The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wonderful and timely novel that will help middle graders gain some insight into the refugee crisis. Ahmet is the new boy at the back of the class. He doesn't speak English and he looks very sad. A group of his classmates befriend Ahmet and learn that he is a refugee. They are inspired by his story to come up with a brave and risky mission to try to help Ahmet and his family. I read this to my kids (boy age 9 and girl age 11) and we all loved it. Filled with adventure, humor and loads of compassion. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Books for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Enjoyable by kids and parents: Yes
Kids chose reading over extra screen time: Yes
Offensive Language: None
Violence: Some - there is some hitting and bullying.
Adult Concepts: The refugee crisis is obviously front and center in this book and while deaths are mentioned and it is heart-wrenching at times, it is handled well for the middle grade audience.
Age Range: 7 and up

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Cozy small town charm and just a touch of magic. The Dove family has always been special and Sarah Dove, the town librarian, is no exception. The books in Sarah's library speak to her, and not just in the way that books "speak to" the rest of us. The books have told her that Grace Wheeler, a newcomer to the town of Dove Pond, is going to be the one to pull the town back from the verge of bankruptcy. This book started out a bit slowly for me but had me hooked by the end. If you're a lover of the Hallmark Channel Movies, you'll love this story. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

RATING SCALE 1 (LOW) TO 5 (HIGH)
Unputdownable-ness: 3
Ugly Cry Potential: 1
LOL: 1
Steaminess: 1
Character Development: 4
Originality: 4
Quality of Writing: 4
Intellectual Depth: 3
Emotionally Trying/Hard to Read: 1

"The War I Finally Won" by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was surprised by how much we all enjoyed this sequel to "The War That Saved My Life". The first book was so good that I couldn't imagine the sequel living up to it but it definitely held its own. The story of Ada and Jamie continues as Lady Thornton moves in with them as does a German Jewish girl named Ruth that Susan is to tutor.

Enjoyable by kids and parents: Yes
Kids chose reading over extra screen time: Always

Offensive Language: None

Violence: Some (there are bombings, people are killed in the war and there is one scene where they witness a plane crash and see the charred body inside)

Age Range: 8 and up

"Meet Me in Monaco" by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✩

Meet Me in Monaco is the story of Sophie Duval, a French Perfumer who creates scents that capture memories, and English photographer James Henderson who are brought together serendipitously by Grace Kelly. Beautifully written with olfactory-delighting descriptions of all of the scents that Sophie encounters and develops. The narratives and interspersed news clips transported me back to the 50s. It had me Googling Grace Kelly and left me wanting to watch all of her films, perhaps while en route to the French Riviera.

Thank you to Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb, Edelweiss+ and #tallpoppybloggers for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

RATING SCALE 1 (LOW) TO 5 (HIGH)
Unputdownable-ness: 3
Ugly Cry Potential: 2
LOL: 2
Steaminess: 1
Character Development: 4
Originality: 3
Quality of Writing: 4
Intellectual Depth: 3
Emotionally Trying/Hard to Read: 1

"The Bookish Life of Nina Hill" by Abbi Waxman

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Smart, charming, laugh-out-loud funny and filled with trivia and literary references. It’s Bridget Jones meets "The Storied Life of AJ Fikry". Nina Hill is an introverted bookworm that enjoys living a quiet and highly organized life with her cat, Phil. Her world is sent into a comedic tail spin when the father Nina never met passes away and leaves her with a whole family she never knew she had. I loved every page of this book. I particularly enjoyed how each chapter starts out with a page from Nina's planner and a witty little one sentence synopsis of what the coming chapter has in store for us.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ratings Scale 1 (low) - 5 (high)

Unputdownable-ness: 5

Ugly Cry Potential: 3

LOL: 5

Steaminess: 2

Character Development: 4

Originality: 4

Quality of Writing: 5

Intellectual Depth: 3

Emotionally Trying/Hard to Read: 2

"Dear Wife" by Kimberly Belle

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Beth is on the run from her abusive husband. Jeffrey’s wife has just gone missing. Marcus is the detective investigating the disappearance. These 3 view points lead us down a twisty and suspenseful trail of lies and cover ups. Is Jeffrey the man Beth is running from? If not, how are the two stories connected? I did figure out part of the story line fairly early on but there were still a few twists to keep me engaged until the very end. 

Thank you to Net Galley and Park Row Books for allowing me to read an advance copy of this compelling page turner in exchange for my honest review. 

Ratings Scale 1 (low) - 5 (high)

Unputdownable-ness: 4

Ugly Cry Potential: 2

LOL: 2

Steaminess: 1

Character Development: 4

Originality: 3

Quality of Writing: 4

Intellectual Depth: 3

Emotionally Trying/Hard to Read: 2