The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace - OPTIONAL

The Haunted Librarian by Auralee Wallace, 368 pages. Ace (Penguin Random House), 2026. $20.

Language: PG (10 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (mild scary elements); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Landing this job as a night librarian in town is a dream come true for Amelia; everything about it is perfect. Except for the ghosts. All her life, Amelia has told herself to ignore the ghosts that only she can see, but these ones will not be ignored. So now they have to go.

The story is cheesy and predictable in a way that you know the author had fun writing it, which was endearing. While there is some romance, it’s just a sprinkling in the background of Amelia learning more about ghosts and more about herself. I was distracted throughout the book by wondering what exactly Amelia’s schedule is supposed to be because it seemed like she just went to and left from work whenever she wanted. The resolution was satisfying in a bittersweet way, though of course the book ends on a happily ever after note.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt's Heart by Sarah Miller - OPTIONAL

Hick: The Trailblazing Journalist Who Captured Eleanor Roosevelt's Heart by Sarah Miller, 374 pages. NON FICTION BIOGRAPHY Random House Studio, 2025. $21

Language: PG (47 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing, mention of sexual assault); Violence: PG (brief mentions of child abuse)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Lorena Hickok overcame a difficult childhood to become a successful journalist in the early 1900s. Just as she was gaining confidence in her career, she received an assignment she didn’t want: covering Eleanor Roosevelt during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential campaign. As the two women spent time together on the campaign trail, their relationship grew into a deep romantic love. What began as an unexpected connection developed into a nearly 30-year relationship that would shape much of the rest of their lives.

I learned a great deal from this book, which takes place primarily during the 1920s through the 1940s. The author clearly did extensive research and stayed close to primary sources. Lorena Hickok led a fascinating life and was a trailblazer for women in journalism. Her experiences offered an interesting glimpse into both the challenges women faced in the profession and the historical events of the era.

Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok are white. 

Amy Snow, Librarian

For No Mortal Creature by Keshe Chow - OPTIONAL

For No Mortal Creature by Keshe Chow, 464 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: R (51 swears, 23 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (minor suggestive content, no overt sexual acts, flashback with underage drinking); Violence: R (numerous and graphic scenes of sword fighting and stabbing and spilt blood on page)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Jia is seemingly powerless in a hidden village where powers are not unusual to have. She wants to save her popo (grandma) from the death realms and to do so she must retrieve a mythical sword that conquers death from the deepest levels of the death realm. However, Jia must overcome many trials, along with managing an angsty love triangle between an old friend and an enemy prince, before she can possibly reunite with her grandmother again.

I’m a dark and spooky loving kind of girl and this book checked off both of those things. It contains elements of death and resurrection as a form of power and includes subtle forms of Chinese mythology with how it describes ghosts and their punishments.

Chow never explicitly says but based off of the setting and description of the characters it makes it feel like Asian ethnicity and architecture (black hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones and pearlescent skin).

Maryn Beddes reviewer

Pushing Hope: An Illustrated Memoir of Survival by Raymond Santana and Keith Henry Brown - ADVISABLE

Pushing Hope: An Illustrated Memoir of Survival by Raymond Santana and Keith Henry Brown. 288 pages. BIOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC NOVEL. Calkins Creek, 2025. $18

Language: R (1 swear, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (mention of rape and fondling breasts; brief non-sexual rear nudity); Violence: PG-13 (discussions of police violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

In 1989 14yo Raymond Santana moved to Harlem from the Bronx. Harlem's art and fashion scene is fresh and inspiring to Santana. He talks about the change in scenery and hanging out with friends. While hanging out with friends near Central Park on April 19, 1989 where Santana was arrested, underwent a violent and prolonged police interrogation, and eventually received a wrongful conviction of rape and assault. While the events of April 19, 1989 are central to the story, Santana's memoir also looks at his adjustment after being released, subsequent prison visits, the 2002 exoneration, and the launching of his own fashion brand (Park and Madison NYC) with Rasheed Young.

Santana’s memoir is moving and powerful. The book is pretty light on text, occasionally taking up a two-page spread for one sentence or a full illustration. The art style is bright, unique, and punchy - much like Santana’s own clothing line. If a student is unfamiliar with the Exonerated 5, this novel will still be interesting, but it will not provide a comprehensive overview or deep dive into the legal side of the event. The main focus is on using hope and creativity to overcome obstacles. “To never give up. To motivate. To inspire.” (pg 276). I feel it is an important and unique memoir to add to high school collections. 

Raymond Santana is Afro-Latino

E. Powell, Junior High Librarian

https://www.kingsenglish.com/item/MexlWhzwbd94iTAhIVQVQwx

The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson - OPTIONAL

 The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson, 352 pages. Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins), 2026. $19.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (illegal activity, mentions of alcohol, and a joke about incest); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Chloe’s people-pleasing tendencies have led her to where she is now: jobless and single. So Chloe (25yo) is returning home with a determination to use rejection therapy to cure herself before Christmas. What she wasn’t counting on was a man who continues to say yes to every ridiculous suggestion.

The main characters exhibit the extreme ends of a spectrum of not caring what people think to the point of not caring about being rude versus people-pleasing to one’s own detriment. Obviously, the best answer is a balance somewhere in the middle, and the story is about Chloe’s silly journey to find her own balance. I was really worried about a dramatic climax and cringy third-act breakup, but I was pleasantly surprised that Ferguson took the characters through a much more modest response. Overall, a cute romance for the holidays.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree - OPTIONAL

Tales from the Territory by Travis Baldree, 224 pages. SHORT STORIES. Subterranean Press, 2026. $40.

Language: R (24 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG (alcohol use and mentions of illegal activity); Violence: PG13 (corpses, assault, blood and gore, and mentions of murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Baldree has compiled five short stories focusing on a variety of favorite characters in the Legends and Lattes series. Laugh, cry, and enjoy an extra peak into the lives of Zyll, Thimble, Viv, and Tandri.

Seeing these characters again was a joy! I was thrilled to get Thimble’s backstory, so that tale was my favorite. The stories here about Thimble, Zyll, Tandri, and Viv all occur before readers meet them in their respective books of the series. I was a little disappointed that I had already read the prequel story about Viv (“Pages to Fill” was previously published at the end of the Legends and Lattes book), but it’s a fun one if you haven’t read it before. The final story is about the whole Legends and Lattes crew two years after book one.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Morfran, Dark Lord Reformed by S. B. West - OPTIONAL

Morfran, Dark Lord Reformed by S. B. West, 368 pages. Ace (Berkley), 2026. $30.

Language: R (42 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, partial nudity, kissing, innuendo, and mentions of sex); Violence: R (assault; blood and gore; battle scenes; mentions of torture, cannibalism, and suicide; and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL, ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Dark Lord Morfran left his evil ex-wife and is trying to enjoy a life of jam making and goat farming.  But his evil ex is hunting Morfran down without telling the kingdom that he left. As he flees his farm, Morfran accidentally finds the rebellion—and they’re forcing Morfran to assist them in beating his former army and taking back the cities he conquered.

The best word to describe this book is ridiculous—mostly in a charming way, though there were a few ongoing jokes that just made me roll my eyes. I enjoyed reading about this villain who is tired of being around evil, taking the first step of his redemption arc by himself, and then is forced to continue what he started with restitution he would not have made without the rest of the characters. While it’s mostly a comedy, the story shows a surprising amount of heart, proving that it’s never too late for kindness and forgiveness to change a life.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett - ADVISABLE

A Trade of Blood (Ana and Din Mysteries #3) by Robert Jackson Bennett, 400 pages. Del Rey (Penguin Random House), 2026. $32.

Language: R (196 swears, 56 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use, illegal activity, disturbing elements, innuendo, nudity, and mentions of sex); Violence: R (corpses, assault, blood and gore, animal cruelty, mentions of genocide, suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ana is not happy with their new investigation assignment not only because it appears to be an open-and-shut case to appease the gentry but mostly because that means it’s also going to be uninteresting. Except that when Ana and Dinios arrive, they find evidence that this case is not as easily settled as they anticipated—and that it might not be the perpetrator’s first murder.

As excited as I was to return to this fantasy world and Ana and Din’s investigative duo, I was as put off about the new case as Ana was, due to the case’s cliché Romeo and Juliet angle. Thankfully, the story quickly expanded from there, drawing in all the elements of mystery, awe, and paranoid suspicion for every character that could betray the beloved duo along the way that I have come to expect. With bittersweet feelings about finishing another mind-blowing case, I look forward to many more.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Murder in Blackfriars by Jennifer Ashley - OPTIONAL

Murder in Blackfriars (Below Stairs Mystery #9) by Jennifer Ashley, 320 pages. Berkley (Penguin Random House), 2026. $20.

Language: PG13 (17 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (alcohol use, mentions of drugs, kissing, mild innuendo, and implied mention of prostitution); Violence: PG (corpses, assault, blood and gore, and mentions of bombs and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

In the middle of a picnic, Kat’s fiancé, Daniel, runs off on what is sure to be another dangerous scrape, and Kat can’t go with him because she has to take her daughter, Grace, home to the family that is raising her. And then that family tells Kat about the new job that will move the family—including Grace—to a home in the countryside, away from Kat’s employment in London.

While there were obvious mentions to ongoing relationships and past escapades, I was satisfied with my experience reading this book as a standalone mystery. Besides the murder that is mentioned in the title, Kat and Daniel also take on the overwhelming task of attempting to find out who Daniel’s parents were. One of these mysteries has a more satisfying climax than the other, but I recognize that there needs to be a reason to continue the series. I could see myself reading more about these delightful characters and the happiness they create for themselves despite difficult circumstances. The characters are English.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Dream Thieves: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, - OPTIONAL

The Dream Thieves: The Graphic Novel (The Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater, 282 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Viking (Penguin), 2026. $18 

Language: R (50 swears, 12 f); Mature Content: PG-13 (sexual references, drug use); Violence: PG-13 (murder, death, abduction) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

This book centers on Ronan Lynch, who is made of secrets, one of which is that he can pull objects out of dreams. His father is murdered because of this ability. The Raven Boys' search for the Ley line to the Glendower, the ancient Welsh king, has run dry. Ronan's dreams may be the key to finding Glendower, but unleashing his power will have far-reaching consequences. 

Stiefvater's writing is very descriptive in prose. Because there is so much going on, the graphic novel doesn't do it justice. The graphic novel is a beautiful back-up to the novel, but it would be really helpful to have read the novel first. I had to Google the book summary and there was a lot that I missed. The plot is dark and nightmarish, but if you're into the Raven Boys cycle, the plot won't disappoint, even though it gets increasingly weird. The Raven Boys are white, privileged, high school boys. 

Michelle in the Middle 

A Lady’s Guide to Love and Pirates by Jennifer Moore - OPTIONAL

A Lady’s Guide to Love and Pirates by Jennifer Moore, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $25.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (alcohol use, illegal activity, kissing, partial nudity, mild innuendo, and mentions of drugs); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, and suicide)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Lady Annabelle Bradford (20yo) looks forward to summer when her godfather, Court, takes her to the sea on his ship, not that she doesn’t also enjoy the balls of her London society life. She’s surprised when Court sends two members of the crew to pick her up instead of coming himself. But he couldn’t come. Court has been taken hostage by Captain Blackham, and the crew has come to Belle for help.

Swashbuckling adventure, treasure of legend, and, of course, a handsome pirate hero with a tragic backstory all make for a delightful story. I love the crew that would do anything for the noble girl they basically raised together on the seas, though Moore admits how unlikely the scenario would have been and provides sources for nonfiction pirate information in her author’s note. The majority of characters, including Annabelle and Court, are English.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy - MANY

Paint Me Like Your Dead Girls by Cynthia Murphy, 352 pages. Random House Children's Books, 2026. $13

Language: R (53 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Teens smoking joints and being drugged unknowingly in their drinks); Violence: PG-13 (bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

ADULT - SEVERAL - ADVISABLE

17yo Fliss and Izzy are attending an artist retreat to delve deeper into their personal interests. They meet other teens who love different types of artistic expression and enjoy the social interaction until everything comes to a halt, when a murder occurs. Immediately, Fliss uses her sleuthing skills to find the suspect and to understand the connection between now and the 1911 murders that revolved around four paintings the killer created to immortalize his victims. He also created a self portrait that shows up at an estate sale after being lost for decades. Rumors about a curse being released when the painting was found are rampant and causing people to panic. Will Fliss be able to stop the murders before history repeats itself?

Such a fascinating premise! I enjoyed this mystery and I didn’t want the book to end. The writing and background building pulled me in and made this story extremely interesting! Fliss is a natural detective and her friendship with Izzy balances them both out. The debate over whether or not the painting is cursed added a nice touch of supernatural spookiness. Mixed ethnicity includes white, Irish, British-Korean, and Italian. Noah has olive skin and Fliss is white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

Manga in Theory and Practice by Hirohiko Araki - OPTIONAL

Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga by Hirohiko Araki, 226 pages. NONFICTION. VIZ Media, 2017. $24.

Language: R (11 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, nudity, and mentions of illegal activity and eroticism); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, shares his beliefs of what makes great and successful manga, referencing not only his own work but other mangas and even other works outside of manga as examples. Going through what Araki calls the four fundamentals of manga (characters, story, setting, and themes), he illustrates how he develops those aspects in his own work so that readers can do it too.

In the introduction, Araki says that, while he uses them for manga, these principles have universal applications outside of the manga version of storytelling. I found some inspiration in what he shared though I don’t create manga and don’t agree with everything he believes about telling a story. At the end of the day, these four fundamentals and the ways Araki uses them for his work are opinions. Araki’s theories and practice are interesting and make sense, but his way isn’t the only way, and he encourages readers to use this book as a starting point and go beyond his outline.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty - OPTIONAL

Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty, 544 pages. Berkley (Penguin Random House), 2026. $28.

Language: R (50 swears, 9 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use and mentions of drugs, nudity, pornography, and sex); Violence: PG (assault, gun use, self harm, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: OPTIONAL - ADULTS

APPEALS TO: SOME

Getting hit by a car on her way to work was just what Anna needed. The incident gave her a legitimate excuse for being late and became the impetus for a career change, leading to a new job at the Time Travel Agency. Which has to be fake. Right?

Despite all the time travel that occurs, Anna’s story reads like a slice of life piece rather than a scifi. The story is told by Anna, Teddy, and Jade as they try to figure out how to be the best parents, siblings, and partners, making mistakes and learning to forgive. I was surprised to realize I like the story as much as I do because there was hardly ever anything going on up until the life-or-death climax, and yet I kept reading and rooting for Anna as she tried so hard to live well. Anna and the majority of characters are Australian.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle - ADVISABLE

If Books Could Kill by Kate Eberle, 368 pages. Penguin Books (Penguin Random House), 2026. $19.

Language: R (147 swears, 43 “f”); Mature Content: R (alcohol use; illegal activity; kissing; innuendo; mentions of drugs, pornography, orgies, and genitals; nudity; and fade-to-black sex); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, mentions of cannibalism, suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

While on the phone with her best friend, Roxie accidentally engages with a wish-granting street performer who then puts Roxie into her favorite author’s next book. Problem is, Anna Matthews isn’t writing a rom com this time; she’s writing a crime thriller. Neck deep in serial killers and amateur sleuths, Roxie wonders if she’ll make it to the last page of this book alive.

First of all, my favorite part of the book is all of Roxie’s inner monologue commentary. She, as a character and a narrator, is absolutely hilarious, and I laughed out loud several times. Eberle leans into and pokes fun at classic the tropes for both rom coms and crime thrillers as Roxie’s reality moves in and out of the plotline being written for her. If Books Could Kill is a delightful read for fans of either—or both!—genres.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Platform Decay by Martha Wells - ADVISABLE

Platform Decay (The Murderbot Diaries #8) by Martha Wells, 256 pages. Tor Books, 2026. $25.

Language: R (84 swears, 92 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (illegal activity and for mentions of drugs and nudity); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

On a rescue mission, Murderbot intends to find its clients and get away as quickly as possible. However, it does not anticipate the stupidly complicated transportation—or lack thereof—on the giant space torus nor being forced to promise to extract more humans than it had planned for. Humans make everything complicated.

As usual, Wells drops the reader into the story just after the beginning of the action, which hasn’t been as smooth in the last couple of books as it was at the beginning of the series, but the confusing bits are eventually explained. Then readers get to follow along with Murderbot’s mission while it is still adjusting to its new mental health module that asks it to check in with its emotions at inopportune times. The humor is as spot on as always, making me want to reread the journey so that it doesn’t have to end.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Choyeop - OPTIONAL

If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light by Kim Choyeop, 192 pages. SHORT STORIES. Saga Press (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $27.

Language: PG13 (14 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug use and mentions of alcohol and sex); Violence: PG13 (corpses, assault, and suicide)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

In seven short stories, Kim visits the perspectives of the uncelebrated in futuristic space exploration. The main characters are those whose discoveries were overshadowed, those who were left behind, and those who don’t understand why these new fads are rooting themselves into society.

Not only are Kim’s scifi settings creative in new ways, she also fills her stories with characters that aren’t on the forefront of everything that is new and exciting. In these characters, readers can better see themselves in what the future may hold because these stories are about everyday people. Each story unfolds slowly. There is no quick action here. And in that space between reading and understanding, I have come to sit in awe of Kim’s beautiful imagination.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Reimagining of Thornwood House by Jaleigh Johnson - OPTIONAL

The Reimagining of Thornwood House by Jaleigh Johnson, 400 pages. Ace Books (Penguin Random House), 2026. $30.

Language: PG (10 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (alcohol use and kissing); Violence: PG (animal abuse and mild fantasy violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Attempting to escape her contract with the ECRA through a loophole is a desperate move, but Evelyn (25yo) can’t find any other way to make herself a more suitable candidate to adopt her ward, Ruby (11yo). Evelyn is allowed a short trial period to successfully bond with a sentient house and assume the responsibilities of caretaker for the house, the wood, and the village, or else she will have to return to the ECRA and Ruby will be taken from her. No pressure.

The magic system described by Evelyn is colorful and whimsical, and, while there is a little mystery and a little magical battle in the woods, the book’s overall feel is cozy fantasy. I expected the climax to include bigger conflicts from the antagonist and from the ECRA, but it’s more about trust and friendship than battling out good versus evil—or good versus bureaucracy.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Praying with the Enemy by Steven T. Collis - OPTIONAL

Praying with the Enemy by Steven T. Collis, 299 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $27.

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (nudity and mentions of alcohol, drugs, prostitution, brothels, and rape); Violence: PG-13 (assault, gun and bomb use, chemical warfare, battle scenes, blood and gore, and mentions of suicide)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Ward only has to perform 100 flights in the Korean War in order to go back home to his wife and new daughter, but he might never get to see them again after he’s forced to eject from his plane over enemy territory. Jae Pil was arrested in North Korea for refusing to give up his Christian faith and then forced to fight for them, but he hopes to reunite with his family and flee south. Desperate, these enemies have the same impossible goal: surviving escape.

The points of view shift not only between Ward and Jae Pil but also their antagonists and Ward’s wife Barbara, left home in America. Ward, Jae Pil, and Barbara share a faith, though their faith journeys look very different under these stresses. Based on a true story, these lives get tangled up in each other even across great distances, unaware of how their actions impact the others—and whether any of them will get a happy ending. Ward and Barbara are American, and Jae Pil is Korean.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Every Beat After by Sara B. Larson - OPTIONAL

Every Beat After by Sara B. Larson, 384 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $19.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (mentions of drugs and alcohol, kissing, partial nudity, and innuendo); Violence: PG (medical emergencies and discussions of death)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Olivia spent half of her senior year of high school hospitalized, waiting for someone else to die so that she could have a heart transplant. Seven years later, Olivia (25yo) enjoys her job with the family business and spends quality time with her friends, but Olivia is scared that she won’t find her person before her shortened lifespan ends. Then Hunter (28yo) moves in next door, and Olivia admits a new fear—what if she does?

A misunderstanding between the main characters is blown way out of proportion, giving the book an eye-rolling beginning, though it is tolerable due to the characters’ backstories. I enjoyed watching Olivia and Hunter break down their walls and help each other to grow despite the pain caused by their heartbreaking experiences with life and death. And then my least favorite “heart transplant trope” came into play, which I didn’t think was going to be an issue from the initial description of the book. It was written as a big reveal, so I won’t say which one it is, but I wasn’t thrilled about it. However, while it includes tropes I don’t love, Larson wrote the story well, and I enjoyed the characters and their book overall—eyerolls and loud complaints to empty rooms notwithstanding. Olivia has Swedish heritage, and Hunter is described as “tan.”

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson