Lolo's Light by Liz Garton Scanlon - ADVISABLE

Lolo's Light by Liz Garton Scanlon, 232 pages. Chronicle/Blue Apple. 2022 $17. 

Language: G (1 swear); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When 12yo Millie’s high school aged sister has a piano recital and can’t tend the neighbor’s 4 month old baby, the Acosta’s ask Millie. Millie is a responsible older sister, and loves baby Lolo. Everyone does, she is so cute and sweet. The Acosta’s put Lolo to bed before they go, and Millie checks on her, and everything is fine when the Acosta’s return, but sometime in the night Lolo stops breathing and by morning she has passed away. Millie is beside herself with grief, and feels responsible. It only gets worse when her science teacher assigns the students to incubate a clutch of eggs. 

I cried, for both the Acosta family as well as for Millie. A well written, heartbreaking story about grief and loss. The culture or race of the main characters was not evident. 

Lisa Librarian

Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good by Louie Stowell - HIGH

Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good Louie Stowell, 228 pages. Walker Books US Candlewick.. 2022. $15

Content: G.
 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

The God, Loki, has been sent to earth as a punishment. He must demonstrate that he can show moral improvement to return to Asgard. If not, he will spend eternity in a pit of angry snakes. Thor has accompanied Loki as well and they have been transformed into 11-year-old mortals. The guard god, Heimdall and the giant Hyrrokkin are along to pretend to be Loki and Thor's parents. 

 This is a wildly hilarious look at what Loki and Thor might be like as middle schoolers. I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did. Loki has to write in a magic journal that keeps track of his virtue score, which steadily decreases. There are fun line drawings throughout that add to the story, and Loki's descriptions of school, cell phones, and gaming are great. The book ends satisfactorily but leaves it open for a sequel which I will be lining up for. The main characters are Norse gods. 

Michelle in the Middle

City of the Dead James Ponti. - ESSENTIAL

City of the Dead (City Spies #4) James Ponti, 390 pages. Aladdin (Simon and Schuster). 2023. $19 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

The City Spies are back with Kat leading out. Kat is a math whiz who can spot patterns anywhere. Their first mission isn't what they think and it raises more questions than answers. The team heads to Egypt to solve cyberattacks against key London targets and possible connections to ancient Egyptian artifacts. The action picks up when a new player could help them or undermine their whole operation. 

Ponti keeps the action going, but offsets the tension with humor and the interactions of the City Spies team. There is something oddly addictive about this series. Once you pick it up you have to finish. The characters are a delightful mix of different personalities and ethnic backgrounds, and we all wish we had some of their sweet skills. In this book, it was nice to see Kat get to take the lead in a mystery that will make you already want to read the next book in the series. (already mentioned) 

Michelle in the Middle

Ready for a Scare? by P.J. Night - HIGH

Ready for a Scare? The Graphic Novel (You're Invited to a Creepover: The Graphic Novel #3) by P.J. Night, 150 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Simon Spotlight (Simon and Schuster). 2022. $21

Content: G  

BUYING ADVISORY EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Kelly Garcia is going to have a slumber party for her birthday. Unfortunately, her parents are delayed by snow so the party is off. Going for a virtual sleepover, Kelly, the queen of all things creepy, tries to scare her friends, but it seems that calling up the ghost of a teen who died tragically in their town might backfire when her friends start to disappear. 

 The Creepover series is just right for reluctant readers or anyone who needs a quick but satisfying read. The art is colorful and haunting and the plot is just the right amount of scary. None of the Creepover books need to be read in order and they have a different cast of characters for each one. I will read any and all of them. The main character is blonde with a wide ethnic variety of friends. 

 Michelle in the Middle

The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats - ADVISABLE

 The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats, 216 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2021. $8 (paperback)

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL; MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: EL - HIGH; MS - AVERAGE

Sonnia is working hard at her family's pony ride business, taking turns with her sister. Sonnia saves all her money for the day she has enough money to buy beautiful Ricochet. She adores and loves the horse and spends every available moment with it. Life is hard for people in the village, often they do not have enough food to eat. By some good luck she is offered a job in the royal stables. She will live in the bunkhouse and get three meals a day and earn money. She works hard and spends every spare minute with Ricochet. The others working in the stables participate in The Night Ride - people in the village bet on the horses and the kids riding the winning horse gets the winning purse. A lot of money. At first Sonnia does not want to participate, She knows it is illegal, and she knows that the horses could get hurt riding through the forest in the dark. She worries somebody other than her will take beautiful Ricochet out for the night ride.

The setting for this story is a society during the Middle Ages. The characters are well written and believable. Sonnia has to make some very mature decisions, knowing that her life is on the line. I highly recommend this book, and I read it in one sitting! The characters are default white.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn - ESSENTIAL

 Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn, 255 pages. Bloomsbury, 2022. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Middle schooler Elliott is struggling – with his ADHD, with missing his best friend and with his parents’ divorce. Every other week end he stays with his dad and his new wife, Katie, who is pregnant. Elliott is upset at his mom and dad, especially his dad for leaving them and for getting married again and for having a new baby that will probably replace him. He loves being in his mom's cozy kitchen where he can cook and create foods with fun and exciting flavors. He loves to cook and wants to be the best chef ever. At school his friends do not want him on their team when it comes time to do a special group project. Elliott and Maribel, a super smart, and super organized girl are put on a team together. Elliott wants people to see him how he is. Maribel is also wanting to show people her true self. Can these two student work things out and cooperate on a project?

I loved this book and highly recommend it. The characters are believable and very well written. I felt for Elliott, I was rooting for Elliott and cheering him on. The same with Maribel. What these two come up with is ingenious. Elliott and Maribel both realize that sometimes you have to make mistakes in order to figure out how to do something right. I loved this book and read it in one sitting. The characters are default white.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari - OPTIONAL

Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari, 326 pages. Disney Hyperion, 2022. $19 

Language: R (70 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing)  Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

18yo College freshmen Madison and Lanie are complete opposites, yet still best friends. When Disney superfan Madison wins a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney’s newest attraction, Happily Ever Island, she anticipates a fairytale spring break getaway for her and her girlfriend. But when Madison gets unexpectedly dumped, she turns to super serious pre-med Lanie to accompany her. The island is everything a Disney fan could dream of, yet somehow Madison and Lanie find themselves pulled apart by circumstances. Will Madison find love with the nearly perfect vacation coordinator, Val? Will Lanie learn to let a little magic into her life? And can both girls learn to be true to themselves while still keeping their friendship alive? 

Disney fans will be swept away by the idea of a tropical island where every Disney princess lives in her own movie-worthy castle. The lessons of learning to be true to the person you were meant to be, not searching for fulfillment through relationships, and dealing with anxiety are subtle, yet effective. However, the high swear count feels almost forced and not at all in keeping with traditional Disney values. The alternating viewpoints of the two girls provide a lot of insight into each of the characters and how past experiences have affected their personalities. Various ethnicities are represented by the characters. 

Tammie H, Librarian 

Prince of Song and Sea by Linsey Miller - OPTIONAL

 Prince of Song and Sea by Linsey Miller, 345 pages. Disney, 2022. $18

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Prince Eric has been cursed – if he kisses anyone who is not his true love, he will die. That makes finding a queen a huge problem. When he is rescued by a mystery girl with a beautiful voice, he is sure that she is his true love. Eric needs to track down the witch who cursed his mother – an evil sea witch who has been the cause of not his kingdom’s problems, but of kingdoms up and down the coast for many years.

A look at the Disney Little Mermaid tale through the eyes of the Prince, with some added depth to Eric’s story. Interestingly, the book gives Eric’s mother (who is missing) a large role in the plot. If your students are liking the Disney Twisted Tales, then this should be an easy add to your collection. One of the characters presents as non-binary; there is an LGBT couple.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli - HIGH

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli, 392 pages. Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2022. $14 

Language: R (14 swears 3 'f's); Mature Content: R (Vaguely described sex,; non-detailed oral sex); 

Violence: PG (stabbing, peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY:  HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

19yo Emeline Lark lives in Montreal where she’s trying to leave her forest hometown of Edgewood in the past. She’s on the verge of becoming a singer with a recording company but as she performs she sees signs of the Edgewood Forest creeping onto the stage. Emeline sees a mysterious hooded stranger in the audience who becomes the key to her past and future, unbeknownst to her at the time. Pa, her grandfather, has dementia and when she goes home to take care of him, she’s pulled into the Edgewood Forest and her life is thrown into upheaval and danger. To free herself from the evil and corrupted Wood King, Emeline will have to dig deep and get to the bottom of the forest curse. 

The writing pulled me into the story with incredible world building and mysterious surroundings and characters. Hawthorne is a fascinating character. The story has action, tenderness and a roller coaster of emotions. Characters are predominantly white in Montreal and Edgewood but mixed colors of skin in the otherworldly forest of the Wood King. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta HS Librarian

All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr - OPTIONAL

All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr, 530 pages. Scribner. 2014. $19

Language: R 18 swears 4 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13;  Violence: R (Mentioned rape, violent and descriptive killing, undescribed action but detailed accounts of the effects)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Two main characters, the story spans from the time they are 6yo and 8yo to when they are 16yo and 18yo Marie-Laure La Blanc is six when she completely loses her sight, but this handicap has never made her feel inferior. With her father at her side, the world makes sense. It is a conquerable landscape of drainage gutters, cursed stones in museums, and Captain Nemo. When she is twelve, the Germans occupy Paris, and she and her father flee, ending up in a small town, in a tall house by the sea. In Germany, Werner Pfennig and his sister tinker with and old radio that brings stories of a world beyond the bleak future their mining town proffers. Becoming an expert in this new and exciting world of radios, Werner will enlist in the rising war to track town the resistance. Both Werner and Marie-Laure's paths briefly cross in the seaside village of Saint-Malo, and kindness, it seems, will find its ways of bridging radio waves, warring countries, and lost sight.

I am still reeling from this book. Doerr has put the war-time world into words, and his novel is more than something to read but a world to experience. He awesomely has illustrated the dichotomies of the world: the horrifying brutalities of war, the graceful beauties of kindness; the terror and sadness of inevitability, and the optimistic hope of opportunity. This was one of the heaviest books I have ever read, and I'm sure I will not be rereading it anytime soon, but I do know that it will stay with me for a long, long time. As this is a war story, there are terrible acts of brutality and cruel violence brought by the necessity of the time, and the language in it reflects that from time to time. Werner is an albino German. Marie-Laure's uncle, Etienne, suffers from post-traumatic stress from the first World War.

Sierra Finlinson

Clean Air by Sarah Blake - ADVISABLE

Clean Air by Sarah Blake, 320 pages. Algonquin Books, 2023. $27.

Language: R (40 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In 2042, the airborne pollens that come from trees blooming are deadly, which caused a massive reduction in population several years ago. Izabel (30yo) lives with her husband, Kaito, and their four-year-old daughter, Cami, in the new homes built to protect them from pollen, and life continues mostly like normal. But someone thinks that there hasn’t been enough death. They call him a serial killer. And that’s when Izabel’s daughter starts talking in her sleep.

I love that this stay-at-home mom and her four-year-old are the keys to the story. Watching everything unfold was exciting, and I couldn’t wait to see how things escalated and resolved. Blake’s thriller is almost realistic fiction, but then there’s a supernatural element that doesn’t feel out of place because Kaito is constantly telling Cami Japanese stories, including about mythological monsters. The combination of fantasy and realism is done seamlessly – my heart wants to label it as realistic fiction even as my mind is telling me it’s technically fantasy.

Izabel is Jewish and Uruguayan, Kaito is Japanese, and Jana is Muslim. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, and mentions of penis, rape, and sex. The violence rating is for murder and mentions of guns, self harm, and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The War to Save the Worlds by Samira Ahmed - ESSENTIAL

The War to Save the Worlds (Amira & Hamza #1) by Samira Ahmed, 356 pages. Little, Brown and Company/Poppy. 2021. $17.

Language: PG (30 swears (God) 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG - monster violence (i.e. green blood) warlike battles, dangerous challenges, peril. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Amira and her 10yo brother Hamza are the chosen ones. On a visit to a museum on a special night (Super Moon, Blue Moon Blood Moon - all on the same night) Hamza is drawn to an ancient object, and it begins to work. At the same time, they discover that everyone else is kind of frozen and a group of Jinn arrive on a golden throne and tell the kids that they are the Chosen Ones and are needed to save both their own and the world of the Jinn. 

Exciting and engaging, The War to Save the Worlds is the first in a series. Amira really likes science, and I love how she used that knowledge to work through some of the problems the faced with magic. The kids work with a group of Jinn and other characters from Urdu and Persian stories and myths to stop the moon from coming apart and destroying both worlds. 10yo Hamza was just the perfect little brother turned hero. His character will be highly appealing to 4th-5th graders and gives this big a larger audience. The children are Islamic.

Lisa Librarian

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora - ESSENTIAL

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora, 197 pages. Dial, 2022. $18 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Three eighth grade students are thrown together in pottery class. Oscar is the star of the football team, but he just lost his little sister to cancer. Ellie feels her mom dragged her to this tiny town from Philadelphia and Noah has been homeschooled his whole life. These three students bond over ceramics and things that are broken in their lives. They form a very unlikely friendship and realize that some things that are broken will never be fixed. 

The story of these three young people was both fascinating, heartwarming and heartbreaking. They stick together and do things they might not have normally done, just to support each other. I loved the story that showed that no matter what your background, you can make friends, do your best and live a good life. It really helps them that they have each other. I loved the story and highly recommend it.  The main characters are American and Mexican. 

Ellen-Anita. Librarian 

Virtually Me by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown - ADVISABLE

Virtually Me by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2023. $17.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The school district is trying a new virtual reality school – with VR technology mailed to each student’s home. Bradley is excited for a fresh start, Edelle’s mom thinks Edelle is too worried about being outwardly beautiful, and Hunter has a secret to hide. In their new junior high school full of avatars, can they really get to know anyone if no one wants to simply be themselves?

The journey that these students go on is all about learning to love yourself and being willing to look beyond outward appearances. I love that the story is told through different perspectives because it allows readers to see that people can mess up while still having good intentions. And maybe sometimes they don’t have the best of intentions but they are struggling, too. Everyone wants to be the hero of the story, but the truth is that we become heroes when we work together to be kind.

White, Black, and Asian characters are mentioned. The violence rating is for bullying and descriptions of a RV shooting game (players versus giant bugs).

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence - ADVISABLE

Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence, 304 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 2022 $18.00 Language: G (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G (2 kisses); Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Mai and 13yo Zach have been friends since they were little kids. Their moms are best friends and they spend their summers together in a vacation home in Connecticut. But Zach and his family have lived in Japan the last 2 years, and that previous summer something happened between Mai and Zach and Mai is still really mad about it. When Mai finds out Zach did some modeling in Japan and now has an Instagram, she wonders if she can enact her revenge by taking his photo and posting embarrassing pictures on his account. 

A lite romance, it’s more about creating, maintaining and repairing friendships. Mai spends the bulk of the book angry at Zach, and plotting revenge while the flashbacks slowly unfold what had happened. Some are sweet - times when she and Zach were best friends and others are sour - when they were 10/11 and Mai felt Zach betrayed their friendship. Sweet and Sour is a cute story perfect for upper elementary and middle schoolers. Mai and Zach are Korean, his family has lived in Japan for the last 2 years so they speak some Japanese 

Lisa Librarian 

Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker - ADVISABLE

Miss Newbury’s List by Megan Walker, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2023. $16.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Being engaged to a duke, Rosalind (20yo) should be thrilled. Instead, Rosalind feels like something is missing. She is sure that completing her list of ten things to do before she gets married will fill her emptiness, so Rosalind recruits her best friend, Liza, and Liza’s cousin, Charlie, to help her. Their adventures do help, but it may have more about who she’s with than the list.

Rosalind’s love story is totally adorable – it’s the equivalent of writing a bucket list and having your friends help you complete everything on the list. This exercise requires vulnerability on Rosalind’s side and commitment from all parties involved. The lines of right and wrong blur but are not crossed. Part of the charm of Rosalind’s love story is that they retain their integrity despite their inner turmoil.

All the characters are English. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, blackmail, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for boxing and knife use.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Twelfth Grade Night (Arden High book #1) by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm and Jamie Green - ADVISABLE

Twelfth Grade Night (Arden High book #1) by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm and Jamie Green, 160 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Disney/Hyperion. 2022. $25. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Violet and her twin brother Sebastian have been attending a private school together, but High School is a boarding school, and they feel, as their father recently passed away, that they should go to public school and continue to live at home. Violet is thrilled as she's always hated wearing the skirts required by the private school - she would rather dress like her brother. But at the last minute, Seb decides to board at the private school, so Vi is on her own in this Strange New High School. Vi makes a few friends right away, but things get weird when several of the boys all like the same girl - Olivia - and Olivia seems to like Vi. 

Based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night - a play about mistaken identity and disguising who you really are - I quickly accepted that the school is populated by both humans and fairies and that magic is a thing. While knowledge of Shakespeare's plays adds some fun elements to the story - kids at the school are characters from Twelfth Night as well as Midsummer Nights' Dream and others, Twelfth Grade Night is an engaging story on its own. The students speak freely about gender and sexual orientation, and are of diverse culture and races. 

Lisa Librarian

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim - OPTIONAL

Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim, 464 pages. Delacorte Press, 2023. $20.

Language: R (27 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Sahirans keep to themselves in the desert, protecting their magic and their people from the monsters in the surrounding area and the people beyond. Imani (17yo) is part of the Shields, like her older brother before he went missing a year ago. She’s given up on him for dead, but Amira hasn’t. And Amira might be right after all.

I had a difficult time reading Imani’s story because Imani felt more like an antagonist than a protagonist – she’s arrogant and selfish. When Imani went on her mission, she faced obstacles that continually cut her down, which meant I was watching an unlikable character fail over and over again. I didn’t find any enjoyment in that. Eventually, Imani started to change due to her character arc, but she still made choices I couldn’t relate with. I started enjoying the book three-fourths of the way in, but I can’t decide whether or not I’m willing to read a sequel. The magic system is cool, and it seems like there will be more of it to come; that’s the biggest draw for me.

The majority of characters, including Imani and her family and Taha, are either described as having “tawny” or “brown” skin or else are implied so. When white characters are introduced, it’s as outsiders. The mature content rating is for partial nudity, mentions of alcohol, and sexual assault. The violence rating is for weapon use, mention of suicide, fantasy violence, hanging, mentions of murder, and descriptions of corpses.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

What We Saw: A Thriller by Mary Downing Hahn - ADVISABLE

What We Saw: A Thriller by Mary Downing Hahn, 208 pages. Clarion (Clarion Books). 2022 $18. 

Language: G (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (description of violence - not on-page, also peril). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Abbi and Skylar live across the street from each other and have been best friends since 3rd grade. It's the summer between 7th and 8th grade and the girls discover an abandoned tree house in a "bad" part of town, the perfect place to read on a hot day. When a couple of cars drive up, and they overhear what sounds like a meeting between a man and a woman, Abbi takes pictures of the cars and their license plates - in case they are spies or something. But when one of the meetings turns into a fight and the woman runs into the woods, Abbi and Skylar think they may have important information that could help solve a murder. 

I was thrilled to see a new Mary Downing Hahn - my students can't get enough of her books, and while this isn't a creepy ghost story, it's certainly an exciting murder mystery. There are some bullies their age that are pretty scary, as well as some dangerous adults. Note: I listened to the audiobook while reading along with the ebook and there were some pointed differences - the chapters didn't line up, as well as additional or missing text and some scenes played out much differently. 

Lisa Librarian 

Retro by Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman - ADVISABLE

Retro by Sofia Lapuente and Jarrod Shusterman, 400 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2023. $20.

Language: R (67 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When cyberbullying goes too far, Luna contacts the social media app Limbo for help making the situation right. Limbo decides to come to Luna’s high school to issue the retro challenge: go a whole year without technology made since the turn of the century. Luna makes new friends, learns more about herself, and tries to figure out why students participating in the retro challenge start to go missing.

I feel like Lapuente and Shusterman make a lot of good points about the damage that can be done on social media and the connection we lose when they are exclusively online connections. Social media isn’t necessarily evil, but we can be better about being kind and responsible social media and technology users. Luna is the narrator, talking directly to readers. Her interruptions of the story were disorienting, but it also felt like they were intended to be that way. I didn’t really like those breaks, but it wasn’t good or bad, just a literary choice. 

Luna is Spanish and Mexican, Kilo is Hawaiian, and Mimi and Axel are depicted as white on the cover. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, innuendo, mentions of penis and vagina, implied sex, and sexual assault. The violence rating is for cyberbullying, attempted suicide, and descriptions of scary scenes.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Twelfth by Janet Key - ADVISABLE

Twelfth by Janet Key, 354 pages. Little, Brown and Company/Poppy. 2022 $17. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (evidence of physical assault, adult harming a child). 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Maren is attending Charlotte Goodman theater camp. Her sister is in treatment for depression - Hadley is now in college but went to the same camp for many years, and now Maren feels in her shadow as she tries to navigate the camp - hoping that people won't ask about her sister. She quickly makes friends with Theo, her bunkmate who identifies as non-binary. This may be the final year of the theater camp, as they are struggling for funding. Rumor has it that there may be a very expensive ring hidden somewhere on campus, and Maren, who is great at solving mysteries, is following clues while Theo films a "documentary" about her search for the ring. 

Told in alternating chapters - Maren's Theater camp experience and Charlotte Goodman's story (the 1930s-1950s which adds a bunch of Hollywood McCarthy era history). While theater people tend to be welcoming, some of the students' responses to non-binary Theo were, unfortunately realistic. Charlotte Goodman had been a director who presented male, and her story arc provides the mystery. There's a pretty nasty villain, she is ruthless and mean, and I think a bit over the top. I loved the theater school stories, the classes and the things the kids were learning were spot on. They pulled together a full Shakespeare production rather quickly, I'm hoping it was a children's theater version. Theater kids will like Twelfth. Includes a great interview with Jennifer Feldmann, MD on Gender Diversity. Characters' races and cultures were not defined 

Lisa Librarian 

Falling Out of Time (Running Out of Time #2) by Margaret Peterson Haddix - ESSENTIAL

Falling Out of Time (Running Out of Time #2) by Margaret Peterson Haddix, 352 pages. Katherine Tegen (Harper), APRIL 2023. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

12yo Zola loves her perfect life. Every day she gets fresh clothes from her InstaCloset; her food is delivered by the InstaOven. She and her classmates (who are from all over the world), meet in their VR classroom and fieldtrip anywhere they wish around the world and into the past. Then she finds a piece of paper in one of her outfits – someone is pleading for help. Zola finds out that her whole life is a lie – she and her mother are stuck in a Futureville – showing what life COULD be like in 2193, but really, they are living in 2023 – and everyone in Futureville is in trouble.

Haddix makes multiple great connections to Running Out of Time – fans of the first book will not be disappointed. She shows us how confusing Zola’s adapting to the present is, after she thought she lived in the perfect future. I can see why Haddix needed to wait 20 years – technology needed to reach a point where Zola’s future life could be possible. It looks like there will be a new cover of Running that coordinates with the cover of Falling.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout - NO

A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout, 551 pages. Blue Box Press, 2021. $20 (paperback)

Language: R (115 swears, 42 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (graphic, handsy kissing/ descriptive sex); Violence: R (baby murder/ violent graphic killing/ descriptive threats)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The first princess since the deal was made, Sera was born for one purpose: save her kingdom and kill the Primal of Death. She has trained her whole life for this in etiquette and weapons alike. So when the Primal turns her away, refusing to follow through with his deal and take her to his realm to marry, her life falls apart. Three years later, Sera has become her mother's personal assassin, but as the deal has gone unfinished, the kingdom is falling in rapid despair as it is claimed by both the Rot as well as violent, cruel gods. But not all gods are evil. In fact Sera may come to not only befriend one, but maybe just love him as they work to solve the issue of unruly gods. Ash is unexpectedly kind, unbelievable powerful, and is growing a little to close to Sera's heart for comfort. 

I'm not sure if it was because I had just finished a phenomenal series or something else entirely, but this book fell short in nearly every single category. The editing was atrocious and the book was full of grammatical errors; the writing and character development was subpar at best, and, worst of all, the characters were unlikeable and unbelievable. This book has nearly four and a half stars on both Goodreads and Barnes and Noble and is one of the most recommended on social medias, but I was not impressed! Not to mention the graphic sexual scenes including dirty talk and described arousal, this made for a rather unpleasant read. After reading this, I either need a phenomenal book to believe again that books are worth reading, or to take a month-long reading cleanse. Sera is white and Ash is a tan white man, both are straight. Most of their acquaintances also fall under this description except for Sera's stepsister who makes this book LGBTQ+ friendly.

Sierra Finlinson 

The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman - HIGH

The Corpse Queen by Heather M. Herrman, 401 pages. G.P. Putnam's Sons (Penguin), 2021. $14

Language: R (43 swears, 4 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (undescribed premarital sex, unwed pregnancy by side characters); Violence: PG-13 (Grave robbery and stealing parts from dead bodies, bloody remains, stabbing)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In 1855 Philadelphia, Molly lives at an orphanage until her aunt requests that she live with her. Before she even meets her aunt, she’s told she has to pick up a package first which turns out to be nothing like she expects. Tom works for Molly’s aunt Ava and he picks her up from the orphanage, takes her to pick up the package then transports her to Ava’s home. Molly finally meets Ava and is given snippets of information about living there and what she’s required to do to stay. She’s expected to collect bodies for Dr. Lavall’s lectures and usually this requires dishonesty. Molly is eventually allowed to join the lectures and discovers that she wants to become a doctor herself even though she’s not welcomed into the surgical world by society or the other students. Molly also becomes deeply entwined in the mystery of The Knifeman and it’s going to take all her cleverness and bravery to keep from becoming a victim herself.

Suspenseful, creepy and frightening story kept me riveted. Molly’s strength overcomes her insecurities from being left in an orphanage by her parents and the abuse she suffered there. I enjoy the diverse characters and Tom’s personality and perseverance. The mystery is interesting. The characters are mainly Irish-American, white.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman - ADVISABLE

 

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman. PICTURE BOOK. Holiday House, 2022 (reprint, gift edition with a poster and 25th anniversary afterword). $25. 9780823452552

Content: PG (goblins, scares, gambling)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Hershel of Ostropol came into town on the first night of Hanukkah tired and hungry. But when he arrived, the village was silent and dark. Not a single Hanukkah candle could be seen. The villagers explained that they cannot have Hanukkah because of the Goblins haunting the synagogue at the top of the hill. Hershel decides to help the village. They tell him that he must spend eight nights in the old synagogue. The Hanukkah candles must be lit one by one each night. On the eighth night, the king of the goblins must light them himself to break their power. Hershel goes up to the synagogue and each night tricks each goblin and lights the candles. On the final night, will Hershel be able to trick the King of the goblins into lighting the candles himself?

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is delightful and clever. I enjoyed finding out how Hershel tricked each scary goblin. Hyman’s illustrations were magical and masterful.

PGPowers 

Trigger by N. Griffin - OPTIONAL

Trigger by N. Griffin, 256 pages. Atheneum (Simon & Schuster), 2022. $10 (paperback)

Language: R (67 swears, 22 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (severe neglect); Violence: R (physical child abuse and hunting child with a gun)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Small Town, USA is where Didi attends school, but she lives with her father in a secluded area. He’s abusive and neglects to give Didi everything she needs. Didi is terrified and on edge always, even when she’s not around her father because she’s worried she’ll do something wrong and he’ll find out somehow. Her father makes her run laps around the property so she can become as quick as possible but she doesn’t know why he cares about that. He also forces her to learn and play chess and compete in tournaments and she has to be the best. Eventually, Didi understands the reason her father has made her do these things but it might be too late for her to save herself.

The story is disturbing because of the neglect and abuse. The effects on the child’s physical and mental well-being are portrayed through the coping skills the main character develops over time to deal with her life; they were heartbreaking at times. The timeline jumps around and that was difficult to follow. Didi has brown hair but ethnicity is never stated of others. The ending was the best part.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

How to Manage Your Social Power in Middle School by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD and DeAndra Hodge - ESSENTIAL

How to Manage Your Social Power in Middle School (Kid Confident #1) by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD, illustrated by DeAndra Hodge. 223 pages. NON-FICTION Magination Press. 2022. $17. 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Social Power is the dynamic between you and another person (of a similar age). When Social power is unbalanced, one person tries to have power over the other, or take the other's power away. Sometimes this is mild - a friend ignores you or says something rude, or can be extreme - extreme power imbalance is called bullying. Especially in middle school, kids test out social power (most likely the cause of a lot of the drama at school). In this helpful book, kids are taught what their social rights are and how to be assertive; they learn about self confidence and self control and what to do to rebalance power. Dr. Zucker gives the reader several scenarios and how the kids in them worked through social power problems. 

She speaks to the reader in positive and helpful ways. I loved that she encouraged the reader to role play and make a plan. She called it a "Stress Inoculation Plan" because the more you practice the more confidence you feel and the better prepared you will be. I loved the note to parents at the beginning that says - your kid needs to learn to do this themselves, don't just call the other kid's parents. I loved the repetition and how the skills build on each other, and there are a bunch of extra resources. For sure buying for my library along with the rest of the series. 

Lisa Librarian

Breakup From Hell by Ann Davila Cardinal - OPTIONAL

Breakup From Hell by Ann Davila Cardinal, 304 pages. HarperTeen (HarperCollins Publishers), 2023. $19.

Language: R (183 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Mica sees a new boy pop up three times in the same day, she takes notice. This boy, Sam, seems to really get her and she feels drawn to him in a way she never has before. Mica also starts having weird visions of fires, gains unexplainable strength, and notices that the weather has been getting warmer. The more time Mica spends with Sam, the more convinced she is that he is the source of these changes.

If you want a ridiculous and entertaining story, look no further. Cardinal throws together descendants of Satan and archangels, family secrets, and a new truck named Pegasus – readers never know what the next page will bring. Don’t let the handful of inconsistencies trip you up and just enjoy the ride.

Mica and her abuela are Puerto Rican, and most of the other characters are described as or are implied white. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and underage drinking, innuendo, and mention of sex. The violence is for gun use and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black - HIGH

The Queen of Nothing (Folk of Air #2) by Holly Black, 305 pages. Little Brown, 2019. $13

Language: PG (6 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (brief, undescriptive sex); Violence: R (High body count, murder and attempts of murder, a cannibal)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Jude has lost. The exiled High Queen of Elfhame, Jude has lost her husband, her power, and her world. She spends her days missing the magic, the scheming, and, as much as she hates it, Cardan. So when her twin sister Taryn arrives needing a favor and baring an opportunity to go back into Faerieland, Jude cannot refuse, and she soon learns that Elfhame is not how she left it. War is coming, prophecies are fulfilling, and curses are awakening.

The Queen of Nothing is a stunning conclusion to this brilliantly constructed trilogy. If anything, this series gets better as it progresses and the first two novels can almost be viewed as prequals that introduce and familiarize the reader with the world and characters so that one may fully appreciate the climax. This series is LGBTQIA+ friendly and violence heavy, including many undescriptive murders but it talks about death and blood quite a lot. 

Sierra Finlinson 

The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix - OPTIONAL

The Ones We Burn by Rebecca Mix, 480 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2022. $11 .

Language: PG (11 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (drinking); Violence: PG-13 (Bloody deaths, not detailed) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In an imaginary kingdom full of mixed ethnicities, Ranka is desperate to find Yeva. So desperate that she agrees to the betrothal of the Prince so she can search for her. Soon, Ranka’s companions include Prince Galen, Princess Aramis and the noble young ambassador Percy. After the virus winalin is discovered throughout the kingdom, the four companions want to stop it. Winalin is turning witches into diseased monsters that are intent on killing. While trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, their lives are completely overturned. Ranka, Prince Galen, Princess Aramis and Percy each realize that none of them might survive. 

I like that the story creates empathy and approaches the topic of abusive manipulation. Ranka’s character development is interesting. I like that there’s little swearing. The four main characters are lgbt and default to white. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd - ADVISABLE

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd, 368 pages. Scholastic. 2022. $18. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Olive has been home-schooled and wants more than anything to go to Macklemore Middle School and find a BFF. But, Olive is "fragile” because she has osteogenesis imperfecta, otherwise known as brittle bone disease. Her mother is worried, her teachers are worried and even some of the students are worried, but she is allowed to go as long as she stays in her wheelchair, which adds a layer of protection. Her first day isn't great - all the kids avoid her and she has an aide who pushes her slowly around the building and won't let her choose where to eat lunch. She's thrilled to see there are play auditions, but the drama teacher won't even allow her up on the stage - and there is no ramp. But when a rumor that a magical bird may be back to grant a "once in a generation" wish, Olive hopes to find the bird, and prove herself worthy. 

I really loved the touch of magical realism, it was a great surprise and changed the story from being about Olive's frustrations at not fitting in, to a hopeful look at what it really means to be fragile. The friendships Olive builds feel genuine and sweet, and I loved her supportive - yet careful parents and I don't blame them for being protective. The author also has OI, so details about Olive's condition and feelings were perfectly authentic. I will certainly be buying a copy and letting my theater kids know about it. Olive is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Riven by Mindee Arnett - OPTIONAL

Riven by Mindee Arnett, 448 pages. Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins Publishers), 2023. $20.

Language: PG13 (24 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Mars has been a merc ever since Una picked him up off the street, but, after his most recent mission, Mars is ready to get out. Ten months away with a normal job and Mars has almost enough to leave Riven. But then Una calls him back, and he has to answer. No matter how much he wants to, Mars cannot say no to this job – but it will be his last.

The premise appealed to me with the offer of mercenaries, backstabbing, action, magic, secrets, et cetera, but I had a hard time wanting to keep reading. I didn’t care about Mars or Fura and their goals, and I couldn’t picture where they were or what they were trying to accomplish. Something changed in chapter twenty-four, and I finally found myself engaged in what was happening. And then my attention drifted again in the last couple chapters. There will be a sequel, and I will not be reading it.

Fura is white, and Una is described as having “pale” skin, but Arnett is ambiguous about most of the characters. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, innuendo, brief nudity, and mention of sex. The violence rating is for gun and other weapon use, battle scenes, blood, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Choosing Brave by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington - ESSENTIAL

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington. BIOGRAPHY Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan). 2022 $20. 9781250220950 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Mamie Till-Mobley was the mother of Emmett Till. She grew up in a town outside Chicago called Argo, where she graduated from High School top of her class. Emmett was her only child. He was a good boy, helpful, happy and responsible. After contracting Polio, Emmett had a stutter. His mother taught him to whistle to get his mind and tongue unstuck. When he visits family in the south and is killed, Mamie is brave, and does the hardest thing - she has his body sent back home and spends the rest of her life working for social change. 

There are other stories about Emmett Till for young readers (A Wreath for Emmett Till, Getting Away with Murder) but I especially loved Choosing Brave, as the focus was on Mamie and what she did rather than on the murder itself. Perfectly appropriate for a younger audience. I must say, I didn't love the illustrations, as they are a less traditional style, but they didn't detract from the story - just a personal preference. I think Choosing Brave is an important addition to both the middle school and elementary library. The characters are Black 

Lisa Librarian

Yonder By Ali Standish - ESSENTIAL

Yonder by Ali Standish. 368 pages. HarperCollins. 2022. $17. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (physical bullying, descriptions of injuries). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Danny Timmons has a hero. An older boy named Jack Bailey. Jack saved twins from drowning during a flood, and he also stepped up and stopped a bully who was hurting Danny. They are friends of a sort, delivering newspapers together in their small Appalacian town, but Jack is a loner - his father is abusive, and when he doesn’t show up for his route one morning, Danny is frantic, certain Jack’s father has done something. 

Danny’s own father is overseas fighting in WWII.  Danny is collecting scrap metal, there are food rations, a draft board, service stars in peoples windows, prejudice against a German widow and a black family.  Although there is a lot going on, Yonder is an honest look at WWII and how it affected the people in the United States.  I was thoroughly engaged right from the start. Ali Standish tells some of the story in flashbacks - which are easily identified as the pages are grayish and the text is italics. I haven’t read many stories about American children during WWII, and I loved Yonder. Includes an authors note on some of the history of WWII that isn’t in the history books like how long our government knew about the extermination camps and our response to German refugees. Danny and Jake and most of the town is white. 

Lisa Librarian

Maybe An Artist by Liz Montague - OPTIONAL

Maybe An Artist by Liz Montague, 168 pages, GRAPHIC NOVEL, MEMOIR.  Penguin Random House. 2022. $25.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Liz tells her story from age five through college.  She touches on her dyslexia, how she navigated a predominantly white New Jersey neighborhood as an African American, and how her dreams of being a track star shifted to art.

This is a different layout than most graphic novels, with more white space per page and far fewer cells.  While Liz’s story resonates with common themes of finding oneself and growing up, its appeal seems more limited and a little self-serving.  Liz is all about social issues, so if that is a point of interest, this may be helpful.

Michelle in the Middle

The Wicked King by Holly Black - ESSENTIAL

The Wicked King (Folk of Air #2) by Holly Black, 322 pages. Little Brown, 2019. $13 

Language: PG (3 swears,0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (nongraphic make out, unsexual nudity and partial sexual nudity); Violence: PG-13 (infrequent, vague murders) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Jude has made progress. . She has established her place in court. She has made sure Oak is safe in the human world with Vivi and Vivi's new girlfriend, Heather. And she has power over her own puppet High King, the former cruel prince. However, as Jude learns that someone close to her has betrayed her, she will not only fight for her honor, but for this wicked world that has become her home, a task that becomes increasingly difficult as she also battles her growing feelings for Cardan.

Black writes a book full of political scheming, clever plots, and intelligent characters. One of my favorite things about this trilogy is the way the Black has managed to not only create an inhuman race, but develop and portray them as believable and brilliant people. This is not a light-hearted book about fairies and romance, but rather a political exploration of playing one's cards, of bargaining, and of trust.

Sierra Finlinson 

Things to Look Forward To by Sophie Blackall - ADVISABLE

Things to Look Forward To: 52 Large and Small Joys for Today and Every Day by Sophie Blackall,  128 pages. Chronicle Books, 2022.  $23. 9781797214481

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

The author and illustrator shared different things to look forward to during the dark days of the pandemic and this book is a collection of favorites, one for each week of the year. The illustrations are a mix of big and small moments, personal and public, and lead the reader to reflect on their own lives and what they look forward to themselves.

I had assumed, when I picked up this book, that it was a picture book for children. That is not the case. It is illustrated, but it is definitely meant for older readers. The content is totally fine, but only readers of a certain maturity will understand how some of the things are worth looking forward to (e.g. taxes, dinner parties with friends, married life, etc). I stated that it would have low audience appeal because I feel that it’s a book that adults may love more than kids do. I could see this being used as a mentor text in a high school ELA/creative writing class, but wouldn’t have much mainstream appeal in a school library. 

Kiera, #bookswithbeddes

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - HIGH

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, 370 pages. Little Brown, 2018. $13

Language: PG (6 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (suicide); Violence: R (violent deaths, blood, abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Jude is a human girl living in a world of faeries. When she was young, her parents were murdered and she and her sisters brought to a world of danger, treachery, and deception. Now, she wants nothing more to belong in this place where she is scorned for her differences, for her weakness, especially by the youngest and most terrible of the High King's sons: Prince Cardan. To earn her place Jude must play her cards, sharpen her skills, and defy the prince. 

Initially I had mixed emotions about this book. While the writing, worldbuilding, vocabulary, and characters are brilliantly built and used, this novel was off to a slow start. Honestly, while I read it in a single sitting, I didn't care much for it until I finished it and could not get my hands on the next one soon enough! Despite what one may see through TikTok recommendations, this book is much more focused on politics than romance (although the romance is quite spectacular as it is one of the most genuine enemies-to-lovers I have ever had the pleasure of reading). This novel does contain quite a bit of violence. It's "R" rating regarding violence was not due to the acts themselves or the gore (although there is definitely some of that) but rather why they are committed or other circumstances surrounding them.

Sierra Finlinson 

The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze - ESSENTIAL

The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze, 362 pages. Union Square & Co., 2022. $10

Language: PG (4 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (threats, kidnapping, bloody death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In 1885 Sacramento, amidst the fight for women’s rights, runaway twins work for a performance troupe as psychics. Edie is reserved while her twin Violet is theatrical. Edie’s and Violet’s mother had spiritualist powers and she helped her daughters learn how to be safe with the powers they inherited from her. When their mother dies due to a shadow spirit, their preacher father threatens to send them to an asylum so they run away. They join up with the troupe and meet like-minded women trying to make a living. Edie and Violet become embroiled in a mystery that’s bigger than they ever imagined and much more dangerous than they planned on.

I appreciate the author’s note explaining how she based this story on her deceased great grandmother and her twin sister, who both happened to be spiritualists. I was riveted throughout the entire book because the story is interesting and I love the characters. The danger and suspense are intense. The ethnicity is mixed with the sisters being white, with Italian and Black secondary characters. LGBT couple mentioned.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

The Ballad of Never After by Stephanie Garber - ESSENTIAL

The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart #2) by Stephanie Garber. 416 pages. Flatiron Books, 2022. $20 

Language: PG (5 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (bloody death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Evangeline has sworn to never trust Jacks again. She has her own magic now, and she intends to use it to restore a happily ever after that does not include a certain fated Prince of Hearts. Unfortunately, things rarely go the way Evangeline plans them, and when a certain terrifying new curse is revealed she will have no other choice than to work with Jacks. However, things are different this time and Evangeline wonders if Jacks is the only person she can trust. To break the spell, the two will have to fight new foes as well as threats appearing from the past and, most of all, a dangerous magic that plays with heads and hearts. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, reading it in a single sitting! I liked it even better than the first! The plot is well-paced and intriguing, the characters well developed and likeable, and the writing is immersive and simply magical! The only disappointment is that the next book isn't out yet! 

Sierra Finlinson