Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd

Fergus is eighteen. He is on the verge of completing his exams and, perhaps, going on to be a doctor. It is the 1980s in Ireland, and things are tumultuous at best. Fergus' own brother is in jail for his part in radical terrorist activity. Things are a mess...and that is before his brother joins the Hunger Strike.

Fergus has a lot on his mind. One morning while he and his Uncle are out and about, Fergus sees a human hand sticking up out of the bog. They immediately call the authorities. Since they are on the wrong side of the country line, they make up a story about birdwatching. When the body is exhumed from the bog, archaeologists discover that the bog child is actually a girl from the Iron Age.

As events at home begin to snowball for Fergus (and huge surprises are in story for the reader), more and more of the bog child's story comes to the reader from Fergus' dreams. The reader discovers the truth of why the bog child was executed and what part she played in the history of the time period.

This novel sat on my desk for probably three months. The cover isn't great and I struggled with the desire to read it. However, now that I have completed it and thought about it for a few days, I have decided that I am sad that I waited so long. Siobhan Dowd did a great job with all of the different plot strings she was weaving. The story was interesting - compelling even, with romance, intrigue, subterfuge, and good old Catholic Guilt. The historical aspects from the bog child's era, as well as from 1980s Ireland were fascinating. I was very impressed with this novel...and very sad to learn that the author has recently passed away. You can read more about Siobhan Dowd and her other novels by clicking here.

The bottom line: you have to savor this novel. It isn't fast reading because you don't want to blow by any of the important details that Dowd scatters throughout her well planned text. It is well worth checking out, however. Perhaps - good summer reading???? (34 days...)

Far From You by Lisa Schroeder

Alice's mother died of cancer a few years back. Her father has moved on, remarried, and recently had a second daughter. Alice views all of this as a slight betrayal and chooses not to engage in family activities. She has a secret hatred of her step-mother, Victoria, and the baby is wearing her out.

When her dad forces her to drive with the family to Victoria's parents house for Thanksgiving, Alice will do almost anything to avoid this trip. It doesn't matter, though. She is roped into the trip in order to help with the baby while on the road.



Thanksgiving isn't horrible, at least it isn't as horrible as Alice expected. However, her father is called back to work, forcing Victoria, Alice, and the baby to ride home together in the car. And since nothing can be easy, Alice wakes up after a Tylenol pm induced nap, to find that the car has broken down and that it is snowing heavily.
Victoria assures her that every thing will be fine, that once her father realizes they are late, he will send for help. As the evening progresses, Alice and Victoria have nothing to do but talk. They come to an understanding about each other and their relationship. There is hope.

An extreme snowstorm kicks up, however, and soon the car is covered in snow. Victoria and Alice realize that they have very few supplies and that help isn't coming. Victoria decides that if any of them are going to survive this ordeal, then she must go into the blizzard and search for aide.

Left alone with the baby and dwindling supplies, Alice begins to see an angel...but is the angel coming to watch over her until Victoria returns? Or is the angel there to take her home?

Compelling from start to finish, this verse style novel will keep you turning pages right up until the shocking end.

The Market by J.M. Steele

Imagine that you find out your school has a stock-market type system that rates the girls in your class from #1 (a primo slot) to #140 (needs some work). You are just an average girl...not too popular, not too famous. You look fine, but you know that you could do more...you're just not concerned with it. You have good friends and a supportive family. Imagine that you find out you're ranked #71 on this list.

Now...that isn't HORRIBLE, but it also isn't great. And while you weren't concerned with things like your looks before, now it is front and center in your life.

This is what happens with Kate Winthrop.
71 is hard on her ego, but she can get past that for the sake of money. Her friends convince her to play "The Market", to undergo an extreme make-over and to buy into this market in hopes of winning the final pot.
She enlists the help of said best friends do help with the extreme make-over: One friend tackles wardrobe, one friend tackles physical appearance. Suddenly, Kate is stunning. She is a blonde, she is well dressed, and people are starting to take notice.
But as Kate's market value skyrockets and she is incorporated into the popular clique, she forgets who she is.

Will she remember before it's too late?

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker

On the first day of school the principal announces that a new curriculum has been added and all seniors must participate in order to graduate. This curriculum is to help students be better equipped for marriage and to help combat the 50% failure rate of marriages in America. Students are paired up randomly and "married" for the year with several sets of tasks they must complete.
Far fetched premise, I know...but author Kristin Walker works this plot like crazy, creating a completely likable cast of characters, a quick moving plot, and tons of laugh-out-loud moments! I loved this book!!

Fiona might be a little hard to get along with: she is a prickly personality, a little nerdy, a little opinionated, and unrelenting. She is forced to "marry" the head male cheerleader, Todd. Fiona is flabbergasted. How can this be? They are the worst match on the planet AND Todd's girlfriend, Amanda, is Fiona's arch-nemesis from grade school.

To make matters worse, Fiona's best friend has just announced that she is in love with Fee's life long crush and that she finds Fiona to be too self-absorbed to be a good friend. Fiona is, of course, hurt on many levels and left without a friend on whom she can rely.

Despite the hardships, Fiona's senior year is filled with non-stop hilarious situations. Fiona learns a great deal about herself as she deals with these trials and tribulations, as well as how to better interact with other people.

It is laugh-out-loud funny in many places, but it will also give readers time to pause and think about priorities, relationships, and making the most out of trying situations.