Author: Sophie Anderson Genre: Fantasy Original publication date: September 2019 Book description: Found abandoned in a bear cave as a baby, 12-year-old Yanka has always felt out of place in her small village. When she wakes up to find that her legs have become bear legs, she sets off into the forest to discover who she is, on a journey that takes her from icy rivers to smouldering mountains, with an ever-growing group of misfits alongside her. Thoughts: We have beautiful examples of human beings and animals as well. We have Yanka, her friend Sasha and her Mamoshka. This is a story that is told in episodes to say it in a way. We have Yaka's story told as she explores the forest trying to find the truth about herself and the reason she suddenly has bear legs.  This story is built around a girl who is highly relatable. She feels as an outsider in her village, she is haunted by the question of her birth family and the reason she was found in the forest.  Personally, I...

Author: Rick Riordan  Series: The Heroes of Olympus #5 Genre: Fantasy Original description:  Nico had warned them. Going through the House of Hades would stir the demigods' worst memories. Their ghosts would become restless. Nico may actually become a ghost if he has to shadow-travel with Reyna and Coach Hedge one more time. But that might be better than the alternative: allowing someone else to die, as Hades foretold. Jason's ghost is his mother , who abandoned him when he was little. He may not know how he is going to prove himself as a leader, but he does know that he will not break promises like she did. He will complete his line of the prophecy: To storm or fire the world must fall. Reyna fears the ghosts of her ancestors , who radiate anger. But she can't allow them to distract her from getting the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood before war breaks out between the Romans and Greeks. Will she have enough strength to succeed, especially with a deadly hunter on...

Author: Philip Pullman Series: His Dark Materials #1 Genre: Fantasy Original Publication date: April 1996 Book Description (from Good Reads): Lyra is rushing to the cold, far North, where witch clans and armored bears rule. North, where the Gobblers take the children they steal--including her friend Roger. North, where her fearsome uncle Asriel is trying to build a bridge to a parallel world. Thoughts: This is a reread for me, but it had been such a long time since the time I read it and I think it was my first reread of the book. I never continued to the next parts of the trilogy, but I only remembered the big reveals pretty much, all the small details were like reading it for the first time.  Lyra starts like a very average adventurous girl. Looking for trouble, making up stories of anything and everything with her few friends around the institute she was raised in. But then she was thrust into a grand adventure where she meets more friends. I had completely forgotten...

Author: Mark Twain Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction Original publication date: 1875 Book Description: a  novel about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. It is set in the 1840s in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, inspired by Hannibal, Missouri, where Twain lived as a boy. In the novel, Tom Sawyer has several adventures, often with his friend, Huckleberry Finn. Thoughts: It is interesting and not at the same time. There is a lot of meandering here, the beginning looks like a simple everyday retelling of a boy and his little worries and schoolboy games. But then it becomes apparent there is a little plot going on the background, but it felt like it had too many things thrown in that were not as necessary. It had a lot of mentions of his "worries". It is hard to classify. It is interesting but still as many classic pieces of literature it feels a bit long. But it is still an enjoyable read. We have childish behavior, the show of friendships, bo...