Top 10 Reads of 2013

Where has the time flown? What a year it's been as far as books. I haven't read that much since I have been busy with writing and other things. It wasn't easy, but here is my top 10 list of books that I absolutely loved!

Chanda's Wars by Allan Stratton 

I first read “Chanda’s Wars” back in 2009. Four years later, I re-read this powerful tale of war, survival, and love. Read my review. Also check out my interview with Allan Stratton.

Paris: A Love Story by Kati Marton

Kati Marton’s memoir of lost loves and her tribute to the City of Lights will rekindle any memories of your own love with someone. Read my review.

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

A spectacular YA debut on two sisters and the dark secret that threatens to destroy them. Read my review.

The Crooked Branch by Jeanine Cummins

Jeanine Cummins gorgeous second novel explores a mother’s love and the surprising connections of the past to the present. Read my review.

Perla by Carolina De Robertis

A daughter’s revelations of her biological parents amidst one of the darkest chapters in Argentina’s history make for a thrilling second book. Beautiful, sensual, and lyrical.

A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik

Alexander Maksik’s story of a young woman’s journey of horror and survival will haunt you and leave you in awe. Read my review.

Sacred by Elana K. Arnold

Another amazing YA debut of loss, renewal, and love. Read my review.

He's Gone by Deb Caletti

Deb Caletti’s adult debut will please both her YA fan base but the grown-up’s as well. Thrilling and heart rending. Read my review and my interview with Deb.

Exit Wounds: One Australian's War on Terror by John Cantwell

One of the most brutal memoirs about war that I’ve ever read. Filled with horror but with humanity, once you read this book, you won’t ever be the same. Read my review.

Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron 

Of all the books I’ve read about the Rwandan genocide, “Running the Rift” is one of the best and one that I urge everyone to read. A loving tribute to both the country and its people. Read my review.

Here are the honorable mentions that didn't make the top ten, but were equally amazing!

Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink

This Glittering World by T. Greenwood

The Comfort of Lies by Randy Susan Myers

You Are Not Here by Samantha Schutz










Open Heart by Elie Wiesel











Congrats to the authors for inspiring me as a writer and as a human. Most of all, thanks for making 2013 suck less. Happy Holidays and New Year's to all my followers!

Interview with...Allan Stratton

With several award-winning YA novels under his belt (one of them turned into film), Allan Stratton explains why he writes and how it inspired him.



In your first book, "Chanda's Secrets", you tackle the issue of AIDS. The sequel, "Chanda's Wars", deals with child soldiers. When was the first time you learned about child soldiers? What was your motivation behind both stories?

I had a lot of friends in New York and Toronto die of AIDS in the 1980s; I wrote Chanda's Secrets because I wanted to put a human face to the disease. I guess I first heard about child soldiers when reading European medieval and renaissance history, and remember being aware of the continuing global problem when reading about the Lord's Resistance Army in the 1990s. The impulse to write Chanda's Wars came from a dream I had some months after finishing Chanda's Secrets. I woke up out of a violent dream of fire and screaming -- dreaming as Chanda -- that my little brother and sister, Soly and Iris had been kidnapped and I had to save them.

"Chanda's Secrets" was turned into a film called "Life, Above All" and received worldwide acclaim, and even being considered as a contender for an Academy-Award for Best Foreign Film. Did you ever anticipate the success of both the book and the film adaptation?

Never. You always work as hard as you can to do the best work possible. Sometimes serendipity steps in and magic happens. Success is something you can work hard for, but it's not something you can plan.

Besides "Chanda's Secrets" and "Chanda's Wars", you've written "Leslie's Journal" which deals with relationship abuse and "Borderline" that outlines the dangers of racial and religious intolerance. How do you get inspired when coming up with a story idea?

I've mentioned the inspirations for the Chanda novels. Leslie's Journal came about because in my five years teaching I observed so many girls in abusive dating relationships. Also, more personally, my mother fled my father, who was extremely violent towards her; it's one of the many sound decisions she made. she passed away a year ago; I love and miss her so much. Borderline was inspired by wondering who my father was deep down inside. Also, by a childhood fear of being hanged for a crime I didn't commit; I don't trust the justice system to be just. However, I don't think of my novels as issue novels. The deeper themes are always about identity, secrecy, imagination and coming of age.

Is there any advice you would give to an aspiring writers?

For the writing: Write for the joy of it. And write what you care about. Don't be afraid to write about what you don't know factually -- what's important is to write about what you know emotionally. I've travelled the world and can say with experience that, cultural and class surfaces aside, under the skin we are all, emotionally, the same: full of fears, loves, hates, jealousies, kindnesses, despair and grace.


To learn more about Allan and all of his books, including the film "Life, Above All", visit his website.

Review "Chanda's Wars" by Allan Stratton

Publication date: March 8th, 2008 - HarperTeen
Date read: August 20th, 2013 (First reading: January, 2009)
Source: Public Library

 For the past six months, Chanda has had to become an adult in caring for her two younger siblings. The pain of losing her mother to AIDS is still fresh for Chanda, especially the shame and stigma surrounding the disease. Chanda decides to take her brother and sister to see their relatives, determined to end a bitter feud and mending their relationship. Little does Chanda realizes is that a horrifying attack conducted by the ruthless General Mandiki with his band of child soldiers, will reek destruction and death throughout the whole village. With a young tracker accompanying her along with her wits and courage, Chanda will venture out and try to rescue her two siblings whose lives hang in the balance.
  I first read "Chanda's Wars" back in 2009 and it wasn't until yesterday that I saw it on the shelve at the local library. It took me less than a day to finish the book. Four years later, it took me little more than five hours to finish. The story is fiction, but the circumstances are very real. Hundreds of thousands of children are being used as soldiers, forced to commit acts that no child should ever do. At times it is hard to read, but the story itself and it's heroine, will keep you reading until the wee hours of the morning (like me). 
 "Chanda's Wars" is a heartbreaking, horrifying, but life-affirming story filled to the brim with humanity, courage, love, and hope. Allan Stratton has done justice for the children whose lives are destroyed by war and giving us a story worth reading and a cause worth fighting for.