Endangered by Eliot Schrefer

Youth Fiction - 3.5 stars

Endangered is a compelling tale of Sophie, a young American girl visiting her mother at her bonobo sanctuary in Africa. After her mother leaves for a release site, revolution breaks out and the sanctuary is attacked by roving bands of militant rebels. Sophie and the bonobos must hide in the jungle and travel to find her mother. Together, they will fight to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

Megan and I read this 2012 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature in her Montford Book Club before the end of the last school year. In the book, Schrefer asks readers to ponder what safety means to them, the importance of sacrificing to help others, and what strengthens family relationships. We really enjoyed the book, and it was an eye-opener for Megan, who had never read about Africa's revolutionary culture. She also enjoyed reading about the bonobos and their almost human interactions. I highly recommend it for the teen crowd.

The Lost Art of Mixing by Erica Bauermeister

Fiction - 3.5 stars

In this sequel to The School of Essential Ingredients, Bauermeister continues to tells the stories of characters first brought together in Lillian’s cooking classes, adding a few new stories to the mix. Al, the restaurant’s accountant, is stuck in an unhappy marriage with Louise, his wife of 29 years. Chloe, Lillian's young sous-chef who is terrified of love and connection; Isabelle, an elderly woman struggling with giving up pieces of her life due to the onset of Alzheimer’s; and Finnegan, the tall dishwasher whose depth surprises even himself. Tom, the widower who begins a relationship with Lillian, is tested when he discovers that their future is bound together. I enjoy Bauermeister's writing style, and while she does not dwell with any character for very long, the reader gets enough of each person's story to get a glimpse into their struggles. Another quick read, The Lost Art of Mixing is as enjoyable as its predecessor.

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Fiction - 3.5 stars

Claire Waverley is a caterer who uses plants from her garden to evoke feelings in her clients. She works in her garden, talking to her mysterious apple tree as if it can hear her. Family legend says that if someone eats from the apple tree, he sees the most important event in his life. Claire's sister, Sydney, flees with her daughter from her life across the country with an abusive man. She comes back to Claire in Bascom, NC and finds herself in the very place she escaped. Evanelle, an older cousin, has the gift of clairvoyance, and distributes gifts before the receiver know they're needed. These Waverley women are the talk of the town, and their legacy of loneliness and magic brings them closer together as they find love and friendship. Garden Spells is an enchanting, easy read, and like The Peach Keeper, it's just a good story. It's an awesome read for a lazy Sunday.