Jenny's Picks | well-readmoose

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Jenny's Picks

This is a very heavy book. Two teens, both intending to end their lives, notice each other on the George Washington Bridge. What follows are the four possible scenarios; only Tillie jumps, only Aaron jumps, they both jump, or neither jumps. This is sure to be an important look into the desperation and hopelessness that can lead someone to that point. This book also shows the impact of suicide on those left behind. But more importantly, the author does share the hope that it will get better.	There can be power in brevity. Lili Reinhart speaks emotional volumes in sparing verse. Accompanied by crisp line drawings from Curt Montgomery, Swimming Lessons is sure to become a classic in contemporary poetry.	Have you ever been brought to tears from an overwhelming flood of all the feelings? I read one selection out loud to a friend and we both had goosebumps and watery eyes. A very powerful read. I love this collection!
This was my first, and hopefully not last, read from April Genevieve Tucholke. The world-building is phenomenal AND I was fully invested in her characters. It is brilliant high fantasy without feeling like a tedious read. I'm hooked!	What a perfect title. Transforming her own pain into an asset, Alfa shares her experiences as lyrical, beautiful hope for her readers in this poetry collection. We are not alone.	I am thoroughly moved by the way Laura Lee Gulledge depicts such a challenging, yet important, topic both with her words and her art. I love The Dark Matter of Mona Starr because it not only shares the problem of depression in a relatable way, but it shows some positive solutions. I wish I had this when I was younger. I gave a copy to my oldest child and will continue to recommend this to friends, family, and strangers.
Three by D. A. Mishani I was immediately drawn into a story of a woman and her attempts at navigating post-divorce life. For the first several chapters, I forgot I was reading a thriller. And then, OMG! The shifting points of view were at times unnerving, and I found myself literally gasping out loud. Great book!	break your glass slippers is another brilliant collection from amanda lovelace. on every page another lesson my brain may not have wanted but my heart needed so deeply. "nobody can ever own your magic". I can, will, be my own fairy godmother.	Breathtaking. A poetic meditation on what it means to be female.
Mother and daughter. Neither one a reliable narrator. Sickly child or victim of abuse? Mother of the year or malicious abuser? Does either one have any redeeming qualities? I continued to be surprised with each chapter.	As a former peculiar child who has grown into a peculiar adult, I was drawn to this book solely for the title. I was not disappointed. A wonderful gothic fantasy adventure that kept me engaged page after fantastical page.	Hey, Kiddo is an unflinchingly honest look at addiction as a family disease. Krosoczka’s artwork is a powerful compliment to his memoir. I can’t stop thinking about this one.
I don't know what to say about this book without spoiling anything. It's a disturbing, unsettling, shocking YA thriller that will stay with me for a long time. WOW!	A major and wide spread power outage occurs while John and Stewart Lockwood’s dad is away from home. And now they need to travel 96 miles through the Nevada desert in 3 days. During the summer. On foot. With limited food and water. Esplin’s debut novel is an amazing survival story that I could not put down!	I love Sofia Lundberg’s debut novel. 96 year old Doris has a very strong bond with her grandniece, Jenny, and although they live across the world from each other, they Skype on a regular basis. But the history of Doris’ long life is actually revealed through letters she has been writing for Jenny. These alternating story lines of past and present are a wonderfully charming tale of life and love. I laughed, I cried, and I can’t wait for Lundberg’s next book!
Cassie Bowen wakes up next to a dead body, with very little memory of what happened. A blackout drinker with a history of promiscuity, she isn’t really even sure that she doesn’t belong on the list of suspects. Cassie is very flawed and difficult to like , but I was just as interested in her character development as I was in solving the crime.	Nothing is quite what it seems in this dark tale of secrets and lies. I highly recommend this chilling page-turner.	How do magical creatures survive in a land where magic has been outlawed? How does an intelligent and curious girl tolerate a world where women are not allowed to read? I am absolutely engrossed by this new series and can’t wait for the next book to come out!
I’m a sucker for a flawed protagonist. Garrett does a great job getting me to root for an arrogant, abrasive teen girl in this thrilling whodunit. I’m not often surprised at the twists and turns of mystery novels, but the ending of this book was unexpected and somehow I can’t imagine it any other way.	For this Stephen King fan, Different Seasons is the best bang for her buck. The four novellas, each representing a (shocker) different season, are perhaps some of King's best work.	All at once a survival story, a coming of age tale, and a murder mystery, I absolutely loved this book. I was sad when I finished; not because it felt incomplete, but because I loved it so much that I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
The Cassandra is a dark exploration of the inhumanity of humanity. Mildred Groves’ new job at the Hanford Atomic Plant during WWII gives her a way to leave home and to feel a part of something bigger than herself. But her increasingly dark visions of the future contribute to her decreasing grip on reality. Sharma Shields does a great job of weaving factual history and the supernatural into a realistic horror.	The Kingdom of Back is a wonderful blend of historical fiction, classical music, fantasy, and coming-of-age. The struggle to be remembered in her own right leads Nannerl Mozart, and later her brother, Wolfgang, to a magical kingdom accessed through her music, stories, and dreams. You don’t need to have a knowledge of classical music to appreciate this story. Although there are certainly little treasures of reference sprinkled throughout the novel.	I found it interesting that the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale was written from the perspective of three women, none of whom were handmaids. It is fascinating, and at times unnerving, to see how beliefs can be formed and choices made. More so with The Testaments than with the original I was left truly wondering what choices I might make in a similar situation.
I have a thing for intelligent humor and Douglas Adams definitely satisfies. He blends that humor into a satirical sci-fi adventure that has become an international phenomenon. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy follows the adventures of a haphazard group of humans and aliens as they explore the galaxy. I couldn’t wait to read the other four novels that make up the “Hitchhiker’s Trilogy”. Don’t Panic and enjoy this book!