Recovery Road by Blake Nelson book review

After getting drunk, stealing a car and crashing it into a ditch, Maddie is sent to Spring Meadows, a rehab center, where she meets Trish and Stewart. After finishing her 28 days in rehab, she lives in a halfway house which is part of Spring Meadows, which is located on a road known as Recovery Road. Although forbidden, Maddie and Stewart begin a romantic relationship. When Maddie is released from rehab, she must adjust to life in the real world again. She and Stewart continue their relationship although they have their difficulties. Life isn't easy for Maddie outside of rehab, but she is a strong character and while she has her moments, she perseveres. Teens who enjoy realistic fiction will enjoy this book. Recommended for teens 15-18-years-old.

Harmless by Dana Reinhardt book review (Audiobook Version)

Harmless is told from the point of view of the three main characters: Anna, Emma and Mariah. Alternating chapters from the point of view of each character, the three best friends find themselves enveloped in a lie they have created to escape punishment from their parents after lying about their whereabouts on a Friday evening. After telling their parents they are going to a movie, but actually going to Mariah's boyfriend's house, they are caught in this lie when Emma's parents decide to go to the movie that the three girls are supposed to be at. In a panic, they develop a lie, saying they were down by the river and Emma was attacked by a homeless man. The girls' parents want them to go to the police and the lie gets out of hand and grows until a suspect is arrested. In the audiobook version, the three characters are narrated by three separate people. The audiobook includes an interview with the author in which she talks about how she decided on the topic of the story, how she became a reader and whether young adults are still reading today. The title fits the book well: how something that seems harmless at the time, may not be so in the long run. Recommended for teen readers 15 years and up.

The Cardturner: A Novel about a King, a Queen, and a Joker by Louis Sachar Book Review

Alton spends his summer taking his great-uncle Lester to bridge games at the local bridge club. He is his Uncle Lester's chauffeur and cardturner(he turns his uncle's cards) because as it turns out, Uncle Lester is blind. Alton gets this job after his Uncle Lester fires his great step-niece, Tony, for questioning one of his plays. This is the last thing that Alton wants to do during his summer break, but his mom and dad believe Uncle Lester is not long for this world and hopes that this will put their family in his good graces and they'll inherit some, if not all of his fortune. Alton's parents are extremely annoying; they only care about the money. But Alton's character is very likeable. And slowly Alton becomes very good friends and bridge partners with Tony.

There is a lot of bridge jargon throughout the book, but Alton explains quite a bit throughout the book. While the subject of bridge is a large theme in the book, if readers can get past these parts, they will definitely enjoy the book. Recommended for teens ages 15 and up.