The Long Shadow

 

I am going to come at this review from two angles.  The first is from the perspective of theme and the idea of righting wrongs, second chances, etc.  That part of the book was good and I did like how it all came together in the end - messiness of life and all.

But, as someone who loves time travel books this fell short for me.  There was really no explanation for the time travel - nothing that could be duplicated in theory, no idea who the person was who kept helping him and the whys.  I wish that part of the story had been fleshed out and developed better.  

For me this is a maybe purchase.  The message and theme are a plus but the execution was a minus.

Cursed Carnival

 

I have been a big fan of Rick Riordan and the imprint Rick Riordan presents which is shining a light on so many cultures and mythologies.  This collection of short stories dives back into the worlds we have been introduced to and even gives a glimpse into Riordan's newest world.  I know long time fans probably have liked to see short stories set in Riordan's other worlds too but the book already clocks in at nearly 500 pages (which is my one complaint - casual fans need not apply).  

Overall a good read.

The Sun Will Come Put

 

Bea is devastated when she learns that her best friend will be going to a more expensive horse camp instead of the Jewish camp they were supposed to go to together.  She is surprised though to make a friend on the bus and things start looking up.  But mean girls, a crush revealed, hives, and misunderstandings cause Bea to retreat.  Again she is pleasantly surprised when she meets a boy in the infirmary who despite his life threatening disease teaches her to be brave and to stop running away from her problems.

A solid middle grade book that tackles friendship issues well.  I enjoyed this.

Breathing Underwater

 

Olivia and Ruth used to do so much together - play pirates, watch movies, go scuba diving, and create epic treasure hunts including the one they did when they moved across country.  But Ruth's depression saps her energy and even though Olivia tries hard to help she is often at the receiving end of snarky comments or eye rolls.  In a trip back west Olivia tries to recreate their last big treasure hunt which will culminate in digging up a box they buried.  But can Olivia hold Ruth together and make everything ok?

This book reveals a struggle with depression which I can appreciate - the whole windows, mirrors, sliding glass doors thing - but it was a tough read too.  It did end up on a hopeful note though, which was good.