Between Shades of Gray

By Ruta Sepetys, 344 pages.

This is a fantastically, touching, poignant, and painful book. Looking back, Lina knew something was wrong in her sheltered, comfortable life in 1941. Her parents were tense, she was chastised for speaking her mind or drawing images of the Russian soldiers occupying her Lithuanian city, and people were acting strange. But nothing prepares her to be arrested in the middle of the night by soldiers, torn from everything she knows, and shoved into a train car like an unwanted animal. With growing horror, Lina begins to realize that this is real, she is being deported from her home, is accused of being a criminal, and no one is coming for her or her family. Worse still, the car her family is on continuously moves north through Siberia, towards the very top of the world where few survive. Desperate to contact her father to let him know that she, her mother, and her brother are alive and refusing to believe that she will never see him again, Lina covertly begins documenting her experience in drawings. How Lina and her family attempt to survive in horrific conditions, both physical and mental, makes for a gripping novel that is difficult to put down.

I knew very little about the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states before reading this book, and immediately after reading it I was prompted to look up more information on the topic. This is a difficult book to read, but an important one, and a reminder that we must actively work to be aware of the things going on in our world, both in the past and currently.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

By Rae Carson, 424 pages

Elisa has always lived in the shadow of her older sister. Plain, overweight, not talented or particularly interesting, she would be content to hide from the world if only it weren't for that pesky gemstone that was embedded in her navel that marks her as the chosen one. On her sixteenth birthday, life changes rapidly as she marries the king of a neighboring country and becomes queen in her own right. Sort of. Things are odd in her new home and not only does she struggle to figure out where she fits in, she starts feeling as though major things have been kept from her throughout her life. Dangerous things. But before she is able to make sense of the discomforting clues surrounding her, she is kidnapped and her life turns upside down. Now Elisa has to make her own choices and her own loyalties, the time for hiding is over.

I'm sorry to say it, but I really do not see what all the hype is about this book. I think it is an interesting idea, but I feel as though the story falls short. Some parts just make no sense to me, like how a child marked at birth as the chosen one receives no training from her royal family. Or how everyone around her can keep so much from her and then send her away without even attempting to explain things. The character development got me too, at the beginning it is extensive and I felt connected to Elisa, but as the story progressed I felt like less time was spent on that and more on just getting to the end. At one point, Elisa has a major life loss but the author only spends about half a page on her reaction, I had to go back and re-read thinking I had skipped several pages. I definitely think the story has potential, I just hope that more care is taken with the upcoming series.

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

2011/224 pgs

Lupita's mother is battling cancer which leaves Lupita in charge of her brothers and sisters. As the eldest, Lupita takes on more responsiblity as her father works to pay for the hospital bills and stay close to her mother. Lupita is an aspiring actress and finds solace in her theater classes-a place she can escape to.

This novel is told in verse and was shortlisted for the Morris award as well as winning the Pure Belpre author award. It's a heartbreaking and beautiful story about Lupita as she grows up amid difficult times and find hope in her future. The verse format works well to tell Lupita's worries, struggles and desires and it's a well written story about family and love.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

346 pgs/2011

A heartbreaking tale, Ruta Sepetys sets out to tell the stories of Lithuanians who were sent to the Artic Circle by Stalin. It's a peek into a little known aspect of history-I didn't really know anything about what had happened and I felt that the author's research paid off. She made this story really stick with you and come to life. The characters are rich and memorable-the man who winds his watch, the girl who talks to her dead doll, they're all very hautning. I think I would use haunting to describe this book as a whole. The only thing I had a complaint about was the ending-it was a bit too unrealistic and I wanted to know exactly what happened. But it's a fascinating historical read.

Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

228pgs/2011

This is an odd book to describe but a very engaging book to read. There are two alternating storylines that go back and forth. At first you're not sure how they will come together and the way they do may surprise you. Things are still left a bit open, but I like to believe in happy endings, so I will for this book! Who would have thought woodpeckers, mysteries, romance, angels, and kidnappings would come together to make a story? I'd give this one to fans of John Green.