The Girl Who Smiled Beads A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya; Elizabeth Weil

Clemantine tells her story of her life in Rwanda during the war and afterwards and how the genocide affected her life.  We see the war and life as a refugee through her eyes as a 6 to 12 year old girl.  It is raw and sad and touching.  We also see her life in the US as her resourceful older sister, Claire was able to apply for them to come to the US and their life here, their appearance on the Oprah show, and their being reunited with the rest of their family who survived the war.  At the beginning of the war, Clemantine, who was 6 years old, and her older sister, Claire, who was fifteen, were sent to a relative's house for safety, however, they had to flee and spent the next six years as refugees.  I highly recommend the book.

Five Feet Apart by Rachel Libbincott

 This book features two teenagers with a deadly disease.  Seventeen year olds Stella and Will have cystic fibrosis and will has a bacterial infection that has taken him off of the lung transplant list. They meet in the hospital, fall in love and learn about life.  Fans of The Fault In Our Stars should enjoy this book.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

Instead of the reunion they had planned, Corey returned to Lost, Alaska, where she had lived her entire life until 7 months ago when she moved away, to attend her best friend Kyra's funeral.  When she tries to investigate her friend's bizarre death, she finds that the entire town now considers Kyra to have been a prophet and they turn against Corey so she doesn't find out and expose the truth.

Wolves and Roses (Fairy Tales of the Magicorum #1) by Christina Bauer

This is a fun YA paranormal romance with a fairy tale twist.  Bryar Rose is a seventeen year old failed sleeping beauty template.  Her best friend Elle, is a Cinderella template.  Bryar is looking forward to her 18th birthday when the sleeping curse that a fairy put on her will end and she will stop having to use the magical inhaler that her 3 fairy godmothers have given her to stop her from falling asleep when her episodes occur.  Then she meets the man from her dreams, Knox, who is devastatingly handsome and also a werewolf and Elle falls for Knox's best friend Alec, a magician, and the magical romance and intrigue increase.  I think that fans of mixed up fairy tale romances will enjoy this book.

Analiese Rising by Brenda Drake

This is a fun to read YA fantasy romance full of mythology.  Analiese is supposed to be going to a bereavement camp with her brother Dalton, but she is drawn into a mystery with a good looking guy named Marek and together they are chased by ancient gods, raise the dead, and travel to Rome and France.  I think that fans of mythology and romance will enjoy the story!

The Transfigured Hart by Jane Yolen

This is a lovely little fairy tale like magical realism like story.  Richard and Heather are both 12 years old and both of them have seen the white deer.  Richard thinks that it must be a unicorn.  They both want to save it from the hunters.  We get to know Richard, Heather, and the deer individually and together as Richard and Heather develop an unlikely friendship.  I truly enjoyed the story and I think that children and adults alike will enjoy it as well.

Sold on a Monday by Kristana McMorris

It is 1931 Ellis, a struggling reporter has photographed two young children next to a sign advertising them for sale.  Lily, secretary to the head of the newspaper, sees the photo and together, they set into motion circumstances that no one would have predicted.  There is romance, intrigue and mystery in this well written historical novel that I read in one day.