Posts Tagged 'jail'

The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe

Published May 24, 2023 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Genre: Action/Mystery

Nora O’Malley was raised by her con artist mother until her sister rescued her and tried to give her a more stable life. Her friends know very little about her dubious past, but when they are held up at gun point in a bank robbery, Nora’s mind immediately begins to think like a grifter to find a way out for them. The book then flashes back to difference identities Nora had when she was running cons with her mother, including name and appearance changes for each one. Nora was groomed by her mother to act differently in every situation so that they could ensnare their mark, who was always wealthy but sketchy enough that the odds they would report thefts to the police were slim. It’s obvious things fell apart at some point because Nora’s mom is now in jail, but what part did she play in getting her mom convicted? Is she safe from her past crimes or are there still people looking for her? Can she explain to her friends why her behavior is so calculated as she tries to free them from this bank heist?

This entertaining story grabs the reader’s attention right from the beginning, but keeps it by dangling mysterious facts about Nora’s past. It’s easy to care about her current predicament in the bank robbery, but also to want to know more about the things she did under her mother’s orders as a child. Also, what happened to bring it all crashing down? The story is well described so that it’s easy to follow despite the timelines jumps and develops characters in each situation that are fully realized and memorable. Readers looking for fast paced action will enjoy this title, but be advised there is some mature language and content.

The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore

Published December 17, 2014 Nonfiction , RAC Leave a Comment
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otherwesmoore

Genre:  Non-fiction

# of pages:  239

RAC:  Yes

Wes Moore was born in a tough neighborhood in Baltimore and eventually ended up in military school where he went on to become a very successful Rhodes Scholar.  Meanwhile, another Wes Moore, born in the same neighborhood mere months apart from Wes ended up in jail for life for murder.  These two Wes Moore’s do not meet until adulthood when their lives and futures are already set, but when the author of this book learned of the other Wes Moore’s existence he felt compelled to visit him in prison and get to know him better.  He writes this book to ask what factors sent one Wes Moore down one path and the other Wes Moore down another.  Family support?  Opportunities?  Personal choices?

This story follows both Wes Moore’s lives as they make decisions to ultimately change their paths in two very different directions despite many similarities in the circumstances they were born into.  Both Wes’s grew up without a father, but for very different reasons.  Both Wes’s had chances to escape the life of crime and drugs their surroundings provided.  Both had hard working mothers who tried their best to raise them alone.  How then did one end up a war hero while the other ended up in jail for life?  This book asks difficult questions at a time when too many headlines focus on terrible things that have happened to kids from tough neighborhoods and home lives.  The story can get a bit confusing at times as many characters are introduced quickly, but the plot is interesting and many students will enjoy the honesty present in the text and subject matter.

Full Ride by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Published November 25, 2014 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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full ride

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

# of page:  322

RAC:  Yes

Becca Jones and her mother just want anonymity after Becca’s father is sentenced to ten years in prison for multiple counts of conning people out of their life savings so that his family could live a very privileged life.  Becca is about to start high school and completely humiliated by her father’s actions.  Becca and her mother flee Georgia and run to a small town in Ohio where they live very humble, simple lives trying to avoid anyone knowing who they really are.  Three years later Becca is an A student and ready to apply to colleges.  She has tried tirelessly to prove how hard she is willing to work for her future and that she’s not a cheater like her father.  Yet, when she asks her mother for help on financial aide forms her mother gets paranoid and says it won’t be safe for her to do anything online where someone could find them.  Eventually, Becca learns that her mother is harboring a terrible secret about the real reason they fled Georgia in the first place.

This book is written in a way that any young adult girl reading can truly identify with Becca and how she must feel learning about her father’s transgressions and being forced to deal with that humiliation.  Becca and her mother are written very well and have multiple dimensions and motivations for all of their actions.  Becca’s friends start a little flat, but eventually they start to have some real personalities and genuinely seem to care for Becca.  The plot definitely has some twists and turns that readers might not be expecting, but the ending is handled very quickly and neatly.  Overall, an exciting read that reluctant readers will enjoy.

The Remarkable Life and Times of Eliza Rose by Mary Hooper

Published July 1, 2008 Historical Fiction , RAC 1 Comment
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Genre:  Historical Fiction

Age Level: 13 and up

# of Pages:  333 p.

RAC Book:  Yes

Eliza Rose is shocked when her stepmother throws her onto the street and tells her she is no longer welcome at the home she has always known.  She travels to London alone looking for her father who works as a carpenter.  In the meantime she falls upon some hard times trying to survive.  She experiences jail and many other horrors that the poor had to deal with during this time.  She ends up getting rescued by Nell Gwyn, a real person who was believed to be a mistress of Charles II.  Eliza must learn a lot about herself and her capabilities in order to find where she belongs.

The balance of actual people, events, and places with the fictional story make it seem as believable as possible.  Eliza’s story is interesting, if not a bit predictable.  The people she encounters and the situations they are in make the story really interesting and give an idea of what London was like in 1670 for everyone from the monarchy to the highwaymen.  The fates of many she meets are bleak and not everyone gets saved in those situations like Eliza does.  The ending seems quick, but is still an acceptable finish to this delightful story. Fans of historical fiction books will enjoy it.

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