The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater - ADVISABLE

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, 252 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Viking (Penguin), 2025. $18 

Language: PG-13 (41 swears, 0 F); Mature Content: PG (pentagrams); Violence: PG (sacrificial murder, abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Blue is a 16yo girl who comes from a family of psychics. Her gift is to amplify their abilities. She gets swept away in a quest by a group of high school boys from a private boys school which caters to the rich and privileged. They are looking for a long dead Welsh king buried beneath the neighboring mountains in Virginia. They are not the only ones looking, and there are some dark secrets as well. 

This is the first of four books. The Raven Boys will suck you in. It is an intriguing premise. Stiefvager keeps it moving and the characters are strongly written. Fans of the original novels will welcome the graphic novel. The art fits the mood well and adds to the story. There is a lot happening, and while this version is satisfying, I found it helpful to have read the novel first, and now want to revisit the novel again to read her prose. There are plenty of twists to keep you going, though the subject matter can be dark. Race is not specified, though Blue appears to be mixed race. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Novel Threat by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Novel Threat (Pen and Dagger #1) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

His employers might not know it yet, but it’s Brandon’s last night in the CIA—he’s resigning tomorrow to work for a publishing company. But his last night goes all wrong and his boss won’t let him resign, instead sending Brandon undercover at a different publishing company, Monroe. Kimber works in finance for the CIA and secretly dreams of being a published author one day—one day that the CIA is making come sooner than she ever imagined in order to get close to terrorists at Monroe Publishing.

The rom-com plot points are amusing and add the lighthearted scenes needed to balance out the terroristic acts and suspense in tracking down the perpetrators. Fighting to move forward—professionally to catch the bad guys and also romantically—encourages readers to turn just one more page through to the happy ending we all want. Overall, Brandon’s and Kimber’s story is an action-packed and entertaining read.

The majority of characters are implied White (American and British), and the main antagonist is implied to be Middle Eastern. The mature content rating is for kissing. The violence rating is for assault, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, gun and bomb use, terrorism, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Secret of Moonrise Manor by Stephanie Bearce - ADVISABLE

The Secret of Moonrise Manor by Stephanie Bearce, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

Knocking a hole in the local hotel’s wall was honestly an accident, but Raven (12yo) isn’t sorry when it reveals a mummified body. Spunky Raven and her eclectic group of friends dive recklessly into solving the mystery of Mummy Man, working around working for family businesses and being grounded. Even so, they’re sure to figure out the whos and whys of the murder before the adults do.

Bearce has imbued her characters with big personalities that, at times, both help and hinder their goals as they clash over opinions of science versus paranormal activity and possible truths that hurt more than lies. This group of determined kids can accomplish much good if they’re willing to learn lessons of forgiveness along the way. In order to find the answers to one mystery, Raven and her friends find several other buried secrets, promising future adventures.

The majority of characters are implied White; Eric is implied Asian. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, illegal activity, and mild scary elements. The violence rating is for corpses and mentions of suicide and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister - OPTIONAL

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister, 336 pages. William Morrow, 2025. $30.

Language: R (80 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Camilla wasn’t sure whether to dread or embrace the day she took her baby to daycare for the first time to return to work—but Camilla certainly didn’t want to do it without seeing her husband, Luke, all morning. Wondering where Luke could be and why he wasn’t answering her messages, Camilla went to work anyway, where police officers came looking for the wife of Luke Deschamps, the man currently holding three people hostage in a warehouse.

Following both the wife of the criminal and the hostage negotiator, McAllister unfolds the story skillfully, giving readers tidbits of information from one character that shifts the possible outcomes of the other’s actions. I enjoyed how complex and real so many of the side characters are, how they affected the main characters unintentionally in significant ways. There is a lot of grey area in this story for readers to wrestle with—between justice and doing the right thing, making decisions of who to trust and build relationships with, learning to give second chances or just move on. The end is about more than happily ever after—it’s about making a life you can be happy in now despite the imperfections of the past.

The majority of characters are implied British. Niall is described as having a Northern Irish accent. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, kissing, illegal activity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for gun use, mentions of terrorism and suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Crime Brûlée Bake Off by Rebecca Connolly - ADVISABLE

The Crime Brûlée Bake Off (Claire Walker #1) by Rebecca Connolly, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Claire is a teacher first and a hobbyist baker on the side—until she is accepted as a contestant on the upcoming season of Britain's Battle of the Bakers. Despite her anxiety over the competition aspect of the show, Claire goes. But she never expected the competition to turn deadly.

Though an average murder mystery, I enjoyed the characters and the baking competition aspects of the story. The murder itself was carried out in a brilliant way; however, I found the explanation in the end to be lacking, as if it was only half of the explanation. The suspicious activity mystery on the baking show side of things kept me engaged, and the romantic side plot was adorable. Overall, Claire’s story is fun and well-written.

All of the characters are British. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, illegal activity, and kissing. The violence rating is for corpses, assault, murder, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar, - ESSENTIAL

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar, 352 pages. Random House, 2024. $20

Language: G ( swears,  “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (tension, arguing, a death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Grace wakes up in the hospital, she can’t remember anything about the last week - she stepped onto the bus to go on the senior retreat and then…nothing. Worse, however, her sister Maddy is missing!  The clues to Maddy’s disappearance are locked within Grace’s mind, but she can’t access it. Flashback to Maddy - Maddy is not excited to go on the senior retreat.  Ever since her BFF went without her in the fall, Maddy has been the third wheel in their relationship.  Plus Grace is the golden girl who easily makes friends, while Maddy is the wallflower who can barely speak in public. As the week goes on, the situation doesn’t seem to get any better. What happened?  Where is Maddy?

Davidhizar’s compelling read is proof that you can write a thriller for teens that will grab your attention and hold without drowning the characters in sex, blood, or swearing. I was riveted and shocked in the absolute best way by the end.  I can’t wait to share this! The characters default white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Max in the Land of Lies (Operation Kinderspion #2) by Adam Gidwitz - OPTIONAL

Max in the Land of Lies (Operation Kinderspion #2) by Adam Gidwitz. 352 pages. Middle Grade Penguin, 2025. $19. Language: PG (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Max is required to drink beer, also a woman is forced to take off her clothing); Violence: PG13 (Max sees some of the horrors of a concentration camp - minimal details, also German interactions with Jews are described) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Max has been selected for a special spy mission back to Berlin. He's willing to do almost anything to try to find his parents, which is crazy because he's a Jewish boy. His talent with radios comes in handy, for soon he's working in a repair shop and meets the right person who gets him into the broadcasting center (The Funkhaus) where he demonstrates his electrical genius and lands a job there! Just like his English spy team trained him to do. But what if he goes too far? What if someone finds out who he really is, and where are his parents? 

I loved this spy story, but I'm not sure the intended audience has the background knowledge to understand what's really going on - Gidwitz puts Max in some remarkable situations - an audience with Goebbels, captured by German agents, and then remarkably gets away. No one seems to take Max for the child he still is. I wasn't too keen on all the political instruction and the deep looks into Nazi propaganda that Max (and the readers) were getting. I kept asking myself "does a 12yo reader really need to know all this?" It was a fascinating adult read, but I'm not sure it will be as exciting as "Max in the House of Spies" was. The magical realism is still there as well, the kobold and the dybbuk are still with him, adding a lot of the necessary comic relief. Gidwitz has included extensive author notes indicating who is real and who isn't and more info about the reals, as well as an annotated bibliography. Max is German and Jewish - nearly all the other characters were also German 

Lisa Librarian 

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2) by Elle Cosimano, 357 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2022. $18.

Language: R (128 swears, 5 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

On an online forum, FedUp has called for a hit on Finlay’s ex, and Finlay (31yo) and Vero are doing everything they can to stop anyone from completing the job—Finlay might want to kill him sometimes, but she doesn’t actually want him dead. Trying to stay one step ahead of the hitman and write another manuscript for her demanding agent, Finlay entangles herself further with both the police and the mob.

The antics escalate, Finlay’s love triangle unbalances, and shootouts turn into car chases. Continuing Finlay’s story is not a rewash of the first, which I expected. Finlay and Vero have new obstacles to overcome, building on the experiences they had and also branching into new illegal territories. The last chapter tied up most of the plot points satisfactorily (all of them except the romantic strings to pull readers into the next installment), leaving readers with a hook in the epilogue.

Finlay is portrayed as White on the cover, Veronica and her cousin are implied Hispanic, there are Russian mobsters, and the majority of other characters are implied White. Georgia is part of the LGBT community. The mature content rating is for alcohol use; illegal activity; partial nudity; kissing; groping; sexual harassment; mentions of drugs, pornography, human trafficking, sex toys, orgasms, and sex; and persistent innuendo. The violence rating is for assault, corpses, blood and gore, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano - ADVISABLE

Finlay Donovan is Killing It (Finlay Donovan #1) by Elle Cosimano, 355 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2021. $18.

Language: R (111 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

The start of the day is bad with a nanny no-show, a toddler with scissors, and being late to a meeting with her agent, and Finlay (31yo) is just trying to keep her head above water despite how each choice makes the day become worse—and then the worst. She’s desperate. At the end of the day, the question Finlay has to answer is whether she’s desperate enough to bury a body.

The situations that Finlay gets tangled in are convoluted in the best way, and readers get the fun of two stories in one as Finlay uses her new experiences as fodder for her writing project. All of my questions were addressed throughout the book—and I loved that Casimano gives readers the space to form the questions before Finlay does. The story ends with a cliffhanger that leaves even Finlay dumbfounded.

Finlay is described as “pale,” Julian is described as “tanned,” Veronica is implied Hispanic, and there are some Russian mobsters. Also, Georgia is part of the LGBT community. The mature content rating is for alcohol use; illegal activity; kissing; partial nudity; mentions of drugs, strippers, pornography, nudity, human trafficking, and rape; groping; innuendo; and implied sex. The violence rating is for blood and gore, implied domestic violence, gun use, suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Swimming with Spies by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger - ADVISABLE

Swimming with Spies by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, 288 pages. Scholastic, DEC 2024. $19

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Sofiya loves working at the dophinarium with her father in 2014 Sevastopol, Ukraine. Her Russian mother left them behind a few years earlier, so it is the two of them. While she loves school, she and others in her classes are bullied by the children of Russian citizens living in their city. Then as tensions grow between Russia and Ukraine, Sofiya is committed to saving the dolphins and others from being re-conscripted into the Russian army as spies and saboteurs. 

Lucyk-Berger brings another aspect of modern war to light in her novel based on true events. While the connection to 2014 is not spelled out in the story, the back matter explains things more clearly. I have students who love Skrypuch’s Ukraine novels, so I will be pointing them in this direction.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Hometown Vendetta by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Hometown Vendetta (Luke Steele #1) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain, 2024. $28.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Amberlyn is intimately involved in tragedy as she works every day as an FBI profiler, but this last domestic terrorism act becomes more personal when it kills her best friend. She gets pulled into a meeting to help update the president, and his military aide, Luke, helps them make a breakthrough on the case. Now Amberlyn and Luke have to work together—hoping beyond hope that the other doesn’t remember when they first met—by going undercover in the last place Luke wants to be: home.

Abramson keeps readers on their toes—anxious about terrorists, seemingly random accidents, new characters with too convenient stories, shoot outs, and a little forced-proximity fake dating. Once I started reading, there was no stopping, and I enjoyed every step of the journey. I’m excited to visit these characters again in the next book.

The majority of characters are implied White. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, and kissing. The violence rating is for gun and bomb use, terrorism, and murder.

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

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

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar - OPTIONAL

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar, 352 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2024. $20.

Language: PG (5 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence; PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The Stoll sisters, Grace and Maddy, went on the Senior Sabbatical trip in the same group of senior class members, but only one made it home. Waking up in the hospital with no memory of the week of the trip, there is nothing she wouldn’t give to remember and bring her sister back safely. But it might already be too late.

The points of view switch between chapters, revealing what happened on the senior trip as it becomes relevant to readers—a back and forth that felt like the right ratio of holding back and then giving at the most meaningful time. Suspense novels are nearly synonymous with twist endings, but I don’t know how I feel about this one. I like the twist because of the hints that lead readers in the right direction while still allowing for an aha moment; but I’m not sure I buy the reasoning behind it. A little suspended belief goes a long way in enjoying Grace and Maddy’s story.

The majority of characters are implied White. The mature content rating is for underage drinking; mentions of drugs, nudity, and pedophiles; and innuendo. The violence rating is for mentions of murder, self harm, and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay - ADVISABLE

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay, 336 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $28.

Language: R (99 swears, 28 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Ryan and Alison were on the cusp of leaving for college, their last rendezvous on Lovers Lane was interrupted. Alison was never seen again, and Ryan, the suspected killer, left town and changed his name. Five years later, the case is reopened when Alison’s vehicle is found and The Monster, as Ryan has always thought of him, reappears.

The twists and turns of this story are seamless, unraveling in a natural way as readers get glimpses of the story from several points of view. Both protagonists and antagonists are relatable—I was definitely rooting for one of the antagonists by the end—and Finlay concludes all of their stories satisfactorily in the last pages. An all-around enjoyable crime fiction read.

Most of the characters are implied White, though Chantelle is Black and Ziggy is described as having “olive” skin. Also, it is heavily implied at one point that a couple of main characters are gay. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, including underage drinking; mentions of drugs, condoms, nudity, prostitution, and rape; sexual harassment; and innuendo. The violence rating is for bullying, assault, mentions of child abuse and torture, gun use, suicide, and murder. 

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Deepfake by Sarah Darer Littman - MANY

Deepfake by Sarah Darer Littman, 352 pages. Scholastic Press, 2020. $11.

Language: PG13 (18 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Dara, the prospective valedictorian, is as shocked as the rest of the school when a video goes around of her accusing Will, the prospective salutatorian and her boyfriend, of cheating on his SAT retake. Words Dara swears she never said. With Will’s college acceptance and their relationship on the line, both of them are determined to find out where the video came from.

With a story about some high school sleuthing and intrigue, Littman illustrates how technology can be used for bad intentions, raising awareness of the dangers of technology and to be mindful of our online activities. While the plot is spread out, bookending the flashbacks, the slow mystery kept my interest. I also love that the adults in this book are willing to listen to the kids and aren’t portrayed as authoritative figures that have to be circumvented in order to help catch the bad guys.

Dara is depicted as white on the cover, and the majority of characters are implied white. Amir is implied Middle Eastern. The mature content rating is for kissing and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Royal Scandal (Royal Blood #2) by Aimee Carter - APPEALS TO MANY

Royal Scandal (Royal Blood #2) by Aimee Carter, 416 pages. Delacorte Press, 2024. $18 

Language: R (41 swears 0 'f');  Mature Content: G (Holding hands, hugging) Violence: PG-13 (bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

18yo Evan is in the United Kingdom with her family, royal and not royal. She’s recovering from the assault by Jasper and has great support from her boyfriend Kit and her family. Evan is starting to feel more at ease with her royal surroundings until a shooter misses her and hits Kit as he protects her. Evan receives secret anonymous threats and she starts to hear voices that are threatening her also. Her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and she’s worried she’s hallucinating since no one else sees or hears the threats. Each day the threats and danger build until Evan is terrified she will lose her life and the people she loves.

I love Evan and Kit and their relationship. The royal premise adds heightened intrigue to the mystery. This second book of the series is just as good as the first.  The ethnicity is predominantly white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean - OPTIONAL

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, 320 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2024. $29.

Language: R (57 swears, 19 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Then 17yo Ellie disappeared over two years ago, and Detective Chelsey Calhoun has never been able to let Ellie’s case go. And then Ellie turns up again. Despite Ellie shutting down every conversation with her, Chelsey presses forward, determined to close the case this time, and finds more than she thought possible.

Jean tells the story in alternating points of view, mostly giving readers just enough of the past and present to stay a step behind Ellie so that readers are in the same desperate state as Chelsey. The twists and turns that make the book thrilling were fun, even if I’m having a hard time buying into the final, climactic reveal. Despite that hang up, the conclusion is still a satisfactory ending.

Chelsey is Japanese, Daniel is Chinook (Native American), and Sam and Valerie are lesbian. The mature content rating is for alcohol use (including underage drinking); scary elements; illegal activity; mentions of drugs and overdose, nudity, and rape; and sex. The violence rating is for blood; gun use; mentions of domestic violence and suicide; assault; bomb use; and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera - OPTIONAL

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera, 352 pages. Celadon Books (Macmillan), 2024. $27.

Language: R (243 swears, 94 “f”) ; Mature Content: R; Violence R

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Lucy (29yo) left her hometown five years ago after being accused of killing her best friend, Savvy. Her anonymity in California is shattered when Ben Owens (28yo) starts season two of his true crime podcast, trying to solve the cold case of Savvy’s murder. With her identity exposed, Lucy doesn’t have a reason to say no when her grandma asks Lucy to come back home for her birthday—with the murder fresh on everyone’s minds.

Tintera’s writing is compelling. I was invested from the first sentence—I couldn’t wait to figure out what was true and what wasn’t. With the subject matter at hand, Tintera did a fabulous job of balancing the thriller suspense with dark humor that provided comic relief—I laughed out loud so many times that I lost count. This is the first non-YA book that I’ve read by Tintera, and the only negative thing I have to say is that I’m disappointed that she put so much sexual content in the book. Everything else was great.

Paige is Black, Nina is Latina, and everyone else is implied White. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use; innuendo; illegal activity; groping; nudity; mentions of condoms, genitalia, rape, and oral sex; and sex. The violence is for blood and gore, assault, mentions of domestic violence, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard - OPTIONAL

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard. 304 pages. Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Bantam. 2023. $26 

Language: R (100 swears 24 'f');  Mature Content: R (somewhat detailed sex; gaslighting) Violence: PG-13 (strangulation; shooting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

32yo Summer and 22yo Leo are con artists and thieves who prey on rich people and they’re very good at it. Summer comes from a hippie lifestyle and her mom never gave her a last name she doesn’t have a clue who her father is or where her mom has been for the last fifteen years after she left so Summer could “spread her wings”. Leo left her desolate family after her sister died because everyone was so depressed and when her parents looked at her they became sad all over again because Leo looks so much like her deceased sister Amber. When Leo doesn’t keep in contact with Summer for a day, she assumes Leo is missing. She’s determined to find her and make sure she’s alright but when the guy Leo was with denies being with her still, Summer worries that the worst has happened. 

Riveting mystery! 5 stars!  The story kept my attention and I didn’t want to put it down. I liked learning the backstory of Summer and Leo and the mystery was nicely intertwined. I don't appreciate the book being promoted as young adult because it is written for adults as the characters are full-fledged adults. White and olive skin main characters and mixed races are present as side characters. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian