Quicksand Pond

Lisle, Janet Taylor. Quicksand Pond. 6 CDs. unabridged. Recorded Books. 2017. ISBN 9781501940347.

Newbery Honor winner Janet Taylor Lisle brings to life a story of summer friendships, small town preconceptions, and the choices that define us. Jessie Kettel's father is determined to make the most out of their summer vacation by uprooting his kids from the city and renting out a decrepit old cabin by a dingy old pond for a few weeks. Jessie is immediately entranced by the pond and finds an old raft on which to explore the secrets of the swampy land. It's there she discovers Terri and the two become inseparable, fixing the raft and learning about each other. The more Jessie gets to know Terri though, the more concerned she becomes. Terri is from a no good family and everyone knows that they're always in trouble. As things start to fall apart, Jessie starts distancing herself and begins questioning her own feelings and convictions. Although intended for a middle grade audience, the novel reads more mature and may lose younger readers. The story isn't very fast paced, but there is rich character development with Jessie and Terri. The narrator's youthful voice helps capture the innocence and excitement of the young girls. Not for everyone but will appeal to more mature middle school readers, not for content but for plot, dialogue, and character development. - Erin Cataldi, Johnson Co. Public Library, Franklin, IN

Summer Days and Summer Nights

I read the first collection, "My True Love Gave to Me" and I LOVED IT! I was a little scared that I had set the bar too high on this follow up, but no worries. I loved this one just as much. There is an amazing slew of teen authors who contributed to this: Francesca Lia Block (although her contribution was my least favorite, it's a darker depressing one - so basically her style), Libba Bray, Veronica Roth, Cassandra Clare, Leigh Bardugo, and more. Each story is a summer romance, but other than that they are all unique. There is a sci-fi one, a gay one, a fantasy one, a futuristic one, and more. My favorite one may have been  "Last Stand at the Cinegore" because everything about that short story was hilarious and memorable. Overall, a wonderful collection that you will want to come back to time and again. I certainly plan on buying it for my personal collection!

Summer State of Mind

I'm not going to sugarcoat it, I HATED, HATED .... the main character for the first few chapters. Like full on loathed her skinny, little bitchy self. She was rich, spoiled, and hung out with other privileged little white fifteen year old brats. Thankfully her mom and dad decide their dearest daughter needs a reality check after she blew several THOUSAND dollars on her AMEX card. A fifteen year old spending thousands at couture shops, spas, private lessons, and fancy dining. Really?!?! Anyway ma and pa ship Harper and her twin brother off to a sleepaway camp in the middle of nowhere for a dose of reality. Her adventure seeking brother Kyle loves it, but Harper can't stand it. Her wedges aren't good for hiking, her hair can't adjust to the humidity, and she can't text! Oh no! What's a girl to do?!? Most campers immediately dislike Harper, dubbing her Camping Barbie. She makes one good friend though and surprisingly starts to have a good time. Maybe life isn't all about the superficial stuff, maybe her parents did know what's best for her.

The story is thoroughly predictable, but still enjoyable. It's the perfect beach read. It's fast, breezy, and doesn't require much thinking. It's the second in a "series" but this novel focuses on a different character and different year than the first (Sleepaway Girls), only the setting is the same.

I received this book for free from Librarything in return for my honest, unbiased review.