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Refugee

7/17/21

This book by Alan Gratz is captivating and intense. It is by far my favorite book of all time and an incredible read!

Refugee: Gratz, Alan: 9780545880831: Amazon.com: Books

This is an amazon link to the hardcover copy of “Refugee” 👆

This book is descriptive and once you start, you can’t put it down. The author makes you feel like you are with them, and gets you emotionally attached to each and every one of the characters. Some parts of the book can be really heavy and tragic, while others will have you sitting on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. Gratz really sheds light on the hardships people had to go through, and how inhumane and ruthless some living conditions were.

Something I liked about the book was how inspiring it was. It made me appreciate how much I have (knock on wood) and how much I have to be grateful for. The characters just kept fighting and fighting. They never gave up and this was all to have a better life. It breaks my heart that people actually had to go through this. I also thought the way that the stories connected at the end was genius.

Summary

Josef is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps appearing, he and his family board a ship heading for the other side of the world.

Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest taking over her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America.

Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long journey toward Europe.

All three kids go on grueling journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers — from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, shocking connections will tie their stories together in the end.

Blended

7/21/21

Blended: Draper, Sharon M.: 9781442495005: Amazon.com: Books

This is an amazon link to the hardcover copy of “Blended” 👆

Blended is a glimpse into the world of an African American middle school girl. It also talks about how difficult divorce can be on children. But the author made sure to balance all the heavy concepts with some humor. All of this is narrated by  precocious and talented 11-year-old, Isabella Badia Thornton. I would definitely recommend! 5 stars!

Summary

Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.

Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided between them than ever. And she’s is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always commenting: “You’re so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really saying: “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?

It seems like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.

Theodore Boone : The accused

8/2/21

Theodore Boone: the Accused: Grisham, John: 9780525425762: Amazon.com: Books

This is a link to the hardcover copy of “Theodore Boone: the Accused” 👆

This book is all about 13 year old Theo Boone, who’s life, in the course of a week, goes downhill. Its a mystery on top of a mystery. The well renowned author, wrote the series wonderfully, and made sure to incorporate some lighthearted, comedic conversations as well. One of my favorite books!!

Summary

Big trouble is brewing for Theodore Boone. While all of Strattenburg anxiously awaits the new trial of infamous murder suspect Pete Duffy, problems arise for their own kid lawyer. There’s been a robbery and Theo is the accused. His reputation is on the line, and with the evidence building up against him– and dangerous threats building up– Theo will do whatever it takes to prove his innocence–even if it means braking a few rules.

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