Are you ready for a freezing cold adventure full of heart-pounding action? Imagine a world in perpetual cold, backbreaking work just to get enough food to barely quiet the rumble in your belly, suitin…
Range is a fascinating consolidation of data, studies, real-life examples, and insights into what primes individuals and teams to excel in a complex world. Contrary to current trends and common perce…
This book was thoroughly enjoyable and a delightful discovery! The storyline and world-building are fairly straightforward and not particularly complicated, but my oh my, the character and the concep…
The Emperor's Soul is a novella that won the 2013 Hugo award, which it justly deserved. This story is ultra-focused on really one main character with one character in a supporting role and a handful o…
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery is Amanda Cox’s way of getting characters into the hearts of the readers. There are some very heavy topics that are handled with dignity. Readers feel the deep …
Freewater is a gripping read that will have young and old readers on the edge of their seats. The story is told completely from the perspectives of several young characters in alternating chapters. …
This contemporary fiction novel is in free verse that alternates between English and Spanish. It is essentially the diary and inner thoughts of Iveliz, a twelve-year-old who is struggling with so muc…
Christina Soontornvat has the golden touch. This author has just received her third nod from the Newbery selection committee with a Newbery Honor Award for The Last Mapmaker. This is an author that …
This award-winning book is contemporary fiction that feels completely grounded in reality. Everything the protagonist, Maizy, does seems completely plausible for her age and situation. Maizy has the…
If I had to choose one word to describe Ancillary Justice, it would be “subtle.” Nothing is obvious. The story unfolds gradually, and the author lets the reader draw their own conclusions without expl…
Yes, still in catch-up mode here at Compass Book Ratings, but better late than never. If there was a theme to this year's Newbery line-up it would be family and storytelling. Regarding genre, it was…
Wow. This was an amazingly compelling dystopian young adult novel that was disturbing and thought-provoking on so many levels. Set in a future where there is no natural death, there is a designated …
