Category Archives: Young Adult/Teen 12-18

Author Interview: Emil Ostrovski

By | | ,
4 Comments

Away We Go BannerIf you’ve been following The Story Sanctuary for a while, you’ve probably heard me gush about a couple of books I read recently and really enjoyed. Here, as part of an Irish Banana Blog Tour, is the author of those books, graciously answering my pesky fangirl questions….

About Emil Ostrovski

Emil OstrovskiI’m twenty-five.

Rather than give you a witty, self-deprecating account of the trials and tribulations of my twenty-five year old, suburban, upper-middle class, went-to-a-girl’s-liberal-arts-college life, I’ll admit that I haven’t really done anything much worth reading about.

So in lieu of providing you with my biography, I will recommend that you read Desmond Tutu’s. Here.

… Continue reading →

Review: Remember to Forget by Ashley Royer

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Review: Remember to Forget by Ashley Royer

Remember to Forget by Ashley RoyerRemember to Forget
Ashley Royer
Zonderkidz

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

After Delia’s unexpected death, seventeen year-old Levi spirals into depression, unable to speak to anyone. When several attempts at therapy fail, Levi’s mom sends him from their home in Australia to Maine to live with his estranged father. Bitter, angry, and hopeless, Levi’s determined not to let anyone into his life, especially the girl who reminds him so much of Delia. For her part, Delilah’s content to let Levi to himself. He’s rude and erratic, definitely not the kind of guy she needs in her life. But beyond his angry exterior, she senses his deep hurt and finds herself powerfully drawn … Continue reading →

Review: The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

By | | , , ,
Comments Off on Review: The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

girl-in-the-blue-coatThe Girl in the Blue Coat
Monica Hesse
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

In 1943 Amsterdam, Hanneke is the girl who can help you find things like coffee, meat, kerosene. But when a lonely widow asks Hanneke to find a missing Jewish girl, Hanneke at first refuses to get involved. Locating a Jewish girl and trying to rescue her is far too dangerous.

On the other hand, maybe danger is exactly what Hanneke needs to distract her from the aching grief of her boyfriend’s recent death. Reluctantly, Hanneke agrees to investigate the girl’s disappearance. Her search throws her in the path of a well-organized group of resistance workers who beg Hanneke … Continue reading →

Review: King’s Folly by Jill Williamson

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Review: King’s Folly by Jill Williamson

King's Folly by Jill WilliamsonKing’s Folly
Jill Williamson
Bethany House

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Earthquakes rock the kingdom of Armania. The king responds with sacrifices to the gods. His advisors claim the Five Woes and the end of the world are upon them. Prince Wilek believes there must be another solution besides blood shed in sacrifice to angry gods. He and his companions embark on a journey to save the kingdom before the quakes swallow the land. Along the way, they find an empress in need of rescue. A priestess whose goddess demands the ultimate sacrifice from her, and a prophetess who speaks of salvation for the people.

I’ve been a fan of Jill Williamson’s writing … Continue reading →

Upcoming Reviews: April 2016

By | | ,
Comments Off on Upcoming Reviews: April 2016

I live! Admit it. You were wondering.

Sorry. Between Spring Break (which was lots more SPRING than BREAK, to tell the truth) and Easter and illness in our house, I’ve let blogging fall to the wayside for the last couple of weeks. I’m hoping that this weekend I’ll be able to get caught up on the things I’ve missed and get into reading some of these awesome books– because FOUR of them come out in less than a week!

Not listed here, but on my agenda to review is Life Animated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ron Suskind (which I HIGHLY recommend.) As a reminder, I do not accept requests to review non-fiction, but occasionally, I do read and review some non-fiction here.

Now, to business! Here are some of the books you can expect to find here at The Story Sanctuary in April 2016:

Continue reading →

Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Review: The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa TotenThe Unlikely Hero of Room 13B
Teresa Toten
Delacorte Press

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Almost-fifteen-year-old Adam meets Robyn at his group therapy session for teens with obsessive-compulsive issues. It’s hardly the setting for romance, but Adam can’t deny how he feels for her. Robyn seems drawn to him, too. Maybe. But while Robyn’s most troublesome days seem to be behind her, Adam’s life continues to spiral out of control. He’s at the mercy of his half-brother’s anxiety issues, and his mother refuses to get help though the threatening letters she receives only seem to be getting worse. As Adam desperately struggles to hold everyone together, he begins to split at … Continue reading →