The Little Mermaid and Other Fairy Tales: Hans Christian Anderson

This was a collection of stories by Hans Christian Anderson. It included the ones you would expect; The Little Mermaid, Matchstick Girl, The Emperors New Clothes, and The Tin Soldier. It also included some others I'd never heard, so it was a good assortment. I had forgotten The Little Mermaid did not end happily and the mermaid dies...I really enjoyed the forward that spoke of Hans truly believing he was the bastard son of royalty and his "parents" were paid to raise him. It explained his education, which was mysteriously paid for, but I can't imagine what pain that would have caused the parents.

A Christmas Carol: Charles Dickens

This was a good refresher on The Christmas Carol I was hoping to finish before Christmas. A man, who is only concerned about wealth, gets a wake-up call when he is met by three ghosts. They show him that he can't take the money with him when he dies and that he is missing out on living in trying to accumulate wealth.

Before the Devil Breaks You: Libba Bray

This was a young adult story where the characters have special powers. The government had created a section of children with special powers hoping to use them as a weapon, but the program was shut down due to some mishaps and the children were released back into society. They are being collected again in order to be used to open the door between hell and earth and unleash " a power never seen before". The kids figure out what is happening after everyone seems to lose their parents/guardians and are able to keep from being used as weapons. Weird but oddly satisfying.

When I Was The Greatest: Jason Reynolds

This was a story about friendship and bravado. It explores an example of a boy who talks a lot of game about being tough, but once in an actual situation where he needs to rise up, he fails. Ali stays out of trouble and helps his single mom with his little sister. Then 2 new neighbor boys move in, who his little sister names Noodles and Needles. Noodles thinks he is a tough guy and is always picking on his brother Needles, who has turrets. The boys decide to go to a party and a fight breaks out. Needles comes to Noodles aid and Noodles disappears letting Needles get nearly beaten to death. This story explores the relationship between teenage boys and the power shift.

Inspector Hobbs and The Curse: Wilkie Martin

This was a cute detective story told by the point of view of the detective's...roommate? Andy Caplet, who mooches off him. Andy is like a child, but well into his 30's and seems incapable of living on his own. Clearly detective Hobbs is a werewolf or mythical creature of some kind, but Andy is clueless. It seems as though a majority of the townspeople may be part creature. A Brother and sister move into town and even though they are werecats, they are trying to get rid of the other creatures. The sister and Andy go on a couple of dates and like one another (the book make it out as though they are in love, but Andy is the narrator and a bit unreliable and naïve) In the end the brother and sister are run out of town when they nearly kill Andy and a werewolf family. Cute read.