Across the Star-Kissed Sea by Arlem Hawks - OPTIONAL

Across the Star-Kissed Sea by Arlem Hawks, 288 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Her father’s criminal acts tainted the family, forcing May (19yo) and her mother to join the workforce to provide for themselves. When May’s employer dies, her options are to become a scullery maid in the home her mother works in or else take the future into her own hands. May applies for the position of lady’s maid to a naval captain’s wife, which leads to more discoveries about herself and her heart than about the sea and the world.

A little adventure, a little swashbuckling action, and a lot of romance hindered by misunderstandings and secrets are in store for readers here. May’s story is ultimately about trust—forgiveness of others and self, navigating hurt and vulnerability, and the courage to choose trust anyway. Sometimes we ourselves are our biggest obstacles to overcome, and happiness awaits our efforts to try again.

The majority of characters are English, though there are a handful of French and Spanish characters mentioned. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of harlots, partial nudity, kissing, and innuendo. The violence rating is for assault, mild blood and gore, and naval battle scenes.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz by Yuzuru Kuki - OPTIONAL

Manga Biographies: Charles M. Schulz by Yuzuru Kuki, 168 pages. BIOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC NOVEL. Udon Entertainment, 2024. $14.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Charles “Sparky” Schulz developed a love for the funnies in the newspaper as he read them with his parents as a kid. As he grew older, his dream to become a cartoonist never faded—even while battling self-doubt and facing rejection letters.

The biography of Schulz tells the story of a dedicated man who had insecurities and didn’t let those insecurities keep him from fighting to live his dream. He seems to be one of those genuinely good people you root for and sometimes doubt exists in nonfiction. Visually, the book is occasionally confusing because the story’s panels are supposed to be followed in the traditional manga right-to-left format but the Peanuts cartoons added are still in their original left-to-right format, forcing readers to switch back and forth as they read.

The majority of depicted characters are White. The mature content rating is for alcohol use.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard - OPTIONAL

The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard, 336 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $18.

Language: R (59 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL, ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Being the granddaughter of a serial killer has always colored Capri’s life—especially since she believes he was innocent. Researching her grandfather’s case led to other serial killers and murder cases, which eventually inspired Capri (49yo) to start a tour company that focused on murder spots around San Francisco. But she wasn’t the only one to be inspired. A copycat killer has started murdering more women, placing a glaring spotlight on Capri and her family once more.

Capri digs into both the open serial killer case and her grandfather’s closed case, tangling everything together and keeping readers on edge for two big reveals. Riding the line between helping protect herself and her daughter without impeding the police investigation makes for some amusing antics, and Chouinard kept me engaged the entire time. Plus, there are enough truths mixed in with the story that I’m on my way to being convinced I need to visit San Francisco—but only during daylight hours.

The majority of characters are implied White, though Chinese, Indian, and Latino characters are mentioned as well as a couple of LGBT characters. The mature content rating is for alcohol use; illegal activity; mentions of drugs, prostitutes, sexual harassment, rape, and sex; groping;  nudity; and innuendo. The violence rating is for blood and gore, assault, mentions of corpses and suicide, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller - OPTIONAL

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller, 336 pages. Feiwel (Macmillan), 2024. $19

Language: R (62 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing and off-page sex); Violence: R (bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

19yo Chrysantha is a beast. She and her sister Alessandra are in constant competition and their father expects both of them to keep him out of bankruptcy by marrying someone rich. While Alessandra married the Shadow King, Chrysantha married an elderly Duke but she ends him within two months after their marriage. Since the Duke has no heirs, she inherits everything and thoroughly enjoys redecorating the manor and revamping her wardrobe. She also gives the servants raises and shows them appreciation for their hard work. Eryx arrives, claiming he’s the Duke’s grandson and turns life in the manor upside down. Eryx has a secret and Chrysantha isn’t going to let him get away with ruining her plans without finding out what he’s hiding.

The contradictions of Chrysantha’s character and actions are entertaining. Eryx is an interesting character and I enjoyed the unknown that went along with his secret. I liked Chrysantha’s feistiness. Pale ivory, peach, dark beige, ebony skinned, deep obsidian skin tone, golden skin are all mentioned.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace - MANY

Wisteria by Adalyn Grace, 432 pages. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024. $15

Language: PG-13 (23 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: R (on page sex); Violence: PG (fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

21yo Blythe is marrying Aris, Fate, because he saved her father from being falsely accused of murder. Neither are happy about the marriage but their wedding rings force them to be together whenever they venture apart. To show Blythe’s father that they’re happily married, Aris creates a beautiful palace and village to convince him of the comfort and love the two of them share. The couple starts to enjoy each other’s company when Chaos, Solanine, arrives to wreak havoc. Chaos causes plagues and tragedies. Aris and Blythe must work together to stop disaster from happening. The prose is gorgeous! I enjoy reading what Blythe’s imagination creates. Humorous banter and fun world building make this book even better. Beautiful descriptions of scenery. Ethnicity falls to white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool - OPTIONAL

Garden of the Cursed by Katy Rose Pool, 352 pages. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2023. $12

Language: R (54 swears, 5 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kiss); Violence: PG-13 (bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

18yo Marlow is a curse breaker who is helping her past crush, Adrius. Adrius has been given a curse that forces him to obey any orders given to him. He only trusts Marlow when he doesn’t even trust his own family. Adrius comes from a rich, powerful family who values money and power above all. When Marlow discovers who placed the curse on Adrius, she also reveals a secret that will change her life forever.

The mystery behind the curse is fun to watch unravel. Marlow’s perseverance is admirable. The secrets revealed are intriguing and make me excited for the sequel, Masquerade of the Heart Ethnicity is predominantly white. Adrius has warm brown skin. Corrine has dark skin.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

Portrait of a Shadow by Meriam Metoui - OPTIONAL

Portrait of a Shadow by Meriam Metoui, 256 pages. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2024. $18

Language: R (11 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG (fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

18yo Mae is desperate to find her missing sister Inez. Her parents want to move on from the pain and accept that Inez will never come home, but Mae sees how their marriage is crumbling and how they’ve changed since Inez went missing. She goes to New York under the guise of cleaning out Inez’ apartment in search of any possible clues to her whereabouts. She meets Dev, a neighbor of Inez’, and he seems just as interested in finding Inez as Mae is. So they venture out together in search of a mysterious white painting that Inez has many notes of research on. What Mae discovers changes both of their lives forever!

The alternating timelines build suspense. I like how dedicated Mae is to her sister. I’m fascinated with Dev and his background. Dev is from India and Mae from Africa.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone by Michelle Cusolito - OPTIONAL

A Window into the Ocean Twilight Zone by Michelle Cusolito, 140 pages. NON-FICTION. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2024. $19. 9781623543020

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

An account of a 24 day research trip to study the deepest part of the ocean known as the ocean's twilight zone. The author details the day to day life on the ship, how they weathered the storms, the scientific equipment used, the experiments done, and the discoveries made. 

Cusolito writes a book is full of great photographs of their research trip. The writing style is approachable and interesting. I liked that the human side of the trip was detailed along with the scientific parts. Students who love the ocean will find this book very interesting.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman - ADVISABLE

When We Flew Away by Alice Hoffman, 304 pages. Scholastic Press, 2024. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Before Anne Frank started writing in her diary, she lived a—mostly—normal life. Sure, her family fled to the Netherlands when Germany started imposing extra rules onto those of Jewish descent, but Anne (10yo) loved going to school and got into arguments with her mother and talked through math class. Until the night everything changed.

Hoffman flits between the whimsical Anne with poetic imaginings and the heavy facts of regulations on the Jewish people and death statistics. This fictitious prequel to The Diary of a Young Girl paints every member of Anne Frank’s family with mercy. Anne’s diary shows the difficulty that Anne had with her relationships with her mother and older sister, and Hoffman suggests that each of these characters could still have been motivated with love as they struggled to deal with this difficult time.

Anne and her family are German and Jewish. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault, death, and mentions of war, hate crimes, bombing, holocaust, and concentration camps.

Review: Carolina Herdegen

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell - ADVISABLE

Impossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures #1) by Katherine Rundell, 334 pages. Knopf Books (Random House), 2024. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEAL TO: MANY

When his dad has to go on a work trip, Christopher ends up visiting his grandfather in Scotland until his father returns. Christopher is finally entrusted with the family legacy from his mother’s side and is immediately called upon to fulfill his duties. The invisible islands keeping every mythical creature safe from humankind is losing magic, and Mal needs Christopher’s help to save it all.

Heartfelt in every way—from laughter to tears—readers are caught up in the magical quest to save the Archipelago with Christopher and Mal. No obstacle will stand in their way as they push forward to their goal one step at a time. Also, the illustrations are beautifully done, bringing both familiar and unfamiliar mythical creatures to life.

Christopher is British, Mal is described as having “olive” skin, and Irian is described as having “brown” skin. The mature content rating is for alcohol use. The violence rating is for blood, assault, fantasy violence, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Giga Town: The Guide to Manga Iconography by Fumiyo Kouno - OPTIONAL

Giga Town: The Guide to Manga Iconography by Fumiyo Kouno, 132 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Udon Entertainment, 2024. $13.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Kouno has put together a collection of short manga comic strips, like newspaper comics, that give examples of different visual cues used in manga to convey additional information. Some of the symbols give clues to the readers about what a character is feeling or what time of year it is. Laugh at these cute personified animals and learn something along the way.

If I’m being embarrassingly honest, I didn’t understand all of the jokes made in the cute little comic strips. Some of them were funny, but mostly I was looking for context for the symbols being used. Kouno explains the different nuances of symbols used if they have multiple meanings, and it was fun to learn some of the cultural reasons why the visual cues are what they are. This guide is intended for a very niche audience and is a quick read for anyone interested.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

So True a Love by Joanna Barker - OPTIONAL

So True a Love by Joanna Barker, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $17.

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL, ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Three months ago, everything changed for Verity (21yo) and she put the work she loved as a private investigator behind her. But then Verity is with her best friend, Elizabeth, when her family is robbed at gunpoint. Elizabeth is overly distressed and begs Verity to help her, so, despite her reservations, she takes on one last case.

Maybe Verity gets a little sidetracked from the investigation, and maybe readers do too, because of the adorable romance that runs into her when she least expects it. The heart of the book is that Verity is afraid to go after the things that she wants because wanting something opens her up to vulnerability, which is a struggle everyone can relate to. Her story is a reminder that, while everything may not go according to plan, ruined plans do not mean that there is no happy solution. Keep trying.

The characters are British. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, illegal activity, innuendo, mild sexual harassment, and kissing. The violence rating is for assault and gun use.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Lady Flyer by Heather B. Moore - ADVISABLE

Lady Flyer by Heather B. Moore, 416 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $28.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Nancy Harkness fell in love with flying at a young age and got her pilot’s license when she was 16 years old. A few years later, she became the 54th woman in the United States of America to have a commercial pilot’s license, and Nancy continued to work hard for a career in aviation. When WWII started, Nancy passionately started lobbying for female pilots to help with flying jobs in America to free up the men to go to war, but opposition arose at every step.

With our modern-day freedoms, it’s easy to forget that we stand upon the shoulders of people like Harkness who fought for equality. It is also fascinating to see how these pilot pieces fit into the history of WWII and shaped our ability to win that war. I never knew that these pieces were part of the puzzle, but Harkness and those who worked with her were key players. The story is bittersweet with all the losses felt even amidst the celebration of the end of the war, and the happy ending comes when we recognize that the reality of women in the workforce today, especially in regard to aviation, owes credit to Harkness’s determination.

Nancy is depicted as white on the cover, and the majority of characters are implied white. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and mentions of sexual harassment. The violence rating is for death and for mentions of war and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Between Two Sounds by Joonas Sildre - OPTIONAL

Between Two Sounds by Joonas Sildre, 224 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, BIOGRAPHY. Plough Publishing House, 2024. $26.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Arvo Pärt, world-famous Estonian composer, studied and wrote in a Soviet environment. Those circumstances hindered his ability to be heard, but did not change his ability to compose according to the ways he felt inspired. Ignoring those who would silence him, Pärt continued to chase his dreams to create.

In this graphic novel biography, readers get to see the sounds that affected Pärt and how his compositions affected his audiences in a way that teased my eyes into hearing the music throughout the book. The illustrations and overall message are inspiring, though the story itself feels choppy as readers jump through scenes of highs and lows in Pärt’s life.

Most of the characters are Estonian. The violence rating is for mentions of war and bombs.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron - OPTIONAL

This Book Kills by Ravena Guron, 368 pages. Sourcebooks Fire, 2024. $12.

Language: PG13 (26 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Hugh (17yo) and Millie are the it couple of their private school, which makes their public breakup even more of a spectacle. But then Hugh ends up dead—the exact same way that Jess (16yo) imagined the murder in her short story for a class assignment. As questions and accusations fly, Jess’s scholarship is put on the line, and she goes digging for the truth herself.

The whole murder mystery is a convoluted mess for the characters trying to solve the case, which was enjoyable as the reader trying to put the pieces together with them. Guron made the scenario feel pretty realistic with all the red herrings that have to be waded through and with the ways real life and biases get in the way of teenagers attempting to investigate murder. My only disappointment is that the perpetrator seems to come out of left field instead of being revealed in an aha moment that makes everything click.

Jess is Indian-British, and Lucy is undefined but also non-White, with the rest of the characters implied British. Summer is gay, and Hattie is bi. The mature content rating is for kissing, underage drinking, partial nudity, and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen