FINISHED:
Shevah, Emma. (2016). Dara Palmer's Major Drama. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

[.]

STARTED:
Stewart, Trenton Lee. (2016). The Secretkeepers. New York: Little, Brown.

[.]

*

ABANDONED:
Turner, Pamela S. (2016). Samurai Rising. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

[Don't get me wrong - there was NOTHING wrong with this one.  It's gotten across-the-board fantastic reviews, lots of early Newbery/Sibert buzz, and the author is a consistently strong one.  It just wasn't grabbing me.  Non-fiction, admittedly, is not my forte, so it just has to be extra-engaging to rope me in.  This one I found confusing - again, MY issue - too many similar names and places to keep track of - though the author DOES include a "cast" of names and places at the beginning of the book.  I guess that I'm just in the mood for something lighter.]

STARTED:
Shevah, Emma. (2016). Dara Palmer's Major Drama. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

[.]

*

FINISHED:
Thorne, Jack. (2016). Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two. New York: Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic.

[.]

STARTED:
Turner, Pamela S. (2016). Samurai Rising. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge.

[.]

*

FINISHED:
Gemeinhart, Dan. (2016). Some Kind of Courage. New York: Scholastic.

[SOOOO good, this one.  Will be reading it again, as I decided to review it for ACL.  Full review at that time...

In Washington State in 1890, twelve-year-old Joseph Johnson – no stranger to loss after his mother and sister die by disease, and his father is involved in a fatal accident – finds out that his beloved horse, Sarah, has been sold without his consent.  So begins Joseph’s epic and unceasing quest across the wild west to get her back, enduring a bear attack, being swept down roaring river rapids, and many more harrowing situations.  The first-person narrative in this dynamic, survival story allows Joseph to prove himself to be an endearing and complex character, unafraid to show sensitivity, and never fully discouraged despite continually getting so close to his goal, yet having it stripped from him again and again.  Joseph is accompanied on the bulk of his journey by Ah-Kee, a Chinese boy who doesn’t speak any English, with their relationship being such that even though they can’t fully understand one another, they poignantly have each other’s back at all times.  The character of Ah-Kee is handled with aplomb, touching upon the rampant racism of the time, and having Ah-Kee be the one who unflinchingly helps to deliver a baby to a woman in cabin out in the middle of nowhere.  Chapter-ending cliffhangers will keep readers swept up in the action, and Joseph’s heart and unyielding good nature will have readers rooting, and feeling, for him through to the very last page.]

STARTED:
Thorne, Jack. (2016). Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two. New York: Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic.

[$30?!??  Seems a bit greedy.]

*

ON HOLD: 
Springstubb, Tricia. (2016). Every Single Second. New York: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.

[Was rereading to prepare for my ACL review...  But decided to give myself some time before reading it again.]

STARTED:
Gemeinhart, Dan. (2016). Some Kind of Courage. New York: Scholastic.

 [.]

*

FINISHED: 
Avi. (2016). School of the Dead. New York: HarperCollins.

[Tony and his family move to San Francisco so that he can attend the alma mater, The Penda School, of his afterlife-believing, recently deceased Uncle Charlie.  Upon starting seventh grade at his new school, Tony not only begins to see the ghost of his dead Uncle, but also that of a long dead student, while finding out that over the life of the school, students have been mysteriously disappearing every seven years.  Avi’s latest has its moments where the reader will be fooled by some red herrings, as Tony eventually finds himself caught between a ghost who needs his help, a group of students called the Weird History Club who investigate the odd goings on at the school, and teachers who advise Tony to stay away from the Weird History Club… thus putting him in a position where he’s not sure who to believe has his best interest at heart, and wondering if there is anyone that he can trust.  This aside, the story being set in San Francisco seems inconsequential, and rather than building real tension, this is a standard ghost story with few real scares that feels padded and overlong (not helped by the lack of chapter designations), giving the impression that it could’ve made a much more effective short story.]

STARTED:
Springstubb, Tricia. (2016). Every Single Second. New York: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins.

[Rereading before writing a formal review for ACL.  As previously mentioned (and seen by the author!), MOONPENNY ISLAND, from last year, was one of my ABSOLUTE FAVORITES, so I'm trying this one again to solidify my feelings.]

*