The Lost Letter by Jillian Cantor (adult fiction)
There will be a longer review coming soon but for now I will leave you with this quote: "If only Herr Bergmann, or the Fuhrer, were to know that their stamp plate was being made by a Jew, and a woman. Kristoff took pleasure in the thought that they wouldn't know. As if this tiny thing, this small act of rebellion would change anything."
Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett (teen fiction)
I really like the characters in this book - snarky and funny Mink, who thinks she's aloof but isn't, jerkface Porter, who's really just a sweetie with a marshmallow heart, best friend Grace, who is friends with everyone and takes crap from no one, and Mink's father, who is caring but respectful of Mink's space (I visualized him as Bob Saget). This may have something to do with the fact that I'm in the middle of watching all eight seasons of Full House (because I'm a sucker for punishment). Mink's dad really is a Danny kind of guy for those of you who like that character from Full House. Though the plot was predictable in every way imaginable, I still enjoyed watching it play out, and I wasn't disappointed there weren't any surprises. I think Bennett does a great job with capturing Mink's inner thoughts and writing some steamy stuff without it sounding cliched or making me feel uncomfortable (if there's too much PDA, I can't stop rolling my eyes, and this makes reading difficult). If you're looking for something funny and romantic with interesting characters and fun, spirited bantering (including the inner thought variety), I highly recommend Alex, Approximately.
Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay (picture book)
MacKay's illustrations transport you straight to the world where the Butterfly Park is and the little girl who's trying to fill it with butterflies. I appreciated how the community came together "with boots and gnomes and wagons" and helped plant a garden to attract the butterflies.
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