Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

Wow, just wow!  I will start this off by saying I wasn't sure if I wanted to read this.  I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan and wasn't exactly sure how I felt about continuing on with the next generation.  My family couldn't believe I didn't pick it up the day it came out or read it in a couple of hours.
I decided to pick it up at a shopping trip to Target and when I got home sat in my comfy chair and opened it.  That was all it took.  I was transported back to the wizarding world in one swoop.
While not a fan of the play format it did not distract me in the least.  I loved every second of the story.  I felt Harry's pain as he struggled with parenting, something I can totally relate to.  I loved watching the progeny be the same and yet very different from their parents.  I loved the inside jokes and the ribbing.  I am so glad I read it,  I while I didn't devour it in an hour, it only took a day.  I highly recommend it.

El Deafo by Cece Bell

This autobiographic graphic novel tell the story of Cece Bell.  Cece contracted spinal meningitis when she was just four years old and suffered severe hearing loss.  El Deafo tells the struggle she had with learning how to come to terms with and adjusting to this.  The book focuses on her elementary school years, and like many children she is learning to make new friends and fit in.  Cece just wants to be accepted and have friends like a normal hearing kid.  Under times of stress we see inside her and the superhero person "El Deafo" she created to help her get through difficult times.  This Newberry Honor book tells this story that anyone who has gone through elementary school would relate to.  There is crude humor, some misbehavior, a couple of tantrums, and just plain adolescent behaviror.  The comic book illustrations which are reminiscent of Marc Brown's Arthur support the story throughout.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

I love series books.  There was a time when I wasn't a fan because I am not the most patient person and waiting around for the next installment can be frustrating.  There have been many series that I started that I lost interest in while waiting and I didn't go back to but this wasn't one of them.  I totally enjoyed waiting for this last installment.  I have thought about the interesting twists that Marissa Meyer's incorporated to her story using the much beloved fairy tales.  It was an exciting and heart wrenching ride at times.  But it was so well worth it.  I highly recommend the series to fans of dystopian novels, fairy tales and science fiction.  It is gruesome enough for guys with enough romance to keep girls swooning.  A great read!

18 Things by Jamie Ayres

This was a tough one, because I honestly am not sure if I liked it or not.  I know I didn't love it.  Olga the main character suffered a great tragedy witnessing the death of her best friend and secret crush Connor.  (This happens I think within 20 pages of the book and I think it is in the blurb so not a spoiler.)
There were times when my heart was literally breaking for her pain.  But then just as quick I was bored and felt the story dragging.
Then about 4 chapters in I figured something out and I lost all interest in the story.  I kept reading, but more skimming just in case I was wrong. Turns out I wasn't.  Will I read the other books in this series?  I highly doubt it.  But I never say never.