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Sophie knows all about monsters.  She sees them everywhere.  Thanks to The Big Book of Monsters, which she always lugs with her, she can identify one in seconds.  The snarling boys who tease her at school are obviously goblins, Principal Marsh is just as swamp monster-ish as her name implies, and the bulky intruder who swoops in out of nowhere to date Sophie's mom can only be the cunning shapeshifter known as Koschei the Deathless.  Of course, she's also surrounded by good monsters, like her new friend, Autumn, whose bubbly nature marks her as a fairy and Sophie's kindly grandmother who can only be a good witch.  

When Sophie figures out how to create a spell powerful enough to end her monster curse and make her mark disappear, she vows to do whatever it takes to get rid of her sordid secret.  As she works to create the magical necklace that will disappear her mark forever, she'll discover true friends, a different perspective on the monster-filled world, and maybe, just maybe, a new way of seeing and appreciating herself—hemangioma and all.

I've read 42 books so far this year and only one has earned an "A" from me:  A Monster Like Me by Wendy S. Swore.  This empowering MG novel boasts an engaging premise that will appeal to anyone who's ever felt out of place, sympathetic (but not pathetic) characters, and a compelling storyline that will keep readers turning pages to find out what happens next.  Sophie is a relatable character, not just because she feels other but because her thoughts and actions are age-appropriate for a girl who's celebrating her 11th birthday.  Her childlike worries feel authentic, which makes them even more heartbreaking.  As our heroine comes to some hard truths, however, she begins to see the world around her in a new light.  Coming to understand the beauty of her own—and others'—uniqueness opens her eyes.  Swore's skillful storytelling makes Sophie's transformation feel both organic and true.  The lessons she learns along the way are woven into the story subtly enough that A Monster Like Me never feels preachy or sappy.  It's simply a beautiful, entertaining, uplifting book that I enjoyed more than anything else I've read this year. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Squint by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, and a little of Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and depictions of bullying

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of A Monster Like Me from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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When Addie Foster's obsessive tics and lengthy routines become too debilitating, the 17-year-old is admitted to the psych ward of a Seattle hospital to get help with her OCD.  Surrounded by a group of teens battling schizophrenia, severe depression, delusions, and more, life at the facility is never boring.  Addie is especially taken with Fitz, a boy her age who's smart, funny, and brave.  Even though he's constantly fighting with the voices inside his head, Addie feels like Fitz is the only person who's ever really gotten her.  A teenage romance kindled in the psych ward is not likely to go anywhere, but Addie doesn't care—she's just grateful to have a true friend on the inside.

Then Fitz asks Addie to help him break out of the hospital.  For reasons he won't explain, Fitz insists he has to go to San Juan Island and it has to be now.  Addie understands obsessions, but she's not too keen on breaking out, especially when she's finally making progress with her OCD.  Still, she can't deny her new pal (who is maybe becoming more than a friend), so a plan is hatched ... Will it work?  What will happen when the pair is on the outside trying to make important decisions without their medication, their doctors, or their hospital friends?  Can their lives—their romance—ever really work outside the psych ward?

Waiting for Fitz is a debut novel by Spencer Hyde, a college professor who spent three years of his adolescence at Johns Hopkins being treated for severe OCD.  His experience makes the book feel authentic.  It also colors his fictional treatment of mental illness—he normalizes the issue without ever trivializing it.  Hyde's sympathetic view helps the reader see the patients in his novel (and thus their real-life counterparts) as teens who are just like everybody else, even as they deal with unique problems.  He preaches hope for those with mental illness, encouraging them to never, ever give up. 

Addie and Fitz are likable leads, although they are definitely not your average high schoolers.  They're old souls whose unusual interests will probably not resonate with most young adults.  While these oddities may alienate teen readers, it does keep the characters' developing relationship ... interesting.  That being said, the first half of Waiting for Fitz really dragged for me.  There's a lot of talking and philosophizing to wade through without much action to perk up the plot.  In fact, the plot doesn't even really start until the middle of the book, which is (not) coincidentally when the story really begins to get engaging.  The problem, I think, is that Addie has no real story goal so she doesn't do much, especially in the book's initial chapters.  Fitz is the star of the show, making Addie's role in the story kind of murky.  Despite the action picking up in the second half of Waiting for Fitz, I ended up not loving the novel.  I did care about the characters and became invested enough in them to finish the book.  All in all, though, this was just an okay read for me.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Calvin by Martine Leavitt; OCD, The Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn; and Saving Sammy by Beth Alison Maloney)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence and mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Waiting for Fitz from the generous folks at Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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Note:  While Healing Hearts is more of a companion book than a sequel to its predecessor, The Sheriffs of Savage Wells, reading them out of order may result in spoilers.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

In the small Western town of Savage Wells, Wyoming, men outnumber women at least 2:1.  Unless he wants to marry a woman old enough to be his grandmother, Gideon MacNamara has to take extreme measures.  As the only doctor for miles around, he's not just lonely but also exhausted from overwork.  Desperate, he sends out a request for a mail-order bride who has nursing experience.  He's not expecting a passionate romance from the union, but at least he can get some help with his bustling medical practice.  

A nurse with a devastating secret she's desperate to keep hidden, Miriam Bricks is grateful for the opportunity to work, even if it is in the middle of nowhere.  When she arrives in Savage Wells, however, she realizes—to her horror—that there's been a terrible mix-up.  Apparently, she's expected to be not just a nurse, but also a wife to a man she's never met!  Her refusal to marry Gideon, a man beloved by the town, makes Miriam an immediate outcast in Savage Wells.  Only Gideon offers her kindness.  He hires her as a nurse, no strings attached.  As the two work together day in and day out, a warm friendship forms between them. 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for mild violence

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Savage Wells, Wyoming Territory, might be a small, quiet settlement, but the town is growing fast and its anxious mayor fears trouble is just around the corner.  He needs a tough, dedicated sheriff to keep the peace.  Offering an unusually high salary should lure in the right man for the job.

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for mild violence

To the FTC, with love:  I bought an e-copy of The Sheriffs of Savage Wells from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.