Category Archives: realistic fiction
Through to You – Emily Hainsworth
Cam feels destroyed by the death of his girlfriend, Viv. He puts up a shrine at the accident site, recoils into himself, even further away from his friends and family. Then he sees a stranger at the accident site, shimmering … Continue reading
Flight Behavior: a novel – Barbara Kingsolver
Dellarobia knows about death. By the time she was a senior in high school, her parents had died, the unborn child who necessitated her marriage had died, and her dreams of going to college and escaping her backwoods community had … Continue reading
Blink Once – Cylin Busby
It’s hard for West to tell what’s going on . . . he knows he’s in a hospital, but no one talks directly to him and he’s aware for only brief flashes at a time. Slowly, he becomes more awake, … Continue reading
Almost Home – Joan Bauer
Almost Home is one of those stories that hooks the reader from the first page. It is a story of loss, struggle, and the strength of a family’s love that is told from the perspective of Sugar, a 12-year old … Continue reading
The Raft – S.J. Bodeen
Robie has been raised on the isolated island of Midway by her scientist parents. She is visiting her aunt in Hawaii who has to suddenly leave town on business. Robie decides to get on the supply plane back to Midway … Continue reading
After Eli – Rebecca Rupp
Danny’s much-loved older brother, Eli, is killed fighting in Iraq. His mother becomes despondent and his father becomes even more gruff and distant. Danny spends one summer coming to terms with the death with the help of special friends. Eli … Continue reading
Liar & Spy – Rebecca Stead
The author’s award winning style in When You Reach Me is evident in Liar & Spy, but with a more straightforward storyline. When Georges’ architect father loses his job, the family must simultaneously move into an apartment and deal with … Continue reading
Before You Go – James Preller
A dramatic car accident begins the book. The story then switches to a teen’s summer job at a fast food place on the beach. The author spends the first half of the book introducing Jude and his friends and family … Continue reading
Life Happens Next – Terry Trueman
This is the follow-up to the author’s January 2001 Printz Honor Award winning book, Stuck in Neutral. It helps to read the first book but this novel can easily stand on its own. I have waited twelve years for this … Continue reading
Unbearable Book Club for Unsinkable Girls – Julie Schumacher
It is summertime and Adrienne Haus is finally out of school. But instead of going off on an adventure with her best friend, she’s forced to stay home nursing a hurt knee. To keep her daughter occupied, Adrienne’s Mom enrolls … Continue reading
Lucky Fools – Coert Voorhees
The competition is fierce at Oak Fields prep in many areas of David Ellison’s life. He and all the other seniors are contemplating their college choices and life goals and are thrown a crushing blow when a Stanford admissions representative … Continue reading
Welcome Caller, This is Chloe – Shelley Coriell
Chloe is an ambitious, high-spirited high school junior with a seemingly unsinkable personality and a flare for vintage shoes. Her normally bright outlook on life threatens to dim though when classes resume after winter break. Her two best friends, Brie … Continue reading
See You At Harry’s – Jo Knowles
We meet a busy, slightly dysfunctional family that owns a diner/ice cream restaurant called Harry’s. Told from Fern’s point of view, she is the third of four children and has never quite had all the parental attention she would like. … Continue reading
Breaking Beautiful – Jennifer Shaw Wolf
This murder mystery wrapped in teen drama hits the mark. Allie has survived an accident that apparently killed her boyfriend, Trip. It looks like she jumped out of his truck before it went over a cliff and into the ocean … Continue reading
The Child Who – Simon Lelic
Leo Curtice, an attorney in a town in southern England, is excited when asked to defend a 12-year-old boy accused of murdering an 11-year-old girl. This is a career-making case. The excitement is short lived however, as Leo experiences the … Continue reading
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