Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho - ESSENTIAL

Once Upon a K-Prom by Kat Cho, 327 pages. Hyperion (Disney), 2022. $19. 9781368064644 

Language: PG (13 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Seven years ago Robbie, Elena’s best friend, moved to Korea and out of her life. Now he is a famous K-pop star and back to ask her to prom!? Unhappy with his over the top and social media hunting promposal, Elena says no. But Robbie is not willing to give up – and Elena doesn’t really want him to. She may not understand his motivation, may not understand the pressures of life as a star, but she feels that her Robbie is still there. 

K-pop romances are the cutest! Add this one to your stack of must reads. The main characters are all Korean with a variety of minor support characters.

 Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera - HIGH

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera, 550 pages. Quill Tree (Harper), 2022. $20. 9780063240803 

Language: R (100+ swears, 50+ ‘f’); Mature Content: R (brief, descriptive sex scene, condoms, dick); Violence: PG (shootings mentioned) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Tonight at midnight Death Cast goes online. Orion and his best friend have signed up and will attend the celebration in Times Square. Valentino has just arrived in NYC – finally escaping the emotional abuse of his parents; his sister will join him in the morning. A chance encounter has Valentino also signing up for Death Cast. At Death Cast itself, the callers seem to be ready for their first announcements – but the first call is made by Joaquin, the creator, to - - - Valentino. And mistakes have been made – a few calls were not placed. Valentino and Orion band together for that first last day – and someone doesn’t yet know that they also will die today. 

Silvera weaves together another masterpiece of 24 hours. Just like book #1, you don’t want the main character to die, even though the title already tells the truth. While I appreciate how important Orion and Valentino become to each other – I did not enjoy the sex scene. If I want to read descriptive sex I can find it in any dedicated romance book. 

 Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Ice Swan by J’Nell Ciesielski - OPTIONAL

The Ice Swan by J’Nell Ciesielski, 400 pages. Thomas Nelson, 2021. $17. Narrated by Senn Annis 

Content: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

As the Russian Revolution rages, Princess Svetlana, her sister, and her mother flee to Paris for safety. They land, however, in dire straits – existing in the basement of a dank Parisian church with other, common refugees. When Svetlana’s mother extravagance and gambling brings Svetlana to the attention of a Russian gangster, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of convenience to a very handsome Scottish duke – Edwynn MacCallan. Will the two be able to find solace – even love – with each other, or will misunderstandings and evil keep them apart? I was expecting historical fiction, which I kind of did in the historical setting, but mostly I got a slow build-up to a romance (not a descriptive romance book). It was a lot of work for a mild payoff. Should you have a need for a proper romance, though, The Ice Swan is a good call. The audiobook was provided by Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Secret Letters by Margaret Peterson Haddix - ADVISABLE

 The Secret Letters (Mysteries of Trash and Treasure #1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 360 pages. Katherine Tegen (Harper), 2022. $17 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12 yo Colin is spending his summer helping his mom at her organizing business. When he finds a shoebox of letters, he decides to rescue them. 12yo Nevaeh is also working with a parent this summer – her father, the Junk King. While their parents aren’t friends, Colin and Nevaeh come together to read the letters from the 1970’s and solve the mystery of why two fast friends suddenly stopped speaking to each other. Then Nevaeh also finds a letter – but one that hints at a modern mystery – did Colin’s mother sabotage her father’s business? 

The interplay between the two new friends is a nice echo of the mystery from the 1970’s. I enjoyed watching the modern kids as they tried to juggle their families and perhaps reunite two former friends. While not Haddix’s strongest writing, still satisfying. Nevaeh does continually bring up the differences between women’s choices in the 1970’s and now. The characters default to white. 

 Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White - ADVISABLE

The Wretched Waterpark (Sinister Summer #1) by Kiersten White, 232 pages. Delacorte (Random), 2022. $20 

Content: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Twins Alex and Theo have been left with their older sister Wil at their Aunt Saffronia’s when their parents leave on an extended trip. Distracted and/or down-right strange, their aunt buys them a week’s pass for the local waterpark – Fathoms of Fear. Things at the park are even weirder than at Aunt Saffronia’s. While the gothic motif is pretty awesome, the creepy proprietess, Mrs. Widow, whose husband seems to be missing, is not. And what waterpark doesn’t have churros! While Wil seems to be glued to her phone, Alex and Theo decide that they are going to solve the mystery on their own. 

White has begun what is sure to be an epic summer of mystery for the Sinister-Winterbottom siblings. While the comparisons to Lemony Snickett are inevitable, I see this more as getting younger students ready for White’s books for older readers. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS  

On Her Wings: the story of Toni Morrison by Jerdine Nolen and James E. Ransome - OPTIONAL

On Her Wings: the story of Toni Morrison by Jerdine Nolen, illustrated by James E. Ransome. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Simon & Schuster, 2022. $19. 9781534478527 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Before she was Toni, she was Chloe – a daughter of a loving family that shared tales and stories of all sorts. Yet it wasn’t until she was 39 that she published her first book – The Bluest Eye. 

Nolen and Ransome bring us the story of Chloe Woffard, who became known as Toni Morrison. Ransome’s illustrations sing, as always. I’m not sure how applicable the book is to elementary readers – although Morrison has a few picture books, the novels are where she really shines. Perhaps a high school or college ELA teacher who is building a collection of author picture books? The whole part about people not being to say “Chloe”, so she accepts “Toni” as a nickname I also found odd. Beautiful end papers and a separate case cover illustration. 

 Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux - ADVISABLE

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux, 304 pages. Poisoned Pen Press, 2020. $16.

Language: PG (9 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The narrator has gathered the facts and is writing to put forth the true story of the Opera Ghost – who surely was real. Madame Giry knew him as generous. Management knew him as a curse. Christine knew him as the Voice, her Angel of Music. Raoul knew him as a rival.

Originally published in French in 1909, this classic is one that the Horror Writers Association (HWA) wants to keep alive in their horror genre reprints, though reading it didn’t feel like how I imagined a horror would. Leroux includes footnotes throughout the book, and the HWA have added notes in the introduction and after the epilogue to expound on the context of this story and its author. While the text can be difficult to work through at a few points, I enjoyed reading the original story behind the beloved musical.

Christine and her father are Swedish, Daroga is Persian, and Carlotta is Spanish. Raoul, his brother, and all the other characters are French. The mature content rating is for mention of alcohol. The violence rating is for gun use, mentions of hanging and murder, and attempted suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Come, Gentle Night by Stephanie Black - ADVISABLE

Come, Gentle Night (Natalie Marsh #5) by Stephanie Black, 296 pages. Covenant Communications, 2022. $17

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG-13 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Natalie and Gideon are simply enjoying a fundraising gala for a women’s domestic violence shelter, but, when a cop gets pepper sprayed at the event and two boys get taken as suspects, they somehow get tangled up in the mess. Again. So much for their “this many days since our last entanglement with the police” chart. 

Natalie is a psychologist, and each book in this series is about how she inexplicably gets involved in police dealings, generally homicide cases. Black does a great job of making the mysteries complicated enough to stay engaged while still allowing for clues that point readers in the right direction. I love figuring out what’s going on, and I didn’t put this book down until I had finished 

The majority of characters are implied white. The mature content rating is for mention of alcohol and groping as well as for illegal activity. The violence rating is for mentions of domestic violence and suicide, gun use, assault, and murder. 

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

She’s Gone by David Bell - OPTIONAL

She’s Gone by David Bell, 360 pages. Sourcebooks Fire, 2022. $11.

Language: R (118 swears, 22 “f”); Mature Content: PG13: Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Hunter (17yo) and Chloe went to the Homecoming dance together, of course. But Chloe hasn’t been seen since. With Chloe’s car crashed into a tree and Hunter’s memory missing due to a concussion, the questions on everyone’s mind are where is Chloe, and is Hunter the one who made her disappear?

I enjoyed the mystery, though there were a few points in the story where I thought something was suspicious before Hunter did. The explanation of everything in the end was mostly satisfactory, and Hunter’s final thoughts to close the book gave it a better ending than the close to the mystery itself. Overall, it was a bit dramatic, but the mystery is solvable for the reader, which makes it more interesting to read.

Hunter and his family and Chloe and her family are implied white. Gabriela is Mexican, and Detective Haley is Black. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs, alcohol, masturbation, and sexual harassment, as well as for discussions of sex and condoms. The violence rating is for gun use and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Kakashi’s Story: The Sixth Hokage and the Failed Prince by Jun Esaka - ADVISABLE

Kakashi’s Story: The Sixth Hokage and the Failed Prince (Naruto Retsuden #1) by Jun Esaka, 184 pages. VIZ Media, 2022. $11.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

On a mission for the Seventh Hokage, Naruto, Kakashi goes to the land of Redaku. He finds the people suffering from lack of food and water and overhears the prime minister and the queen talking about going to war. In order to get closer to the castle politics, Kakashi pretends to be the prince’s new tutor – the prince whose hero happens to be the Sixth Hokage.

I was surprised to find myself reading an actual novel rather than manga when I picked up this book. While I miss seeing the characters I love, I also enjoyed being closer to the thoughts of those characters, gaining insights that are easier to express through prose. With both old and new characters, this new series has a lot to offer, and I’m excited to see where it goes.

Kakashi is depicted with fair skin on the cover, though skin tones are not discussed in the book. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and vague innuendo. The violence rating is for description of corpses, mention of murder and suicide, child abuse, and weapon use in battle.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkellner - ADVISABLE

The Okay Witch and the Hungry Shadow (The Okay Witch #2) by Emma Steinkellner, 255 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2021. $21.

Language: PG (4 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Eighth grade has been hard for Moth – it doesn’t help that she accidentally twinned outfits with the dorkiest teacher in school. As she navigates the real world and the hidden realm with her magical family members, Moth wonders if magic can fix all her problems. Sometimes it can. And sometimes magic comes with a price.

Trying to be comfortable with ourselves and not worry about popularity and bullies is one of the most difficult parts of growing up. This message of being okay with being ourselves never gets old because we need the constant reminder: being you is better than being someone else. Steinkellner’s story is simple but powerful, and her expressive illustrations bring it to life.

Moth and her family are depicted as Black. Moth describes her community as primarily white, but there are various skin tones depicted in the illustrations. The violence rating is for bullying.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Diamonds and Deceit by Leila Rasheed - OPTIONAL

Diamonds and Deceit (At Somerton #2) by Leila Rasheed, 420 pages. Hyperion (Buena Vista Books), 2014. $11.

Language: PG (12 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Rose is struggling to navigate life as a lady and overcome her below stairs upbringing, especially on display as she is during her first season. Ada is determined to forget Ravi and uphold her family’s reputation, even as the rest of her siblings are starting to act as if reputation doesn’t matter. But everyone has ulterior motives in high society where a smile to your face is no indication for what goes on behind your back.

Rasheed tells several stories from the points of view of nearly every character – or so it felt in the beginning. Once all the characters were sorted in my mind, the stories moved quickly. In the beginning, every character seems to be out for themselves in their cutthroat world, but they gradually grow to learn that secrets, resentment, and strict social lines are not the most important parts of life. With multiple characters’ stories being told, prepare for both joy and tragedy.

Rose, Ada, Charlotte, Laurence, Alexander, and their families are English. Ravi and Priya are Indian. Celine is French. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, kissing described as “passionate,” and implied sexual assault. The violence rating is for mention of murder (that occurred in the prequel).

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

All He Knew by Helen Frost - ADVISABLE

 All He Knew by Helen Frost, 254 pages. Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2020. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (abuse, death of children) ; Violence: PG (threats, talk of war, child slapped)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Due to a high fever, Henry has been deaf since the age 4. Economically stressed from both the Great Depression and now the start of World War II, Henry’s family doesn’t have the means to educate a deaf child, so Henry is sent to a state institution for “unteachable” children. Conditions here are terrible, but Henry makes friends and learns to survive. After several years a young man named Victor comes to work at the facility. He can see Henry’s intelligence and doesn’t just stand by to allow conditions to stay the same.

This story is loosely based on actual events in the author’s family’s past. Frost writes a beautiful novel-in-verse of a child who never loses hope, and of the family that continues to love him. The abuse, death, and violence that are part of the plot are handled delicately and without a lot of detail, as seen through the eyes of young Henry, who doesn’t fully understand what’s going on around him. While the setting is dark, Henry’s innocence and spirit never dim. This is a quick yet powerful read that sheds light on actual events from U.S. history, and includes themes of kindness, acceptance, hope, and choosing peace over violence. The characters in this novel are implied to be white.

Tammie H., Librarian 

African Town by Irene Latham and Charles Waters - ESSENTIAL

African Town by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, 438 pages. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin), 2022. $13

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: R (see below)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In 1860, the Clothida was last slave ship to ever land on American soil. Follow the slaves through the horrific events of the Middle Passage, their attempts at creating community and normalcy once arriving despite the inhumanity shown to them, and finally, after the Civil War, their creation of a unique township that still exists today.

The novel in verse format makes an overwhelming and painful topic a bit more digestible. Told through the voices of 14 individual characters, the horrors that occur and the progression of the story are even more personal. Latham and Walters do not pull any punches. Humans are abducted in the middle of the night at knifepoint. A village is massacred and families are separated. Slavers intimidate with “severed heads hanging like ornaments from de soldiers’ belts.” Later, in America, a character alludes to a rape by her traitorous uncle (who sold her and others to the slavers) saying, “He laid on tops of me He did what bad men do.” Still, the story is one of strength, triumph, hope, and community. We are left with a clear understanding of the horror of the time, but also admiration for all those who persevered.

Reviewer: Bridget Rees, MS Librarian, Utah 

The Heart of the Storm by Sharon Mentyka and Ellen Rooney - ADVISABLE

 The Heart of the Storm by Sharon Mentyka, illustrated by Ellen Rooney. NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Little Bigfoot (Sasquatch Books), 2022. $19. 9781632172884

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Sue Bird an active fun loving girl who loves to run, jump, and climb all over everything. As she grows she finds that she is naturally gifted at almost any sport she tries. She also discovers a gift that she can see or hear something once and repeat it verbatim. Basketball ends up being her favorite. She is a natural leader on and off the court helping her teammates to stay focused and win. She excels in high school and college basketball and pushes herself to excellence. She achieves her dream and is drafted in the WNBA as well as competing in many Olympic games. This story reminds us that hard things create winners and leaders. I highly recommend this book.

Mentyka writes extremely well. She does a beautiful job of keeping things concise for a picture book and yet give wonderful details to expand on the story. However, the illustrations felt a little off to me. It's like the people were anatomically off just a little bit. The people almost seemed to be floating on the page instead of on the background. As a motivational story, though, it is great for elementary up to high school. I loved reading this charming story.

Emilee-Librarian 

Kingdom of the Feared Kerri Maniscalco - NO

Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked #1) by Kerri Maniscalco, 401 pages. Little Brown, 2022. $20

Language: R (32 swears, 19 ‘f’); Mature Content: NC-17 (explicit and described sex scenes; Violence: R (Very bloody with a high death count)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Reality is turning upside down for Emilia. Everything she thought she knew is turned on its head with the discovery of each new revelation including that of who she and her twin really are. Exploring the mysteries of curses, identities, and murders, Emilia must work find answers for her questions in not only the Seven Circles and princes that rule them, but more importantly her past.

This book was obscenely steamy and I found myself unable to read a number of parts as they were a little too sexy for me. These scenes were frequent and explicit as well as the occurrence of graphic instances of violence. Aside from that, I love the way Maniscalco fabricates her mysteries, managing to tie up all the loose ends in impressively satisfying ways, including details that seem insignificant throughout the rest of the trilogy. Her characters are brilliantly built and she skillfully manages a plot where everyone seems to play a bit of the villain and nobody all of it.

Sierra Finlinson 

Talk Santa To Me by Linda Urban - OPTIONAL

Talk Santa To Me by Linda Urban, 195 pages. Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon), 2022. $13

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (teens drinking); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Francie helps her family with their Christmas business and all of the ups and downs that go with it. She’s trying to overcome her horrible, mistaken kiss and outlive the teasing that’s occurred ever since the boy shared the details with his friends. He told everyone it was like kissing a stick. A few people have offered ways to overcome the bad kissing problem and only one person truly helps her, and helps her without judgment, by kissing her and offering sincere and honest critiques. Once that’s over, Francie gains some confidence and is able to go after her crush. 

A cutesy Christmas story! I liked the mixed ethnicities, the cute Christmas setting and the light humor. I didn’t like the length of time it took for the romance parts to appear in the book. I enjoy the service that the Christmas interns give by offering to buy books for a girl who only wants to finish reading Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White, since the copy she had didn’t have the ending; it was missing. That’s her request in the letter she wrote to Santa.

 LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco - OPTIONAL

Kingdom of the Cursed (Kingdom of the Wicked #2) by Kerri Maniscalco, 433 pages. Little Brown and Co., 2021. $19

Language: R (23 swears, 6 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (described sex, sex talk); Violence: PG-13 (blood and violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Welcome to Hell. As one might expect, deception, lies, and manipulation flow seemingly the lifeblood of the underworld and as she navigates through these unpleasant, although not unexpected, obstacles, Emilia finds herself encountering clue after clue that points her to unforeseen truths. More than just the question of her twin's murderer, she must unravel the mystery of herself. Who is Emilia di Carlo? And when all is said and done, will her strengthening alliance with Wrath impact her duty to her mission?

This novel was leaps and bounds better than the first. The character development as well as worldbuilding was exceptional and time after time I am wildly impressed by Maniscalco's talent at weaving the threads of an intricate mystery. At the core of it, that is truly what this book is and the execution there of was magnificent. However, one must be aware going into this of some of the mature content: there are many sexual encounters with rather explicit descriptions with both our main characters and unnamed characters in select settings. There are also many sexual comments made in conversation.

Sierra Finlinson 

Out Of This World by Sally M. Walker and Mathew Trueman - ADVISABLE

 Out Of This World by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by Matthew Trueman. PICTURE BOOK/NON FICTION. Candlewick Press, 2022. $19. 9781536203561

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Galileo ponders space. The Hubble telescope photographs deep space. A minuscule speck grows into the universe. Galaxies, nebulas, planets and flaming stars are born. Space fuels our curiosity. Astronauts land on the moon and scientists search for life on Mars. There are many wonders in the heavens such as comets, shooting stars, and eclipses.

Out Of This World is a delightful sensory experience. It is a wonderful union of art and science. The illustrations are fascinating and luminously beautiful. The Haiku's are fun and instructive adding another layer of beauty to the book. The illustrations will speak to a younger audience while the haikus are enjoyable to an older audience.

PGPowers 

Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne - OPTIONAL

Pretty Dead Queens by Alexa Donne, 336 pages. Random House, 2022. $19

Language: R (100+ swears, 100+ ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (sex mentioned, drug use mentioned; Violence: PG-13 (dead bodies, strangulation mentioned, serial killer murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Cecilia’s mom recently passed away and now she is moving into her grandmother’s house. Her grandmother, Maura, happens to be a famous author and lives in a large home with four floors. Maura has brought fame to the town after writing a fictionalized book about the murder of a classmate that occurred during homecoming, when she was in high school. Maura continues to write mysteries and her fandom holds yearly conventions in town. Cecilia makes friends and ends up on the sidelines of their drama then she finds the body of another homecoming murder victim and it’s eerily similar to the murder all those years ago. She throws herself into trying to discover the killer as a way to distract herself from losing her mother. She ends up in the middle of trouble and has to fight for her life.

The swearing was too much. The main character, Cecilia, is wishy washy with her new friends. She expects them to immediately divulge their secrets to her because she wants to know but she’s completely disregarding their rights to privacy and gets upset if they ask her questions about her life. I was enthralled by the two mysteries, past and present, and wanted Cecilia to expose the twisted actions of the townspeople.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School

The Lake by Natasha Preston - ADVISABLE

The Lake by Natasha Preston, 356 pages. Delacorte Press 2021. $11

Language: P-13 (38 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13 (some blood and gore, animal killings)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

It’s been nine years since Esme (17yo) attended Camp Pine Lake with her friend, Kayla. Now they have returned as counselors-in-training. Esme is excited, but nervous because no one, except for Kayla, knows what happened that summer and Esme intends to keep it that way. Fortunately, she finds herself so busy with camp preparations, meeting the other counselors-in-training, and finally welcoming the campers that she doesn’t have much time to dwell on what happened in the past until the pranks start happening. At first, everyone thinks they are harmless, but as the pranks escalate, so do the threats. As Esme thinks about what happened all those years ago, she wonders if someone might be coming back for revenge. 

I was expecting a more intense story, but found it pretty mild. That being said, I did find myself engaged and wanted to see how it resolved; although it slowed a bit in the middle and I got impatient with the main character. At the end, however, the author upped the blood and gore and the creepy ending took me by surprise. 

 Reviewer: RB https://www.kingsenglish.com/book/9780593124970

The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula - ADVISABLE

 The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula, 268 pages. Inkyard Press, 2022. $17.

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Holly-Mei is always blurting out things and getting herself into trouble, which is why her friends aren’t talking to her at the moment. She thinks there couldn’t be anything worse until her mom tells the family she got a promotion at work and they are relocating to Hong Kong. Holly-Mei isn’t excited about going, but when the cold shoulder from her friends doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon, she jumps into moving with both feet. What could be more exciting than an opportunity to live abroad and make new friends? Her Ah-ma (grandma) warns her that moving and making friends can be both bitter and sweet and that there will be an adjustment period, but Holly-Mei is convinced the move will be so wonderful that she barely registers what her grandma says. Next thing she knows, her family is in Hong Kong, she has started a new school and has already been invited to a party. Unfortunately, an incident at the party leaves Holly-Mei wondering if her Ah-ma might have been right. 

Matula writes a story that touches on friendship, family and trying new things, with an added glimpse of life in Hong Kong. It was engaging, the characters were relatable, and the story was realistic. Holly-Mei has a good relationship with her sister and a support system from both her parents and her grandma. A handful of terms throughout the story that may be unfamiliar to the reader, but it won’t hinder their understanding and the author includes a glossary of terms and a few recipes from the story. 

Reviewer: RB 

Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden - NO

Monsters Among Us by Monica Rodden, 389 pages. Crown (Random House), 2020. $18

Language: R (9 swears, 29 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (rape is a theme); Violence: R (rape, murder, violent assault)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Catherine comes home from college after getting brutally raped. As she copes with her emotions, an old friend, Henry, shows up in her life again. As the pair reform their friendship, their neighbor, 12yo Amy, is murdered. As the police start their investigation, a stranger from her college shows up with Catherine's missing coat, ID and debit cards; all of which she lost during her rape. The three pair up to solve Amy's murder.

I think it is an important story to tell. It's a survivor's story and I think a lot of people who have been in this situation will be able to relate to the up and down feelings. However, I am so over the 'I love you so much, why don't you love me, I'm going to murder someone you love to bring you closer to me' trope. I just wasn't a fan of this one.

Mallory Birch; ELA teacher 

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke - HIGH

Curse of the Specter Queen by Jenny Elder Moke, 340 pages. Hyperion (Disney), 2021. $12

Language: PG (25 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing, smoking alcohol); Violence: PG (some peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Sam Knox has a gift for reviving old books, she even is in charge of a quaint like bookshop. Her life is simple, and she is happy that way- in previous years she has hunted down mysterious treasures with her best friends, siblings, Bennett and Joana. But when Sam and Joana got in an explosive fight, she's decided books are her only friend, books don't judge or criticize they are comfort and an escape for Sam. Turns out that comfort and peace of mind don't last very long because... When mysterious men burn down her beloved bookshop, Sam is forced back into the world of treasure hunting, because if she doesn't find what the fire starters are looking for, they will just create more destruction.

Curse of the Specter Queen is a very cute novel! It has it's flaws but all in all, it was a fluffy adventure story. I loved the main character Sam, is a very capable heroine with a heart of gold and she is an old soul like me. I loved Bennett and Joana's brother sister relationship and I loved the writing style of this novel. It is a bit predictable and the plot is very flat, but I think it's the perfect book to cuddle next to a fire this upcoming fall season with a mug of hot chocolate!

Kenzie Hoehne 

Out of Range by Heidi Lang - ADVISABLE

 Out of Range by Heidi Lang, 309 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Margaret K McElderry Books (Simon), 2022. $18. 9781665903349

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Abby (14), Emma(12) and Ollie(9) are sisters that have been sent to Camp Unplugged because they have been feuding for months. After moving from California to Utah, the relationship between the three sisters has become almost non existent. Their parents hope that being in the wilderness will help the girls learn to get along again. While on a hike, the girls get lost and face many perilous situations. 

Lang writes a cross between an adventure book and realistic fiction. I really enjoyed how the chapters alternate between the sister's struggles to survive in the wilderness and flashbacks of how their relationship became strained. I did not want to stop reading this book because it was so action packed! Out of Range would be very appealing to 5th and 6th graders. The girls are portrayed as white in the illustrations.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian 

To Capture His Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen - OPTIONAL

To Capture His Heart (Matchmakers #2) by Nancy Campbell Allen, 288 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $16.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Detective Nathan Winston solves crimes for work, but, when his mother asks him to attend her annual ten-day dinner party, he panics. Nathan tells his mother that he has interest in a lady already and is unavailable for the ladies she has invited, and his mother jumps on the opportunity to invite Nathan’s lady. Now Nathan has to ask Eva (24yo) to accept the invitation and pretend to have an interest in him. Can Detective Nathan discern reality from fiction?

The focus of the story is the romance, but the side story is about one of Nathan’s cases coming back to haunt him – and the party. Allen uses the concurrent plotlines to fill out Nathan and Eva’s story, which give all the characters more depth. While the second in a series, the first one focuses on a different couple and is not necessary to read beforehand in order to enjoy this one.

Eva, Nathan, and their families are English. One character is described as German and another as Swedish, and the other characters are implied English. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and mentions of illegal activity. The violence rating is for gun use, murder, and mention of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

The Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina - OPTIONAL

The Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina, 320 pages. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2022. $19.

Language: PG-13 (78 swears, no ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: R (talk of war and labor camps, off-page executions, on-page beatings and gun violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

World War II is in its final months and 16yo Maria has left the Nazi labor camp where she has been held to return home to her family. Upon her arrival in her Polish village she finds out that her parents have been killed in a battle between the Polish Resistance and the Ukrainian Nationalists. Shockingly, she is reunited with her brother, whom she believed to be dead, only to discover that he is a leader of the Polish Resistance and a “Silent Unseen”, a special agent sent in by Allied forces to resist the oncoming Russian threat. When her brother disappears, Maria must join forces with a sworn enemy to get him back.

While it is appreciated that a book about World War II is taking on a lesser discussed aspect of the war, the author does not do justice to the task. The myriad of groups and characters introduced quickly become muddled for the reader leading to confusion and frustration. The action is constant and chaotic without ever developing into a convincing or engaging story. There is also a highly unnecessary and awkward romance that is forced into the plot that brings nothing to the story. The ending is abrupt and the reader will find that they are no closer to understanding what or who the Silent Unseen were than when they started the book.

AEB

Thorn by Intisar Khanani - ESSENTIAL

Thorn by Intisar Khanani, 512 pages. Harper Teen, 2020. $19

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (domestic violence, rape, violence against animals, human trafficking–all off page, violence against women–on and off page)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS–ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Princess Alyrra longs to escape her abusive home, but being married off to the prince of a neighboring kingdom is equally daunting. In route to her new life, Alyrra falls victim to the magic of the Lady and finds her life transformed. As she embraces her new role and is thrilled to leave the intrigues of palace life behind, she soon realizes that danger lurks and her newfound happiness may not be worth the destruction of those she was bound to.

A beautiful retelling of Goose Girl with a large cast of well-developed characters. Adventure abounds, but a deeper story guides the journey of Alyrra and those around her. Heavy topics such as violence against women and treatment of those in poverty are done in a way that younger readers will be able to understand and will aid in the development of compassion and empathy.

AEB

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth - OPTIONAL

Poster Girl by Veronica Roth, 288 pages. William Morrow (HarperCollins Publishers), 2022. $28.

Language: R (31 swears, 31 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The Aperture became Sonya’s home and prison when she was 17 years old, right after the Triumvirate overthrew the Delegation. Ten years later, the Triumvirate is graciously allowing those who were only children when they entered – defined as 16 years old or younger – out of the Aperture to reintegrate into the new society. They might be persuaded to let Sonya, the face of the Delegation, out, too, if she does something for them.

I liked how Sonya’s thoughts illustrated how much she bought into the Delegation and what they valued based on how she still sees things – retraining thoughts isn’t easy. Sonya has to dig through the life she thrived in growing up, and she learns that her happy world turned a blind eye to those who weren’t as privileged as her family, that her happiness came at a cost to others. Confronted with new information, Sonya has to decide how to live with her past and what to do with her future. Her story ensnares readers with the promise of untangling what exactly was going on behind the scenes of the Delegation.

Sonya is described as having “beige” skin and is depicted on the cover as white, and Alexander is described as “brown-skinned.” There are a couple of allusions to other non-white characters, but the majority of the characters are implied white. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, innuendo, implied sexual harassment and masturbation, nudity, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for gun and knife use as well as for murder and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Monarch Rising by Harper Glenn - NO

Monarch Rising by Harper Glenn, 353 pages. Scholastic Press, 2022. $20

Language: R (86 swears, 61 “f’); Mature Content: R (talk of sex, no described sex, some crude sex talk); Violence: R (rape mentioned, attempted rape, suicide attempts)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

In a futuristic America, Jo is a black girl with a chance to leave her home in the slums of the Ashes and make a life for herself in the opulent city of New Georgia. Cove is the heart-throb of the city, the trail of broken hearts testifying to the magnificent of his light, clean skin and soft blond hair. Under false flattery and designer clothes Cove hides his scars, both physical and mental, that speak to his training in the matter of love. To escape his abuser and win his freedom, he must break one last heart: Jo's. But Jo is not like the girls from the city, and Cove cannot help that this is one assignment he may not be able to carry through. 

This book wanted to be a lot of things. It wanted to be a social commentary on racism, wealth division, sexuality, physical and emotional abuse, and politics; it even tried to bring Aristotle into the mix at one point. Yet, spreading itself so thin it manages to accomplish nothing. Leaving this book, I am left with no specific morals or lessons that I feel the author was trying to accomplish and thus and, feeling as though that was the main focus of the book, not the storytelling, think it was somewhat of a failure. The world building was lackluster, inconsistent, and unbelievable and the same goes for the characters. Further, the mature themes are somewhat difficult to classify as while nothing is explicit, sexual encounters with varying numbers of participants and mixes of genders are mentioned often and crudely as well as heavy themes of depression, low-self worth, suicide, and abuse.

Sierra Finlinson 

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany Jackson - HIGH

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany Jackson. 416 pages. Katherine Tegen Books (Harper), 2022. $16

Language: R (65 swears, 35 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (alludes to sex); Violence: R (belt beating, bloody mentioned, suicide by gun, pieces of bodies metioned) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In 2014, there was a devastating accident and a survivor covered in blood limping home – a tragedy that ruptured the town. Researchers are discussing the events before the accident to try to understand what happened. The non-linear timeline moves back and forth between events before the accident and the research discussion and Maddy is the focus of everything that happened. She’s been forced by her father to hide her African American roots because he’s white and their community is extremely racist. One day she’s running in gym class when rain starts to fall. Her perfectly and intentionally straightened hair goes into its natural Afro state. Gossip starts, bullies taunt and her dad whips her for revealing her secret. After a “bullying Maddy” video goes viral, some students want to prove that the town isn’t racist by holding one prom, all inclusive. After a horrible joke and an even worse prank, Maddy’s true powers come out, practically decimating the town. 

Kenny fell in love with Maddy too conveniently and easily. Maddy’s so powerful, but she stands by doing nothing, holding Kenny’s hand the entire time, while Officer Ross beats Kenny with his baton. Also, the comment made that lumps all American citizens into people that don’t understand or are dumb is rude, but partially true: “Comprehension is key, and that hasn’t exactly been mastered by the citizens of this country”. Overgeneralization, but that does show the high extent of racism in the book's community. An excellent "Carrie" remix. The build up of suspense was what I liked the most. 

 LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp - ADVISABLE

Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp. 320 pages. McElderry Books Simon and Schuster, 2022. $18.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 'f');  Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Gloria and her family are having a tough time. It's the 1930s and they live in Oklahoma. Their farm failed again and they are mourning the death of their baby brother. When the bank forecloses on the farm, they load everything they own into their truck and head to California. Gloria is a really good pitcher, and when the family gets work at a peach orchard, Gloria hopes to join the boys in their game. 

An engaging story - times were hard, not just because the farm failed, but the families looking for work were mistreated and cheated out of money and resources due to them. Some fun baseball action and a bit of danger in the orchard. Historical fiction can be a hard sell, but sports lovers will like this too. Will probably purchase.

Lisa Librarian

Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe - OPTIONAL

Dark Room Etiquette by Robin Roe, 512 pages. HarperTeen, 2022. $19.

Language: R (96 swears, 26 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Sayers is a junior who doesn’t have to care about anything because of his name and the money his family has. He does what he wants and goes with the flow, even when he doesn’t agree with his friends. And then Sayers ends up in a situation where he can’t leave the strange house he wakes up in, saying his own name is punished, and the man there doesn’t care about his money.

At first, I was disappointed with Sayer’s choices, especially when he changed from doing nothing to helping facilitate his friends’ bullying behavior. Then he gets taken and all of his choices are stripped away, changing both his story and his character drastically. Watching Sayers morph through the different phases of his story was both tragic and heartening – despite all his dark times, Sayers finds light.

Sayers is depicted as white on the cover, and most other characters are implied white. That mature content rating is for underage drinking, drug abuse, innuendo, partial nudity, illegal activity, mention of sex and rape, harassment, and sexual assault. The violence rating is for gun use, mention of murder, and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Somewhere Sisters by Erika Hayasaki - ADVISABLE

Somewhere Sisters by Erika Hayasaki, 320 pages. NONFICTION. Algonquin Books, 2022. $28.

Language: PG-13 (16 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Isabella, Hà, and Olivia are sisters. All three are Vietnamese and were adopted when their biological parents couldn’t take care of them. Two were adopted from the same orphanage by an American family, and one was rejected by the orphanage and was instead raised by an aunt and her partner in Vietnam. These three girls struggle with identity, rejection, education, and more – and their stories aren’t over yet.

Hayasaki interviewed these girls and what she refers to as their constellation of family members. She also gives readers context by including lots of research regarding the political and social environments in both America and Vietnam that led to the adoption of these girls and regarding behavioral science, especially the theories and experiments having to do with twins. While the story and information is real, Hayasaki has written in a format that was easier to read than I was expecting – I even enjoyed reading the chapters about research! I feel like I have gained knowledge about my country, my identity, my family, and my hopes for the future – for me, for America, and for the world.

The main characters are American and Vietnamese, though they also relate their experiences with others of various races. Hayasaki also references adoption and twin experiences from and in other countries. The mature content rating is for discussions of war, poverty, abortion and miscarriages; mention of prostitutes, sex, and drugs; and alcohol use, including underage drinking. The violence rating is for brief discussion of suicide as well as for mentions of child abuse and implied murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Hero Handbook by Matt Langdon - ADVISABLE

The Hero Handbook by Matt Langdon, 146 pages. NONFICTION. Magination Press (American Psychological Association), 2021. $15.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Who is your hero? Langdon breaks down what qualifies someone to be a hero and uses both real and fictional heroes to teach readers that we can all learn to be heroes. Heroes make goals, go on real and metaphorical  journeys, defeat enemies, and help others – with the assistance of their hero teams.

While Langdon focuses his book on a younger audience, the principles are applicable to everyone, regardless of age and stage of life. The principles are centered around this idea that each of us can change the world and save lives, a concept that sounds unrealistic in those terms – but Langdon makes me feel like it is actually possible. Like everything else, we can practice heroism until we become heroes, and Langdon gives readers steps to get there.

The language rating is for one use of the word “damn” in the context of discussing how it is a swear word in some countries but not in others. The mature content rating is for mentions of sex, drugs, alcohol, and illegal activities. The violence rating is for mentions of threats, gun use, and suicide, and for discussions of life-endangering situations.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - OPTIONAL

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, 416 pages. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2022. $45.

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

With their father serving as a chaplain during the Civil War, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy try to be good for their mother – but it’s not always easy. They get into scrapes with each other and their neighbor Laurie, but their loved ones are always there to help them along the way.

This new edition of a beloved classic is the same in text and now includes illustrations by Marjolein Bastin in the margins and in the white space at the end of chapters. Each chapter of Little Women teaches a lesson to at least one of the sisters and to readers – anything from hard work to hope, forgiveness to pursuing dreams, heartbreak to healing.

The March family and John are white, Laurie is Italian, and Friedrich is German. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, including underage drinking. 

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The First Rule of Climate Club by Carrie Firestone - ADVISABLE

The First Rule of Climate Club by Carrie Firestone. 354 pages. G.P. Putnam's Sons. 2022. $18. 9781984816467

Language: G (0 'swears'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Eighth-grader Mary Kate Murphy gets to be a part of a small pilot program at school focused on climate change. What starts as a simple science class quickly becomes a club and truly a group of friends focused on solutions rather than the depressing problems of climate change. Along the way Mary Kate learns about activism in its many varieties and the other social problems that are intrinsically connected with climate change.

This was a fun crash course on activism for kids. I appreciated the way the kids take the lead in the story and have supportive adults to help them with their ideas--this is the main idea of the story. There is a lot to like in this book but I did tire of having the book's "message" hit me over the head blatantly time and time again for 354 pages. All in all its a decent way to package the topic of climate change so younger people can understand and get involved. 

Reviewer: TC

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra - ADVISABLE

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra, 352 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2022. $19.

Language: PG-13 (17 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG-13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Adopted by the royal family when she was young, Katyani (18yo) has grown up alongside the princes. She is both sister and bodyguard, preparing to be Prince Ayan’s advisor someday. When the princes are sent to gurukul to increase their spiritual power, the queen insists that Katyani accompany them. When Katyani returns home, nothing will be the same.

Every time I thought I knew where the story was going during the first half of the book, Mehrotra pivoted the story – the surprise kept me wanting to know where we would go next. The teachers in the book focus on spiritual power and ethics, and then Mehrotra throws Katyani into a series of trials. Readers must navigate the gray spaces between right and wrong with Katyani, wanting to win the right way for the right reasons.

Katyani is described as having “tawny brown” skin, and Ayan and Bhairav are described as having “bronze” skin. They and everyone else are implied Indian. The mature content rating is for innuendo and nudity. The violence rating is for sword use, persistent murder and war, and blood and gore.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang - OPTIONAL

If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang, 352 pages. Inkyard Press, 2022. $19.

Language: R (110 swears, 21 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Alice, a year twelve student, needs to be the best at school, and she’s been mostly successful so far – she didn’t even push her rival, Henry, off the stage when they tied for Top Achiever award again. But everything changes for Alice when her parents admit they can’t afford tuition after the semester and  Alice suddenly turns invisible. Desperate, Alice turns to the only person she can think of for help: Henry.

The questionable morality of Alice’s and Henry’s actions stressed me out. On the one hand, they are the protagonists and I want them to succeed, but I also don’t believe that the ends justify the means. Liang has written a compelling story that elicits sympathy for her characters, sparks thoughts about ethics, and invites readers to think about what they really want.

Everyone is implied Asian. The text specifically says that there are Chinese, Malaysian, Singaporean, and Australian-born Chinese students, and it is implied that there are also some white international students. The mature content rating is for innuendo and illegal activity as well as for mentions of child molesters, pornography, sexting, condoms, sex, drugs, and alcohol. The violence rating is for fist fighting, knife use, and some blood.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen