Welcome to the latest edition of my Reviews that Made Me Want to Read the Book feature. This installment is high on direct recommendations from people.
Kelsey from Reading Keeps You Sane recently reviewed Project 17 by Laurie Faria Stolarz. She says, after describing the suspenseful story about teens visiting an abandoned asylum, "This is one of the most gratifying endings I have read in a long time. For those of you you are still unsure, think Blair Witch Project meets Breakfast Club.This book is amazing, so amazing I read until I finished it in 2 in a half hours." It sounds delightfully creepy and fun.
Another recommendation from Kelsey that caught my eye was for Dream Factory, by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler. It's a romance about two teens who fall in love while working at Disney World, told in alternating chapters by the two authors. Kelsey says "Their combination of writing offers a striking and endearing romance story that is charismatic and unforgettable. This is a book you shouldn't miss out on." Plus the setting sounds fun!
Simon Brooks emailed me to recommend Black Jack by Leon Garfield. When I checked out the book on Amazon, I found a glowing review by Betsy Bird/ Fuse #8, and that was enough to time me over the edge. Betsy also mentioned the book here.
Barbara Shoupis one of several new reviewers at The Well-Read Child (Jill T's blog). Barbara's first review was of M+O 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin. She said: "The truth is, there aren’t enough good books about friendship, and M+O 4EVR’s insightful look at how childhood friendships evolve as young people enter their teen years was more than enough for me." And that, coming from the author of Everything You Want, which I loved, is good enough for me.
Speaking of my review of Everything You Want, in the comments of that post both Alkelda the Gleeful and Wendy B recommended Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster. Wendy said "It's probably the most fluid and accessible novel I've read from that time period (it was published in 1912), and it's about a young woman who was plucked from an orphanage and sent to Vassar. It's laugh-out-loud funny."
Darla D at Books and Other Thoughts just reviewed the fourth book in the Enola Holmes series, by Nancy Springer. This made me realize that I haven't gotten past book 2 yet. So The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets and The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan are now on my list. Like Darla, "I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this captivating mystery series."
April Henry also recommended a book to me: a dystopian title for adults called This Perfect Day by Ira Levin. I don't know much about it, but it's on my list.
Lesa's Book Critiques is a new blog that I discovered through the recent Book Blogger Appreciation Week. It's focused on adult mysteries. Lesa recently reviewed the first book in Steve F. Havill's Posadas County Mysteries, Heartshot. Lesa said: "After reading two books in this series, I have to say it's refreshing to read a police procedural in which the department works together, and respects each other... This is a satisfying series for those of us who love interesting, well-developed characters, a large number of books in which to read about those characters, and fascinating plots." So I'm adding it to my list.
And that's it for today. I don't know if I'll be blogging this weekend, but I'll be back with you early in the week.
© 2009 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.