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Girl on the Run

by Abigail Johnson

Pub Date: 06 Oct 2020 

Read courtesy of netgalley.com

LOVED IT! Is there such a thing as a 6 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review? 

Fast paced and tight, I read this book in an afternoon. I was engaged by the characters and the plot. I enjoyed being able to anticipate where things were going or where they had come from. I sometimes get frustrated trying to follow a thriller's flow of information, and I sometimes think the authors do it on purpose for some kind of gotcha. Abigail Johnson didn't confuse me, purposefully or not. She allowed the readers to explore both with the characters and to make suppositions on their own without making the readers feel duped or slow-witted.

Recommend this book to readers who like Amazon's Hanna.

As an aside, it did help that I grew up and worked near the story's setting; although, the geography itself could have been anywhere with regards to the story. It was just fun for me to read of places I know: Bridgeton, Cheltenham, Perkasie, Elkins Park, etc. 

I can't wait to put this in to my high school readers' hands.

Time Travel for Love and Profit

by Sarah Lariviere

Pub Date: 13 Oct 2020  

Read courtesy of netgalley.com

I love Sarah Lariviere's writing style. So much so, that I'd label this novel "humor" before I'd call it "fantasy." It's definitely scifi, though, and I appreciate that the author didn't mess with my mind too much trying to keep the time shifts straight. That alone makes this an accessible, entertaining story. This story really has something for anyone: humor, science fiction, time travel, friendships, bildungsroman, parents, romance... 

The author's metaphors throughout the book are excellent; they beautifully enhance the story Lariviere's telling. The humor was subtle instead of guffaw-inducing, so I really enjoyed it. (Like Nephele in 2nd grade forgiving her college level math tutor for not always getting the math right.)  And sometimes it's irreverent "Toast is eternal."

What I don't know from the electronic preview reader's copy I received is if the book shows the 'Chicago, 1955' picture. As a school librarian, I, of course, had to look it up. http://sfmoma.org/artwork/2005.474/ Seeing the photograph adds so much to understanding and relating to the story and to Nephele.

I don't know if I'd do what Nephele did, but that's the beauty of the story: it lends itself to allowing the readers to discuss with themselves (or others) what they would do in Nephele's circumstance. This book would be appropriate for middle or high school readers. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐