CARBON DIARIES 2015 by Saci Lloyd

Set just 4 years in the future, Carbon Diaries 2015 presents the world facing dire circumstances due to global warming which has caused extreme climate changes.  When England becomes the first nation to start rationing carbon dioxide in order to combat the damage that has already been done, 16 year old Laura records  her life in short diary entries.  Not only does Laura have to combat draughts, massive floods, and other disasters, she also has to survive her teenage years while her family and world crumble around her.

It took me some time to get into this story but by the end I was on the edge of my seat.  The diary entries bring the all too believable disasters to life.  While reading I thought of all the strange environmental happenings of the past few years and those still to come in the future.   The only thing I wish is that there was more action at the beginning of the book like there was at the end.  However, with the build up to the climax of the story, I'm more than ready to read the sequel, Carbon Diaries 2017 to find out what 2 more years has done to the world.

TEARS OF A TIGER by Sharon Draper

Tears of a Tiger by Sharon M. Draper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been meaning to read this book for a long time. It is an older story but still relevant. The books starts out with a newspaper report of a drunk driving accident involving four high school students. Star basketball player Andy is drinking and driving. He and two others, B.J. and Tyrone escape as they watch their friend Robbie die in the fiery crash, unable to rescue him. Now Andy is trying to get over the guilt he feels having killed his best friend. This is a sad story that reads quickly. The story is told in alternating view points from many different characters. The end is unexpected but necessary to the story's impact.

TELL US WE'RE HOME by Marina Budhos

Tell Us We're Home by Marina Budhos
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The story of three normal 8th grade girls, Jaya, Maria, and Lola. They live in a wealthy suburb of Meadowbrook, NJ and just like everyone else they are trying to find their spot in the social world. However, unlike everyone else Jaya, Maria, and Lola are not wealthy. They are the daughters of immigrant workers who serve the wealthy families of the other students. I enjoyed this book because it gave an honest view of the Jr. High social structure. A great story about friendship of three girls on the outside looking in.

THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN by Susan Beth Pfeffer

This World We Live In by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I did not like the end of this book but only because I will never know what happens next. This is the 3rd book in a series about the end of the world. An asteroid has hit the moon changing the tides causing volcanoes, tornados, and tsunamis and now people are dying of illness, starvation, and exposure. This World We Live In continues the story of Miranda, a teenager fighting for survival in rural Pennsylvania and Alex, a boy from New York City doing the same. In this third book the two stories come together as Miranda and Alex meet. Now there are more mouths to feed, people to shelter, and feelings to be felt as Alex and Miranda grow closer to each other. I have been wrapped up in this world while reading all three books and I am anxious to know what happens? Can they rebuild civilization?

THE FREAK OBSERVER by Blythe Woolston

The Freak Observer by Blythe Woolston
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Maybe it's because I never took Physics or I like books with a little more action, but this was not one of my favorite books. 16 year old Loa had a pretty normal life considering her baby sister Asta was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that would leave her a permanent infant. Then, Asta died. Asta was the sun that Loa's family revolved around. Not too long after Asta's death, one of Loa's friends dies. Loa is afraid of death. She is afraid to go to sleep because of her nightmares and the "bony guy". Each chapter begins with a physics word problem or concept that were all completely foreign to me. It was hard to reach the end but the point of the story is whether Loa can escape from her fear of death enough to live.

TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L. Holm

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a fun little book to read. Turtle is sent to Key West to live with her aunt while her Mother is working as a housekeeper for a old woman who doesn't like kids. You'd think with a strange name like Turtle, she would fit right in with her cousin Beans and his best friend Pork chops. However, they aren't so thrilled to have a girl hanging around and Turtle doesn't exactly love hanging out with the "stupid" boys. I love Turtle as a strong young girl who knows what's going on in her world. This ends up being a treasure adventure with a twist at the end. The language is fun to read but keeping everyone's strange names straight can be a little tricky. The characters remind me of the kids in Little Rascals.

A TIME OF MIRACLES by Anne-Laure Bondoux

A Time of Miracles by Anne-Laure Bondoux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never wanted to put this book down. In fact it almost made me late to work because I just had to finish it. This story follows seven year old Blaise and Gloria, the woman who cares for him, as they travel across the war-torn Cacaucus region and Europe as refugees in search of a peaceful existence. The story is a mystery. Blaise Fortune, known as Koumail, knows only what Gloria has told him about his past, which has been filled with tragedy and hardships. Now Blaise finds himself abandoned in a Spanish pig truck being questioned at the French border? He asks himself "Where is Gloria? Who am I? Reading a book like this makes me count my blessings. As a seven year old I never had to worry about soldiers attacking my home or being seperated from the person who cares for me.

THINGS A BROTHER KNOWS by Dana Reinhardt

The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Brothers share a special bond. This bond may not always be so clear, especially when you haven't seen your brother in 3 years. Especially when your brother has served as a Marine in battle. Levi always hoped to grow up to be just like his older brother Boaz but now Boaz has changed and Levi barely knows this stranger who shares a bathroom with him. When Boaz leaves on a mysterious walking trip, Levi decides to follow to find out just what is happening in his brother's head. The result is a journey that shows the meaning of family, friendship, and what it means to be a hero. I loved this book. I felt like I was on the walk with the two brothers listening to their conversation or lack thereof. The story remains a mystery until the very end.

THE BOY WHO CLIMBED INTO THE MOON by David Almond

The Boy Who Climbed into the Moon by David Almond
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

What if the moon was just a big hole in the sky full of pterodactyls, dragonflies, baseballs, helicopters, and trapeze artists? Paul, the shy boy who lives in the basement, is going to find out exactly what is inside the moon with the help of his imaginative friends Molly and Benjamin. This story is beyond words. It is crazy and unbelievable yet at the end of the book I believed that anything is possible.