Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Morgan Matson is fantastic. She writes YA contemporary stories that sneak up on your heart and wind their fingers around it. She seems to really understand what it's like to be 17 and not to know who you are, what you want, and where you are headed. It makes all of her stories so interesting, because they are painfully human. The characters make mistakes and have to try to overcome them. They're not all strong, but they learn how to be stronger. It makes for very interesting reads.

I always think I will start one of her stories and read a bit each night, but they suck me in, which was why I was up until 5:00 AM reading this story about a shy girl named Emily, who's best friend, Sloane, mysteriously disappears the summer before their senior year, leaving behind a To Do list of things Emily should try to do without her, fun things, like dance until dawn and sleep under the stars, and much scarier things for Emily like kiss a stranger and go skinny dipping.

Emily is so lost without Sloane that she tries to tackle the list, despite how much the tasks scare her. She hopes that if she finishes the list, it will bring her friend back. The best things about this story are the friendships and the way Emily comes to see herself as someone who is so much more than "that girl who hangs out with Sloane."

Page: 480

PS: If you haven't read any Morgan Matson, then you should also check out Second Chance Summer and Amy and Roger's Epic Detour.

Dying for Dinner Rolls by Lois Lavrisa

Catherine Alice Thomson, Cat for short, is determined to find out who murdered her friend. and winds up putting her own life in jeopardy. Okay. Some of the plot is more than a little far-fetched, but that doesn't stop it from being entertaining. This is book one of the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Southern Mysteries. 171 pages.

Lutheran Ladies Circle by Kris Knorr

I learned about the Lutheran Ladies Circle series from BookBub and was intrigued by the description: "If you're looking for a sweet book about dealing with change-this isn't it. The Lutheran Ladies are sassy, have strong-spined opinions, and have stepped out of your office, your kid's soccer club, or your church to live on these pages. They deal with change-sometimes poorly-but with humor and heartache, they're knocking the rough edges from the journey." While many of the characters are caricatures, there is enough truth in them to ring true. I found myself laughing at their antics, and heartened by their friendships while learning some Biblical and spiritual truths.

In Book One, Plucking One String, Vera Henley is the pastor's wife who is used to keeping the ladies of the church organized. Then her husband dies, and suddenly she is not sure who she is anymore. 222 pages.

In Book Two, Through the Knothole, we learn more about Kay McCabe who is struggling with a divorce, children leaving home, losing a job, and taking in boarders. 228 pages.

In Book Three, Thanks for Leaving, we learn the story of  Aunt Ula who takes us back to World War 2 as we learn why and how she developed her feisty nature. 220 pages.