The Tenderness Of Thieves

The Tenderness Of Thieves by Donna Freitas, 348 pages

“Jane is ready for a fantastic summer. In fact, she's pretty sure the universe owes her one. This past winter, Jane was held at knifepoint during an armed robbery, and the spectre of that night still haunts her. A summer romance with one of the town bad boys - sexy Handel Davies, who takes her breath away and makes her feel like a bolder version of herself - seems like the universe's way of paying her back. But bad boys always have secrets - and Handel's secret just might shatter Jane completely.” This book was excellent.  I didn’t find it quite as thrilling as the description suggests but there was definitely a hint of mystery about the story and I really enjoyed it.  Teens who like mysteries, romance, or thrillers will probably like this.

June

June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore    400 pages

Dual timelines and dual heroines make up Miranda Beverly-Whitemore’s fourth novel, June. At the heart of this suspenseful tale are movie stars, inheritances, and the fine line between truthfulnesses and falsehoods.

I loved that the title had played three roles, first as the book’s title; second, as the 1955 heroine’s name; and third, as the month both timelines occurred: June 1955 and June 2015.

The book opens in June 2015. Cassie Danvers has retreated back to her grandmother’s home, Two Oaks, in small town St. Jude, Ohio. She seems a tad delusional, or maybe, it’s just sensitivity to the spirits that still lurk in the crumbling mansion. Even her dreams are made of the houses’ long-gone inhabitants. She also seems to be suffering from clinical depression.

The mansion is almost beyond repair, yet all the twenty-five year-old wants to do is stay in bed. She barely eats, lets the mail pile up on the foyer floor, and refuses to answer the landline. Cassie is not only mourning her grandmother, but she is reeling from the breakup, which instigated (I think), with her beau, Jim, back in New York City.

Then the doorbell rings.

The story then switches to June 1955. Told from Lindie’s point of view, the whole town is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a film crew, in town to shoot the exteriors for Erie Canal. Starring in the movie are handsomer-than-handsome Jack Montgomery and more-beautiful-than- a-spring day Diane DeSoto.

June is expected to marry Artie Danvers in three days’ time, provided he returns to St. Jude.

June is a wonderful novel, full of interesting characters and plot twists. It took me a little while to get into the story. I had hoped to be pulled in quicker to the story. Cassie’s section was slower to develop than June’s. I think Lindie’s strong character had a lot to do with it. That’s the reason I give June 4 out of 5 stars.

I received this novel from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

The Testing Trilogy

The Testing, Independent Study and Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau, (3 books - 945 pages)

This series was recommended to me while I was reading similar books like Hunger Games, Affinities, and one other I cannot remember right now. It is very much in that same vain. In a dystopia future, where the world has been ravaged by war, only the best and brightest are allowed to attend college, and establish themselves in good careers or politics. When Cia Vale and Tomas are selected from Five Lakes, the first candidates in many years, they are elated. Or at least Cia is until her father warns her of a sinister aspect of the tests.

I hate to say it, but the best thing about these books were how fast they read. Meaning I did not spend much time on them, allowing me to read something better. Now my opinion might be bias because I am not a young adult, the intended audience, and have read lots of books that have portrayed this story archetype better. I am not saying that this was all bad. It just seemed flat.

Nickel Bay Nick

Nickel Bay Nick by Dean Pitchford, 253 pages

Sam always seems to be angry.  He had to have a heart transplant when he was very young, his mother left even before that, and he and his dad have been struggling financially for several years since the factory in town closed and several people lost their jobs.  Sam has been in trouble with the law a bunch of times, mostly for shoplifting and property damage.  This year even Christmas was terrible.  Nick was supposed to visit his mother but that didn’t work out and Nickel Bay Nick, a mysterious stranger who has always distributed hundreds of dollars each year around Christmas, was nowhere to be seen.  When Sam accidentally damages his neighbors’ house and Christmas decorations and has to work for Mr. Wells to pay him back, he finds out some interesting things, including, maybe a way to help both the town and himself.  This was a really good story that kids who like realistic fiction will love.