The Feathered Bone by Julie Cantrell

This is a well written book about some very ugly topics.  Human Trafficking, abusive relationships, and suicide are all disturbing, no matter how well the story is told.  One of the characters in the story survives due to her faith.  I like that her faith did not take her out of the situation, because prayer does not do that, but it helped her to keep a positive outlook and attitude, and many people do experience that.  The story is riveting, and heartbreaking.  I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

Dead Boy by Laurel Gale

This is actually a quite awesome book for children in grades 4-8.  Crow is dead.  He died in 4th grade, and he is rotting and has maggots and sometimes parts of his body fall off - an ear, eye, hand, but his mom sews them back on.  He can't go to school or go outside except for on Halloween and lives a lonely life until Melody moves in next door and becomes his friend.  Melody believes in magic and thinks that Crow is nice, as well as being proof that magic really exists.  Although his mother tries to keep him indoors, Crow longs for a more normal life and he sneaks out to see Melody and eventually, he learns how he died and became undead and he and Melody go to visit the magical Meera, a dangerous magical animal who is responsible for Crow's state of being.  They must be brave and strong to pass the tests required of them and be selfless friends as well.  I really enjoyed this book and I think kids will enjoy it too.  I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

True North (Undertow #3) by K. R. Conway

I really liked this third book in the series and totally look forward to the next book!  There is more action and adventure and just as I was feeling sorry for MJ because he is so nice but had no female friend, and I did think a bitch would work well for him since he was a dog, a very possible love interest is brought in for him.  I also liked the addition of Basil - he is a pretty cool character.  Together, despite several tragedies, Eila and her supernatural pals are trying to find out who the bad guys really are and what they want and we find out just how badass the characters can be.  Totally great book!  I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

I listened to the audio version of this book and I enjoyed it very much.  Ten year old Micah's grandfather, who is raising him, has told him stories about the magical Circus Mirandus for all of his life.  Now grandfather Ephraim is very ill and great aunt Gertrudus is staying with them, and she does not believe in magic and is not a very nice person at all.  Grandfather has sent a letter to the Circus Mirandus, asking the Man Who Bends Light for the miracle that he had offered to him when Ephraim was a 10 year old boy visiting the magical circus.  Ephraim had saved his miracle and now he is asking for it, but it may not be possible.  Now it is up to Micah to find the circus and help his grandfather to get his miracle.  The story is sweet and cute and magical.

Sanctuary Bay by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

This is an intense YA psychological thriller/mystery.  After years of being bounced from foster home to foster home, Sarah has received an invitation to attend a prestigious private school and is taken there the very next day.  The school is very secluded and during their stay there, students are not allowed any contact with the outside world. For Sarah, however, that does not matter at first.  She is in a beautiful, amazing school with resources that she could not have imagined and her roommates are friendly and she is invited to be part of a secret society of students shortly after school begins. However, she finds that there is something sinister going on at the school and due to her odd, eidetic memory, she may be the only one who can figure out what is going on.  The book is a riveting, quick read and I look forward to the next one in the series. I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

Eleanor by Jason Gurley

This story is an interestingly unusual mix of fantasy and reality, dreams, death and second chances. When Eleanor steps through a door and out of this world into another one, she begins a strange journey through the tragedies in her family member's lives.  The strangeness that is accepted as part of reality reminds me a bit of Alice Hoffman's books. I enjoyed this intriguing story and I think others will as well.  I received this book free to review from Netgalley.

Written in Fire by Marcus Sakey

This last book in the trilogy was full of action - lots of war, killing, fighting and more fighting and stragegizing as Nick tries to stop John Smith and a war and save his ex-wife and children and the world.  Although this was the last book in the trilogy, it did end with a bit of a twist that could lead to another book or series.  I look forward to the author's next book.