Bookanistas: ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE by Courtney Sheinmel

Plot without spoilers...Almost-thirteen-year-old Carly's life is thrown into chaos when her mom is accused of embezzlement. Now, Carly must brave going to school in the wake of scandalous news articles and deal with the wide-ranging reactions of classmates, as she is unwilling swept into the jarring world of the criminal court system.

Of literary interest...It is very hard to explain the things I love most about this book without giving too much away. Suffice to say, this book is remarkable in its raw honesty--the way Sheinmel allows her characters to wonder and sometimes even say aloud the hard, scary thoughts that are an inevitable part of a situation such as the one in this story.  Great Carly Simon references, too!

Finally, just gotta say...Courtney Sheinmel creates a richly textured story of a girl dealing with the fact that her family will never be the same again. An gripping and powerful read.
What books have got the other Bookanistas in their clutches this week...?

Elana Johnson points you to Human.4

LiLa Roecker glories in The Goddess Test
Christine Fonseca is impressed by Imaginary Girls
Shannon Whitney Messenger delves into The Future of Us – with giveaway
Scott Tracey and Shana Silver are wild about Wildefire
Carolina Valdez Miller shivers over The Eleventh Plague – with giveaway
Jessi Kirby celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie
Corrine Jackson peeks into Sean Griswold's Head