As this program is still going on, and is starting up the
end of April 2022, keep an eye out or sign up for email or text reminders to get your 2 free audiobooks each week.
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Modern day story of a teen girl who chooses to go to a boarding school in London, and then a copy-cat Jack the Ripper starts up, and the school is in the neighbourhood of these murders. There was a paranormal level to the story, that gradually appeared, which made it acceptable to me as I'm not really a paranormal activity reader.
I've read previous books by Johnson, like Let it Snow, and 13 Little Blue Envelopes, so I knew she was a quality writer. There are more books in this series, called Shades of London, and while I really enjoyed The Name of the Star, I'm not sure I'll go out of my way to find the next three books.
I will however, look for that nonfiction book about the victims of Jack the Ripper.
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
Nonfiction science book by amazing author (Packing for Mars, and Stiff) made this a book I knew I would enjoy, and humorous and nosy author Roach did not disappoint. Here's short synopsis from Librarything:
This novel focuses on the alimentary canal, which is basically, what happens from your mouth to your colon. You will learn all sorts of things about saliva, taste, the stomach and how food is digested and what science has done to experiment with people to learn these things, why the colon doesn't explode when one is unable to expel excrement, and why pooping is so important.
So, if science of somewhat gross things appeals to you, you need to check out Mary Roach's books
Olivia Twist by Lorie Langdon
Great retelling of Oliver Twist that made me wish I had read Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens before. Alas, I won't, and I often enjoy retellings more than the original. Even without the parallels, this was a great story - orphans, poor kids, Victorian London streets, a touch of romance, and a murder mystery. Great setting, good plot, and well-written characters. It was just a rollicking good time, and the Oliver Twist connection just added to it.
The Golden Day by Ursula Dubosarsky
Well, this was a creepy little story. Set in Ausralia in the 1960s at a girls' school, there is a lot of vague things happening that builds up the creepiness. One day, a teacher and eleven students go on an unplanned outing, and the teacher ends up disappeared. I'm not even completely sure what happened, but it certainly had my attention while I read it.
Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones
This was another fast-paced adventure with two run away teens. I really liked the Toronto setting, as I felt like I could picture everything happening. The social issue of homelessness, coupled with the adventure - Blink observes a kidnapping and then meets up with Caution, both running from abusive situations.
Vincent & Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers by Deborah Heligman
The boys were crazy but talented. They spent their whole life fighting with each other in how they would life their lives. Vincent worked hard at his art, and then dealt with mental illness.
Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanan
I didn't remember what this book was about, but when I looked it up, I did remember. A young girl is taken to a Outward Bound type situation to deal with her drug abuse. She is very angry at the start, but it ends up being heart-warming and a good read.
Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court by Kareem Abdul-Jabaar
How could you not be a fan of Kareem Abdul-Jabaar after reading this book? He is the intellectual, thoughtful, progressive thinker that he appears to be, and also a fantastic athlete. He always knew that there were more important things than sports thought.
You by Charles Benoit
This was a short book, and again, my memory is vague. I see 'second person' perspective in reviews, and my memory is that he was a disturbed teenager, making poor choices.
