As most people who read this blog are aware, I am not a huge fan of middle grade literature. However, I was a Literature Circle Mentor this spring and enjoying reading a wonderful middle grades book with my five Grade 6 students. They loved the book and so did I. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh is the story of Ahmed, who has escaped Syria with his father, but ends up in Belgium alone. He ends up living in the basement of a home being rented by Max’s family (recently moved from DC). Once Max discovers and befriends Max, we learn more about Syria, resistance, and resilience. Along the way, we learn some true stories of Belgium and resistance during WWII. Katherine Marsh used real moments (and her own experience) to tell the tale, which made it even more interesting and realistic. I really enjoyed these characters and this story.

Freefall by Jessica Barry was a great thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through. It moved quickly and the narrator shift back and forth was enjoyable. Allison’s fiancés private plane crashes in Colorado leaving him dead and her on the run – we are not sure from what. Her mother, living in Maine, is the alternate perspective from which the story is told. It’s creative and unexpected. I’d grab it if you like a good psychological thriller.

I loved The Resurrection of Joan Ashby by Cherise Wolas (though the cover is so awful that I never would have picked it up) and am so glad a St. Patrick’s parent recommended it to me. While is is dauntingly long, you will be glad you read it, should you take it on. On the surface, the story is about Joan Ashby, famous author, who agrees with her then boyfriend that they never want to have children. And, of course, the inevitable happens, which changes the course of their lives together. It’s a tale of love, loss, redemption, and writing/books. It was my favorite book so far this year (a year sadly absent of five-star reviews).

The Age of Light by Whitney Scharer is the story of a Vogue photographer and writer, Lee Miller, who decides that she would rather create art than be the subject of it. Miller has been a footnote in history because of her relationship with Man Ray, but this book brings her to life in a wonderful way and was a great and enjoyable piece of historical fiction.

The Songbird by Marcia Willett reminded me of Maeve Binchy. It takes place in a small village and the main character lives in a cottage. Tim leaves his job and friends to move to a small town to escape his life-threatening illness diagnosis. In the interim, he finds a family and learns to love his life. I loved the cover of this book and, while the story wasn’t scintillating, it moved along and kept me interested.

More Than Words by Jill Santopolo is a good beachy read, but not as good as her previous work, the light we lost. More Than Words is a romance about Nina Gregory whose father dies and leaves her the family hotel empire. Of course, she learns secrets after his death which threaten her well-being, her relationships, and her sense of purpose. It’s a quick read that flows, but there’s nothing special here. And, while it’s a good summer read, I wouldn’t go out of your way unless you get it cheap for Kindle or from the library.

Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani has been on my to-be-read pile for a long time. It took me a while to get through (my reading has been remarkably slow at this busy time of my work year), but I am glad I stuck with it. It was an enjoyable story about a single pharmacist living in a small town who finds out that her father is not her father. Relationships are at the center of this novel and, while it wasn’t a five-star book, it was certainly a good read.

Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia was a decent mystery, but not something to run out and grab. We first meet Maya, a language therapist, who is treating Lucas. Lucas is in a psychiatric facility because he showed up out of nowhere after being missing (along with his father) for the last ten years. We learn and understand what Maya and Lucas have in common and why she is drawn to him. I kept reading this one because I wanted to find the conclusion to the mystery, but I didn’t love it.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin is a family story that switches back and forth from 2074 to the 1980s/90s. The Skinner family loses its patriarch early in the book and the rest of the book describes what happens because of that loss. It’s about sibling relationships, lies, and life choices. I really enjoyed it and read it quickly. I’d add it to your TBR pile.

The Overstory by Richard Powers started off with a bang. And, for the first half, I loved it. However, it dragged from about halfway through until the end. It begins as a bunch of short stories about people and trees. Then the stories begin to intertwine. The initial stories and characters were so interesting, and then the pace just got slower and slower until I found myself racing through to get to the end. Ultimately, I was disappointed in this one, though I give it three stars because it started off so well.