Numbers by Rachel Ward

Numbers by Rachel Ward

Whenever Jem meets someone new, no matter who, as soon as she looks into their eyes, a number pops into her head. That number is a date: the date they will die.

Burdened with such an aweful awareness, Jem avoids relationships. Until she meets Spider, another outsider, and takes a chance. But while they're waiting to ride the London Eye Ferris wheel, Jem notices all the other tourists in line flash the same number. Today's date. Terrorists are going to attack. Jem's world is about to explode.

I was captivated, this strange gift that Jem has, how would you handle this? how would anyone? It seems so crazy. I especially liked the message Jem gives toward the end of the book - "You're all alive and kicking. You've been given another day. We all have." - "we know it's all going to come to an end one day, but we shouldn'y let it stop us from living."

In some ways it reminded me of Elsewhere but grittier.

Captivating, compelling, tantilizing and intriguing.

Here's the cover illustration for the UK edition

Home and other big fat lies

Home and other big fat lies by Jill Wolfson

Another great read from the weekend.

Whitney is trading in buildings for trees. She is headed from the city to Northern California, and foster home #12. #12 because of the top five complaints about Whitney from foster parents...
1. Big, sassy mouth
2. Too hyper
3. Doesn't always stick to the truth
4. Thinks she knows everything
5. Climbs everything (p.19)

Whitney soon learns that she's not the only "foster" new in Forest Glen, in fact theirs a lot of them. She also learns that the reason there are so many off them, is that these families need the financial income that comes along with having foster child in the house. Forest Glen is and always will be a logging town so when a closure of the timber cutting areas closes the effect is felt in just about every family. Whitney (aka - Termite) begins to love the outdoors, the forest and most of all a ginormous redwood tree she's nicknamed Big Momma. She leads her fellow fosters in starting a nature and ecology club. And that's just the beginning the adventure.

Termite is one of those great characters- she's full of action, bounce, energy and and her own creative way with language. It's no wonder she finds herself leading an environmental cause and winning hearts along the way.

Read on