crown (The Selection, #5) by Kiera Cass *

The Crown is the fifth installment in The Selection series. Eadlyn is still in the process of choosing one man out of the selected. Her mother's brush with death has changed Eadlyn as a person. She grows as a character and becomes slightly more tolerable.

She has stepped up as acting  Regent as her father tends to her mother. She has to balance work and the selected who remain. 

She is undecided on who she wants to pick and time is running out. 

This entire series is my guilty pleasure. It's quite enjoyable to revisit "old book friends", reread series and see them in a new light. I know this series isn't for everyone but I enjoyed it quite a bit. 

The Heir By Kiera Cass (The Selection #4)*

The Heir is the fourth installment in the selection process. Our main characters have changed. This story takes place many years after the previous book. This is the story of  Princess Eadlyn. She is next in line to the throne and throne she doesn't really want. 

The castes have long been abolished yet unrest is on the rise amongst the citizens. The abolishment has caused issues for many and in an order to temporarily pacify and distract the citizens, Eadlyn's parents have suggested that she have her own selection. It's the last thing  she wants in the world but she strikes a deal with her dad and a selection takes place.

Eadlyn is unlikable, spoiled and incredibly bratty but once you get under that hard exterior you learn that she has more to offer. This is her story. Cass's writing keeps you turning the pages and leaves you with a cliffhanger ending (again!).

 

The One by Kiera Cass (The Selection #3) *

 The One is the third installment in The Selection Series. The stakes are larger than ever. A choice must be made. The Rebels are upping their ante and American ….. just can't seem to figure out who and what she wants. 

Some lovely friendships are forged and made stronger. Drama increases. American has grown as a character and expected unexpected happens.  I am trying to be very vague here. I don't want to give up anything. Just read the book. Sit back and enjoy the ride. 

The Elite by Kiera Cass (The Selection #2)*

 The Elite is the second installment in the Selection Series. The original group of the 35 selected has been narrowed down to six. They are all vying for Prince Maxon's and to become his wife. America is still conflicted regarding her feeling for Maxon. She is petulant and bratty! 

Life at the Palace is full of angst and friendship among the Elite. The Palace continues to be attacked. Maxon is being pressured to make a selection. America can't make up her mind and things turn dark - very very dark. 

Characters are developed further and there are some moments where you are on the edge of your seat and moments where you loathe characters. The story unravels quickly and keeps your entertained.  

The Selection by Kierra Cass (The Selection #1) *

Every once in awhile I reread a book or an entire series. I decided to revisit this series. It's an easy entertaining read. This is a dystopian series and in the first novel, America Singer is our main character. She lives in a world where a caste system exists and she is a number 5. She is relatively happy in her place in the world and in love but here life is about change. 

A notice goes out to all the eligible women of the county that a selection going to take place and the last woman left standing will become the wife to the prince. American pays it little to no attention. She has no interest in being part of the selection but pushed into applying to be a candidate. She doesn't think she will be selected and her name is called and she finds herself at the Place with 34 other young women. 

This is such a fun story that makes time fly. Characters are well developed. Their are cheesy moments (but I loved them) and some serious dark moments making the read well worth your time. 

Falling by T.J. Newman

Captain Bill Hoffman is in charge of flight 416. It is headed to New York everything seems typical until he receives a photo of his wife. She and their children are being held hostage and her capture and his given him a choice -- Crash the plane and save your family or refuse to crash the plane and lose your family. Bill refuses both options. He is determined to save his family without having to crash the plane. 

The story unfolds in a thrilling fast paced manner and full of important well developed characters. Its a roller coaster ride. I hope to this on the big screen. I think it would make an excellent movie. 

Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

 

Vladimir is a dreadful book. It came so highly recommended that I forced myself to finish reading it.  It's about a professor and her husband (who is also a professor). Their marriage is a wreck, they both are terrible people. The husband is facing allegations of sexual misconduct and the college they teach at while our narrator is has set her eyes on Vladimir. He is a much younger colleague and she is rather obsessed with him. She wants to conquer him.

This book is like one long exceedingly boring monologue. I am not exactly sure why people like but they do.

Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman

Maus II, is the second volume of Vladek Spiegelman experience at  Auschwitz. We get a deeper look into his life at Auschwitz and his life after. It is darker, bleaker and more devastating then Maus I. 

The lack of humanity is detailed and heartache is more painful. We learn how Vladek survived and we see how Art is dealing with his father aging. 

The conclusion is powerful and a must read. 

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History by Art Spiegelman

 

Vladek Spielgeman is a Holocaust survivor. This is his story. His son, Art Spiegelman is the author and illustrator of this graphic novel. This story is about Vladek's experience during WW II and the relationship Art has with this father. 

Art interviews his father and learns about how he managed to survive and how others perished. The characters depending upon their race are depicted as different animals which makes the story move forward and puts an strong importance on the story of  this dark time in history. 

This is Pulitzer Prize winner and it's easy to see why. I can't recommend this enough especially since it tells an important story. The graphic novel method will hopefully make it appealing to readers who are not traditional so that they to can read a personal account of the Holocaust. 

I'll See You Again by Jackie Hance

If you are familiar with the documentary, There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane or the crash that took place on the Taconic Parkway than you know that three little girls, all sisters lives were taken in the crash. 

Jackie Hance is the mother of these three little girls and this is her memoir. It is powerful, emotional and completely devastating. Jackie provides an honest view into her grief and how she unleashes it on others, her husband, her family and friends. She shuts people out and has bursts of anger. We all experience grief differently and losing a loved one changes us. 

This isn't a book that gives a look at how the accident happens or answers to it because their really aren't any answers. It's about a mothers grief and her road to healing.