Of Things Gone Astray by Janina Matthewson

The lives of several individuals are drawn together as each one loses something important to them.  Mrs. Feathersby loses the front wall of her house, Robert loses his job - and his workplace and all the people that he used to work with, Marcus loses the keys off of his piano, Delia loses her sense of direction and Cassie loses her girlfriend.  Jake has lost his mother and now he is finding lost items, but losing his father.  Interesting story.

Shadowlands (Shadowlands #1) by Kate Brian

Mystery and suspense abound as Rory is stalked by a serial killer and then she and her family have to go into the witness protection program.

Beheld (Kendra Chronicles #4) by Alex Flinn

In this book, Kendra uses her magic mirror to search for her lost love James and she shares tales of how she participated in modernish versions of 4 different fairy tales - Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, and The Ugly Duckling.  The book is fun to read filled with humor, love and excitement in the retold fairy tales.

Maybe A Fox by Kathi Appelt

This story is beautifully written, but heartbreakingly sad.  Jules is 11 years old and her sister Sylvie is 12.  The story deals with the death of their mother, the death of their friend Sam's older brother Elk's best friend, a soldier who died in Afghanistan, and the disappearance of Sylvie.  Jules and Sylvie often wonder what happens when people die?  Do they come back as something else?  Maybe you turn into wind?  Maybe you turn into stars?  Maybe...

The Forever Summer by Jamie Brenner

Wow!  I really enjoyed this book!  Family secrets are revealed and Marin learns that many things are not what she thought as she meets a half sister and grandmother that she never knew existed while going through issues in her own love life and we see a variety of characters struggle and grow through love, life, death and renewal.

My Fairy Godmother is a Drag Queen

This is a totally fun to read modern Cindarellaish retelling.  In this story, Chris is the Cinderella stand-in, living with his not really wicked step-mother and his step-brother and sister.  When they all go to a fancy ball for the handsome and eligible bachelor, JJ Kennerly, part of a wealthy political family who his sister, Kimberly hopes to catch the attention of and marry for his money, Chris is left at home.  That is, until drag queen Coco Chanel Jones shows up and takes Chris to the ball where he sees the handsome JJ and it is love at first sight for both of them.  The story is funny and heart-warming and overall, a fun read.

Mirrored by Alex Flinn

I loved this third book in the Kendra Chronicles.  It can be read as a stand alone book, but the first two are fabulous and I highly recommend them as well.  In this modern retelling of a slightly twisted Snow White story, Violet is an ugly duckling who transforms herself into a total knock out when she finds out she is a witch.  Kendra helps her with this.  Although Violet has always been in love with Greg,  he, alas, only has eyes for Jennifer, a mean girl who bullied Violet mercilessly.   Years later, Violet becomes the step mother to Celine, a fair skinned, dark haired beauty, Greg and Jennifer's daughter.  Celine is befriended by Goose, a little person, ok, a dwarf, but that term is not politically correct.  He is funny and wonderful and totally in love with Celine.  The story is a totally fun read and Alex Flinn is one of my favorite authors!

The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

If you are looking for magical realism for kids, this book is perfect!  Such a sweet, encouraging, endearing, wonderful story!  I listened to the audio book and I love the reader's voice and singing.  Emma lives with her brother and grandmother above The Boneyard Cafe where her brother bakes and Granny Blue makes Boneyard Brew, a special blend of hot chocolate.  Emma misses her mother, who passed away several years earlier, and she looks forward to having her Destiny Dream, which all of the women in her family have.  Along with her best friend, Cody Belle, and Earl Chance, who survived a tornado, but hasn't spoken since then, she has many adventures while trying to find a treasure to save her cafe.  The book is filled with magic and flowers and music and love.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier

I have had quite a few requests for this book at the library.  One little boy very excitedly told me that the book is about zombies!  I read the book and can see its appeal to elementary school and middle school age boys.  Thirteen year old Jack has survived the monster apocalypse and now his town is filled with monsters and zombies, but Jack is lonely and he is searching for his best friend, Quint and he wants to save the girl he likes, June.  Together with Dirk, a bully, who used to be his enemy, and a giant dogish monster who becomes Jack's pet and steed, the kids have adventures and try to have fun, even during a monster apocalypse.  I am sure that this series will be quite popular.

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

This is such an intriguing story!  When he was 20 years old, Christopher Knight drove into the woods and never returned to society until he was arrested for stealing, 27 years later.  The book tells Knight's story as well as stories of other hermits and some history about people who have been hermits.  Knight lived in an area of Maine that was very difficult to get to, but was surrounded by cabins and a camp and he lived for 27 years by stealing from the cabins and the camp.  How he survived, why he chose to do that, and what it was like to live such a solitary life are fascinating topics.

The Reluctant Psychic by Suzan Saxman

The author tells the story of her life as a psychic, but the story is as much about her strange, sad family life as it is about her psychic abilities and readings.  All in all, her story is rather depressing.  Her mother never showed her any affection and Suzan's love life and personal life was a mess.  The psychic readings scattered throughout make it more interesting.

The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl by Paige McKenzie

So, Sunshine is back home and now it is up to her to save the world.  There is a nasty demon who wants to use her to end the world, but with the help of her boyfriend, Nolan and her father, Aiden along with others, she is determined to do whatever it takes to save everyone, even if it means that she must make the ultimate sacrifice.

Perfection by J.L. Spelbring

In this YA dystopianish novel, the Nazis had won the war and the goal of Aryan purity has been pursued with "imperfect" people killed or living on the outskirts of society in hiding as Renegades. Ellyssa and her siblings have been genetically engineered to be perfect Aryans and soldiers with the ability to wipe out the rest of the imperfect society and begin anew.   Ellyssa can read minds and her siblings have other abilities that their "father" wishes to hone and reproduce in others.  When a Renegade sends a message to her mind, she flees the facility where she was raised and is found by a group of Renegades who take her in.  Rein is a handsome young man who she falls in love with, having just learned how to experience emotions.  The book ends in a cliffhanger and there should be more in the series.

Fridays with the Wizards by Jessica Day George

In this forth book in the series, twelve year old Celie tries to help the castle to find the escaped evil wizard Arkwright as her sister Lilah prepares to visit Grath with her fiance, Lulath.  There are griffins hatching and mysterious noises and parts of a ship as the castle shifts and the magic continues.

Rebels (Randome #2) by David Liss

Having returned to earth and a sense of normalcy, Zeke suddenly finds out that there is an alien intelligence that has taken up residence in his brain, who he names Smelly since his entire name is too long and complex.  Zeke is finding earth rather boring and he misses his friends.  He does make a friend at school, Alice, who is a UFO buff who recognizes Zeke and wants to find out if aliens are real.  Once again, Zeke is sent into space on a dangerous mission and he is reunited with his friends.  There is action, danger, and all sorts of fun sci-fi references in this second book in the series.

Randoms by David Liss

This is such a totally fun, spoofy type of sci fi book for middle grade readers!  When the POTUS comes to see 12 year old Zeke, and asks him to go on a secret space mission, Zeke is sure it is like Star Wars, Star Trek, Ender's Game, The Hitchhiker's Guide and more.  So many fun sci fi references!  As Zeke and 3 other young people are sent into space as a delegation from earth, he learns that while the other three were chosen because of their intelligence and skills, he is the random member of the team and they chose to leave him out of things to boost their points.  After saving their ship when it is attacked and being branded a war criminal, he is befriended by two other Randoms and it is up to them to save the day.