If you haven’t heard about Sonia’s Song by Sonia Korn-Grimani (pictured to your right) yet, then here’s another chance! She has written a book mostly about her childhood surviving the Holocaust, and she has a copy to giveaway for my readers (or you can choose her music CD if you already have her book). Please [...]

*Young adult (although many older middle grade readers will like the series) spy novel *Young teen boy as main character *Rating: Ark Angel is an exciting read, and main character, Alex Rider, is a charmer. This isn’t a new book/series by any means, but I thought it time I pay some attention to the popular [...]

I am happy to host, Linda Hubalek, today. She’s stopping by as part of the WOW! blog tour. She is giving away one copy of her historical fiction book, Trail of Thread, as an e-book, which can be read on a Kindle. If you’d like to win a copy or even just say, HI! GOOD [...]

Rae: My True Story of Fear, Anxiety, and Social Phobia by Chelsea Rae Swiggett Non-fiction, young adult Health Communications, Inc., 2010 ISBN: 978-0-7573-1527-5 Rae is a true story of an adolescent girl who really struggles with different psycho-social aspects of her life. She feels uncertain of herself and everyone around her and is unable to [...]

photo by masterplaan www.flickr.com *Young adult, historical fiction set in 1981 Ireland during the “Troubles” *18-year-old boy as the main character *Rating: Bog Child is a wonderful story set in an unusual time/place for young adult literature. The main character’s charm carries the reader through a difficult, sometimes heartbreaking, story of a tumultuous time in [...]

photo by Irargerich www.flickr.com For an SCBWI writing workshop in Chicago in less than two weeks, I was assigned to read The Pricker Boy by Reade Scott Whinnem. Now I am reviewing it, providing some discussion/activity ideas, AND offering a BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST. Please leave a comment below about this book or your favorite ghost [...]

Yes, you read that right. . .you can win your very own hard cover copy of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (the sequel to The Hunger Games) by leaving a comment below. I’m not even going to make you do anything special in your comment if you don’t want to–you can just say “pick me” [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com Young adult novel, contemporary fantasy/sci-fi 14-year-old girl as main character Rating: A good contemporary fantasy/sci-fi book for teens. Short, short summary: Patterson starts this series off by introducing you to six genetically-altered children, ranging in ages from 6 to 14. Each of them is 98% human and 2% bird, [...]

photo by jeff wilcox www.flickr.com Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com Young adult novel, fantasy (sort-of), set in “once upon a time. . .” 15-year-old girl as main character Rating: An interesting twist on the classic Cinderella tale–with politics and everything. Short, short summary: Ella has been to the ball and swept away by the [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com Young adult novel, contemporary High school guy and girl as main characters Rating: This is one of the best YA books I’ve ever “listened” to. The story is well-told, realistically in two distinct voices. I would recommend this to anyone–young or old. Purchase Thirteen Reasons Why Short, short summary: [...]