The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu

Sibling relationships. All of the feels. Help me.
I love Marie Lu's writing.
Somebody protect baby brother. fadsklfdsaj
I just want so much fanart of little baby Wolfgang.
336 Pages

"Sleigh Ride" by Heidi Cullinan

Opposites attract in this second book in the Minnesota Christmas series.  Gabriel Higgins is the lone librarian in small Logan, MN, but he loves his job.  He excels at it but hasn't really made any friends outside of the library.  When one of the library volunteers decides to raise money with sleigh rides in a real sleigh, Gabriel balks at the idea because she wants him to play Santa's elf to her son's Santa.  Arthur Anderson does not want his mother to play matchmaker, especially when she tells him that he'll be Santa with the lanky librarian playing his elf.  However, the library desperately needs the money, so both men relent.  As they get to know each other, Gabriel introduces Arthur, who doesn't enjoy reading, to graphic novels.  The best part of the book, in my opinion, is when Arthur's young nephew wants a doll, but the boy's mother refuses because of what others will say.  When Gabriel hears this, he decides to do a children's story time about it.  He brings his own dolls that he had as a child and explains to the children and parents that boys who have dolls will grow up to be loving fathers.  The author does a fabulous job with this part of the book; so well that it brought tears to my eyes.  It was a wonderful portrayal of the way good librarians, especially in small, isolated towns, can change children's lives.  229 pages (Kindle edition).

"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

I had not read a YA novel in quite a long time, so I chose this one because I enjoyed the movie and had heard good things about the book.  Written in epistolary form by high school freshman Charlie to an unknown friend, it chronicles his first year in high school as well as interactions with his family.  Although he is introverted and a bit shy, Charlie becomes good friends with seniors Sam and Patrick, who happen to be step-siblings.  Charlie develops a crush on Sam even though she sees him only as a friend, while Patrick is secretly dating the football team's closeted quarterback.

Charlie has some psychological issues that appear to have been brought on by the suicide of his only friend the previous year and the death of his aunt Helen years earlier, with whom he'd been especially close.  A huge revelation in the epilogue puts Charlie's troubles in perspective for the reader and makes this unusual story even more unforgettable.  This book has been challenged innumerable times since its first publication in 1999 due to the usual reasons, but I would highly recommend it to any teenager.  213 pages.

"A Forbidden Rumspringa" by Keira Andrews

This very well written story focuses on two young men living in a strict Amish sect in northern Minnesota.  Isaac is eighteen and feeling pressure from his parents to start courting a girl so that he can soon marry and start his own family, but he knows he's not ready.  For one thing, he hates farming and must learn some other sort of trade so that he can support himself.  His father sets up an apprenticeship with carpenter David Lantz, a quiet twenty-two-year-old who has become the head of his family after his father dies in the field of a heart attack.  He works hard to support his mother and four younger sisters but is being pushed to join the church and get married.  Although their sect does not allow "rumspringa", Isaac and David take a few prohibited trips into the "English" world where they see movies and eat junk food.  Soon, their friendship turns to love and both must figure out what they are willing to give up, or not, in order to be together.

The details of  strict Amish life and the toll it takes on those who do not or cannot abide by its rules make this much more than the average forbidden love story.  Both Isaac and David have older brothers who could not conform, and their actions have had large influences on them and their desire to please their families.  The terrible angst and guilt these two young men felt was palpable to the reader as was their surprise at falling for each other.  This book was a gripping read, and I can't wait to get ahold of the rest of the series.  224 pages (Kindle edition).

"Crossroads" by Riley Hart

Here's the gist of the story:  two straight men in their 30s fall in love with each other and have to deal with the fallout from family and friends.  As with this author's other books, it was an interesting tale with two likable lead characters but could have used tighter editing, especially with the placement of commas.  335 pages

"That Eighteenth Summer" by Raine O'Tierney

This is the story of Oliver Hannigan, who has just graduated from high school and plans to join the military like his older brother, Benjam, did five years earlier.  However, word comes that spring that Benjam has been killed on duty oversees; this changes Oliver's life in many ways.  His parents both go a little crazy, and his mom begs him not to follow in his brother's footsteps.  And the arrival of Benjam's best friend from the Army adds to Oliver's complications.

This was a well written coming-of-age story, which takes part in Oklahoma and Missouri.  Oliver is forced to grow up quickly after the death of his only sibling, and the author makes him credible and sympathetic.  174 pages (Kindle edition).

"A Restored Man" by Jaime Reese

This is the third book in the Men of Halfway House series and focuses on Cole Renzo, who has spent the last two years in prison for car theft.  He moves to Halfway House to finish his sentence but must find and keep a job.  He gets a position at a car restoration shop owned by Ty Calloway, brother of Aiden Calloway, a Miami detective who is trying to keep Cole in line.  Cole notices that the two brothers are very different and have a fractured relationship due to an accident in the family a couple of years ago that physically and emotionally damaged Ty.  But Cole's non-stop mouth and overconfidence help Ty come out of his shell, much to the brothers' surprise.  However, someone from Ty's past is trying to blackmail him and force him out of business.  Can Cole and Aiden help him defeat his blackmailer and find happiness again?

This is the best book of the series (so far) with two main characters whose personalities are very different but complement each other.  Ty and Cole have both suffered personal losses and have families that love them but don't always know how to show it.  There were well written secondary characters, especially Cole's siblings and Ty's main mechanic, who added layers to the story.  It was also great to see Julian and Matt, who run Halfway House.  I can't wait to read the next in the series.  362 pages.

Bitsy’s Bait and BBQ by Pamela Morsi

(Posted for Paul Mathews)

The main character was married and divorced in the city of Saint Louis, with child and the help from her sister, she moves to the Ozarks to start a new life and the laughs begin.  Morsi is a Missouri author.  352 pages.

"To Save the Devil" by Kate Moore

This second book in Moore's "Sons of Sin" series centers on middle son Will Jones.  The former spy and Bow Street Runner is trying to bring down a dangerous man who hides behind the so-called "charities" that he runs.  In the first chapter, Will meets a mysterious woman, known as "Helen of Troy," who has reasons of her own for going after the same evil man.  I enjoyed this book as much as the first one ("To Tempt a Saint") due to the vibrant characterizations and nearly non-stop action.  It takes place in Regency England but not among the aristocracy or upper-class, which is a nice change.  I highly recommend this series and will definitely read the final book when it is published later this year.  284 pages.

"To Tempt a Saint" by Kate Moore

The first in a Regency trilogy about illegitimate brothers, this book's main characters are the eldest, Sir Alexander Jones, and Cleo Spencer, who's been living in poverty on a farm since her father's death.  Their hasty marriage as virtual strangers gives them access to her inheritence, or so they think.  Each has their own reasons to need her money, but her evil uncle tries to thwart their plans.  This was a quick and pleasant read with an appealing hero, courageous heroine, and interesting secondary characters.  I'm looking forward to the next in the series about the middle brother.  283 pages.