What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

For review:

Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin. 300 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Random House LLC., April 12, 2016. 9780399173301.

Publisher synopsis: When eleven-year-old Thyme Owens’ little brother, Val, is accepted into a new cancer drug trial, it’s just the second chance that he needs. But it also means the Owens family has to move to New York, thousands of miles away from Thyme’s best friend and everything she knows and loves. The island of Manhattan doesn’t exactly inspire new beginnings, but Thyme tries to embrace the change for what it is: temporary.

After Val’s treatment shows real promise and Mr. Owens accepts a full-time position in the city, Thyme has to face the frightening possibility that the move to New York is permanent. Thyme loves her brother, and knows the trial could save his life—she’d give anything for him to be well—but she still wants to go home, although the guilt of not wanting to stay is agonizing. She finds herself even more mixed up when her heart feels the tug of new friends, a first crush, and even a crotchety neighbor and his sweet whistling bird. All Thyme can do is count the minutes, the hours, and days, and hope time can bring both a miracle for Val and a way back home.

With equal parts heart and humor, Melanie Conklin’s debut is a courageous and charming story of love and family—and what it means to be counted.

Free Verse by Sarah Dooley. 335 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Random House LLC. March 15, 2016. 9780399165030.

Publisher synopsis: When her brother dies in a fire, Sasha Harless has no one left, and nowhere to turn. After her father died in the mines and her mother ran off, he was her last caretaker. They’d always dreamed of leaving Caboose, West Virginia together someday, but instead she’s in foster care, feeling more stuck and broken than ever.

But then Sasha discovers family she didn’t know she had, and she finally has something to hold onto, especially sweet little Mikey, who’s just as broken as she is. Sasha even makes her first friend at school, and is slowly learning to cope with her brother’s death through writing poetry, finding a new way to express herself when spoken words just won’t do. But when tragedy strikes the mine her cousin works in, Sasha fears the worst and takes Mikey and runs, with no plans to return. In this sensitive and poignant portrayal, Sarah Dooley shows us that life, like poetry, doesn’t always take the form you intend.

Purchased:

Stars Above: a Lunar Chronicles collection by Marissa Meyer. 400 p. Feiwel & Friends, February, 2016. 9781250091840

Unabridged audiobook on 8 compact discs. 10 hours. Performed by Rebecca Soler. Macmillan Audio, February, 2016. 9781427271617.

Publisher synopsis: The enchantment continues. . . . 

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories - and secrets - that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With six stories - two of which have never before been published - and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer's upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.
I adore this series and recently finished Winter. I read them all with my ears and thought that Rebecca Soler did a fabulous job performing them. I bought both the book and the audio. I will donate the book to my school library collection, then read it with my ears before donating the audio.

Soon by Morris Gleitzman. Felix and Zelda #5. Unabridged audiobook on 3 compact discs. 3 hours, 55 minutes. Bolinda Audio, October, 2015. 9781489020000.

Publisher synopsis: After the Nazis took my parents I was scared. After they killed my best friend I was angry. After I joined the partisans and helped defeat the Nazis I was hopeful. Soon, I said, we'll be safe. I was wrong.

I recently discovered that there were two additional novels in this beloved series. 

That's what's new with me. What's new with you?