"The Hive" by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden

The Hive by Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden tells the story of Cassie, a young teen girl who knows all about "The Hive."  It is social media that hands out punishment if need be on people who post what they consider to be "out of bounds."  One day Cassie makes a joke and is smack in the middle of Hive justice!

This book was pretty good.  I enjoyed Cassie, but the other characters were not brought out very well.  That being said, I still give this book a solid 4 because it had some good action.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 39:  "But it's a joke," Sarah added.  "Only the popular people ever trend positive.  Each week, a certain crowd decides who will be the targets, and everyone just follows along.  It's not even real justice.

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"Outlaw" by Ted Dekker

Outlaw by Ted Dekker is a novel that takes place in the jungle of Irian Jaya. It is about how Julian Carter and her 2-yr.-old son Stephen left America because she felt called to go to New Guinea to be a missionary through a reoccurring dream. She found herself shipwrecked on the way and captured by an unknown tribe of cannibals, the Tulim people who lived in the jungle in 1963 and obviously had a very different culture than she was used to and did not know their language.

I was looking for a change of pace and this book gave it to me. I enjoyed learning about the culture of cannibals and jungle tribes. This book is packed with adventure and is written by a man who was born and raised by missionaries in the jungles of Irian Jaya. This is a pretty amazing story and although some parts didn’t quite make sense to me, I still enjoyed it. This is a wild book! (Karen’s review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 5: I cried out and frantically searched the foaming water but there was no sign of the captain. The ocean had swallowed him whole and shoved the boat far from where he’d gone overboard.


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"Making a Play" by Abbi Glines

Making a Play by Abbi Glines teen fiction about the romance between 18-yr.-old Ryker, an outstanding high school football receiver who uses girls and the quarterback's twin sister, Aurora, who is deaf and just starting at the school.  Ryker is immediately attracted to her and she finds him attractive and nice.  Although her brother and her friend warn her about him, she is determined to get to know him and make up her own mind.  The fact that she is white he is black does not bother her at all, but her dad has a different opinion. 

I liked this book better as it went along.  As Ryker changes to become more worthy of Aurora, the language improves.  I would have enjoyed more football action but that was just a backdrop.  The main story was about Aurora adjusting to a new school and fitting in even though she was deaf and how Ryker changed and started really caring for her.  Her brother was sweet to in how he wanted to protect her and look out for her.  I liked that chapters alternated between Ryker's point of view and Aurora's.  It went fast.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 32:  She knew he wouldn't accept me when he found out about my being deaf.  I was disappointed, but it was an emotion I knew well.  I would survive.  

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"The Unwinding of the Miracle" by Julie Yip-Williams

The Unwinding of the Miracle by Julie Yip-Williams is the true story of how Julie overcame so much. She was born blind in Vietnam.  Her grandmother wanted her killed just two days after she was born. With 300 other people in a boat, she made it to Hong Kong and then America where she attended Harvard and became a very good lawyer. She married and had two daughters.  But unfortunately, she could not overcome colon Cancer.  She wrote this book for her daughters to remember her.

Julie tells her story and pulls no punches.  There is some humor also.  Rest in peace, Julie.  Job well done!  (Gerard's review, 5+ stars) 

Teaser from page 8:  But also as your mother, I want you to feel the pain, to live it, embrace it, and then learn from it.  Be stronger people because of it, for you will know that you carry my strength within you.

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"Shamed" by Linda Castillo

Shamed by Linda Castillo is a murder mystery centered around a kidnapping of a young, special needs child in an Amish community. The entire novel is about the murder/kidnapping investigation with no real character development at all.  It is all told from the Chief of Police's point of view.  I enjoyed other books by this author more than I did this one.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 32:  Again, I feel the minutes ticking by and I struggle for patience, with the need to be gentle, to not frighten this child who has already been so traumatized.  All of those things are in direct conflict with my need for facts.

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