Shuggie Bain By: Douglas Stuart

Well, it's odd to say that I loved this when it's very depressing, but I loved this!  Set during the end of the Thatcher years in the forgotten and neglected mining towns, Shuggie Bain is a look at one families implosion and resilience (for the most part), ending with the faintest of glimmers of hope.  I've read depression books before that have made me want to end it all, but this is not one of those.  Engagingly written, raw and real, Shuggie Bain is really quite extraordinary.

Imperial Towers By: Ashley Capes

After reading the first 4 books in the Never saga I had to read the 5th...and it didn't disappoint!  The showdown between Never and Snow, family secrets, and a whole lot of action, make this a great read and further set up for Never's new adventures!

 

The Silverleaf Chronicles By: Vincent Trigili

A fascinating world creates the backdrop for this elegant story of dragons and the mysterious 5th Council. Told from Silverleaf's point of view it chronicles his search for himself, family and purpose and leads to interesting and exciting adventures.

Float: Enchanted Horse Retold By: Demelza Carlton

I found this tale of magic and romance absolutely fascinating.  The whole series is a retelling of popular fairytales, and they are so creative.  I highly recommend!

The Dragon's Champion By: Sam Ferguson

This was great fun.  A ton of action helps to propel this story as well as a wonderfully guileless hero!  Well plotted and great descriptions.  Greatly enjoyed visiting the world that Mr. Ferguson has created.

Stargazy Pie By: Victoria Goddard

I have to admit that I wasn't sure what I was reading and that I found it kind of boring and difficult to get through.  With that said, toward the end I realized that this was more a cozy mystery with elements of magic than it was a fantasy novel.  Not sure if that was the author's intent, but that's what I got out of it, and ended up liking it in the end.

 

brat: an 80s story By: Andrew McCarthy

 

Having grown up watching McCarthy's movies, I've always felt an affinity to the quiet stoicism in his movie characters.  This memoir has that stoicism.  A simply told tale of his rise to fame.  There are ups and downs, but unlike other Hollywood bios and autobiographies, there is no bombastic element given to those ups and downs.  They are a part of life, and they are simply expressed, which is quite refreshing.

The Peaks of Autumn By: Ashley Capes

Things are coming to a head for our her Never and his newfound companions (dare I say it..friends), as the quest for information on his heritage reveals his brother in a new light and a devasting choice for Never to make. Book 5 should be explosive in this series!

 

The Book of Never: Volumes 1-3 By: Ashley Capes

 This is an interesting twist on the fantasy novel, and Never is such a unique character.  I'm a sucker for sarcasm and Never has it in spades.  These 3 volumes start Never's adventure to find out his real name and thus who he is.  Each volume is it's own stand alone venture, but combined create an over arching story, with a puzzle piece falling into place in each one. 

The Last Priestess By: Elizabeth Baxter

A lot of magic and great action sequences make this a great start to the Songmaker series.  With two intriguing protagonists each harboring a secret, The Last Priestess will tantalize fantasy fans!