Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

My initial reaction to finishing the free verse book by Jason Reynolds was simply, "wow!" It's not that I was shocked in the ending, but I was hoping it wasn't true. This book was a page turner because of the intensity of the plot and the ease of the free verse. It took me a little over two hours to read this book because it was written in short, free verse so I flipped through it quickly, but also because it kept me interested the entire read! A family of two boys, a mom, and a dad torn apart by gun violence and sticking to the three rules of brotherhood: no crying, no snitching, and always get revenge. The bulk of the story happens over a 60 second time span, but the intensity is timeless. I highly recommend this book to all teenagers and adults who enjoy an intense, thought-provoking, and powerful book...and who want to read something quick!  

#7 Mrs. Staples

Mosquitoland by David Arnold

Mary Iris Malone, Mim to most, takes off on adventure to find her mother. Her parents are divorced and her father feels that Mim needs to be on her medication at all times. Sure that something is going on with her mother, Mim hops a Greyhound bus to find her.  Along the way, Mim meets a variety of characters. Some she can trust and others she cannot. This was our first Book Club selection for this year.

#5 Mrs. Spreder