The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens - OPTIONAL

The Last Best Quest Ever by F.T. Lukens, 320 pages. Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $20.

Language: R (16 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG (some kissing, no underage drinking or drug use); Violence: PG-13 (repeated intense scenes with peril, some fantasy violence, some on-page blood but no dismemberment)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

16yo Ellinore the Brave is a fraud. She is the best quester in all the land of Avoury, however, every quest she has been on hasn’t been quite as glorious, like the bards sing about. The lies keep piling up and it’s stressing her out, so she announces her retirement. However, she is called back into service when her twin brother Zig makes an ill-informed magical wager with two shady mages, based on her inflated reputation. Now it is literally life or death with Zig’s heart on the line and it is up to Ellinore to do the impossible (for real), one last time.

I liked watching Ellinore grow into her real identity, instead of her glorified reputation. She has a merry crew that she reluctantly acquires, and the romance with Princet Aven (they/them, nonbinary) was just the icing on top of the story. Some reviews said it was a young-adult romantasy, which I think is a stretch. This is really an adventure story that has flavors of Dungeons and Dragons, but a little more silly. I couldn’t get over the fact that the dragon’s name was Dave. I mean Dave the Dragon, really? I was disappointed that there were a couple of F words, because it made the book rated R, when the mature content and violence weren’t as graphic.

Reviewer: K. Beddes, ELA teacher 

Brady Mason’s Perfect Fit by Nicole Melleby - ADVISABLE

Brady Mason’s Perfect Fit by Nicole Melleby, 318 pages. Little Brown, 2026. $18

Language: PG (13 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (mild inappropriate touching); Violence: PG (touchee gets fist to face)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Yesterday 12yo Brady Mason was one of six living in a poor group home in New Jersey.  Today she’s with her birth mom, a famous fashion editor, in a four-story apartment in New York City near Central Park. Both women have a lot to learn about each other, themselves, and about building a family. 

While not quite finding out that she’s the secret daughter of royalty, Brady’s story is still pretty Cinderella.  But Brady won’t succumb to princess-pressure or her fashionable mother. Their groping towards understanding and family is heart-felt and adorable.

Brady is white and LGBT.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

My Killer Family Reunion by Dinesh Thiru - OPTIONAL

My Killer Family Reunion by Dinesh Thiru, 384 pages. Atheneum (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $20. 

Language: R (50 swears, 5 'fs'); Mature Content: PG13 (talk of making out, a kiss, a bit of vulgar language) Violence: PG13 (instances of domestic violence- on page and referred to, 3 attempted murders) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

16yo Jayshree's wealthy grandmother owns property worth millions; when she dies, her family will inherit and become rich themselves. But at this family reunion, she announces a change to her will, and by the end of the dinner, the grandmother is in the hospital - someone has tried to kill her. Jay is an excellent sleuth; admittedly, her cousins call her invisible, so she's the perfect one to investigate. Everyone might be a suspect! 

I loved this whodunit. Jay exposes so many family secrets, and there's lots of family drama. The family is Hindu; there are ex-husbands, greed, under-the-table transactions, plenty of danger, and more than one attempted murder. My family reunions are never this exciting. 

Lisa Librarian 

Cry Out Loud by Tara O'Connor - ADVISABLE

Cry Out Loud by Tara O'Connor, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Random House, 2025. $25. 

Language: PG (4 swears 0 'f' - Irish swears not counted); Mature Content: PG (same gender kisses); Violence: PG (human sacrifice is a plotline) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Nell is suspended for a term from high school, and her mother sends her to stay with a distant relative in rural Ireland. Everything is strange from the beginning, but then becomes dangerous when Nell discovers she may be the next victim of a generational family sacrifice. 

Dark and creepy, complete with banshees and a robed cult. A gripping tale of family traditions. The illustrations are full color with just the right amount of detail. I appreciated the pronunciation guide for the names. The characters are Irish. 

Lisa Librarian  

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

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram - ADVISABLE

One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram, 224 pages. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2026. $20 

Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (masturbation talk); Violence: PG (Bullying, referring to queer slurs) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

14yo Dayton shouts a slur at a visiting speaker at the ELA assembly for 9th graders. He was promised $20 for doing it, and he thought it wouldn't be a big deal; it's just a word. But in that moment, everything changes for Dayton. He loses friends, his parents are shocked and disappointed, and he begins to examine his own actions. Nothing he does seems to make it any different. Farshid is also in 9th grade, and knows Dayton but isn't a friend; however, Dayton's actions have affected Farshid too, who is wrestling with his body image and sexual identity. 

Told in alternating perspectives - and also in second person and present tense - so the reader is put into the story, and it unfolds in real time. There was a lot to unpack; Dayton never meant to offend and felt terrible, but couldn't really repair what he'd done. Farshid was angry all the time and taking it out on his mother and himself - making unhealthy decisions about his body. Khorram never says the word, but the reader can piece together what it is. This is one of those important books that I hope will gain some traction and get read by the teens who need the message and the courage to do the right thing. 

Dayton is white, Farshid is Iranian. 

Lisa Librarian  

Clementine H. Hopeful is not a Hero by Noah Corey - ADVISABLE

Clementine H. Hopeful is not a Hero by Noah Corey, 352 pages. Labyrinth Road (Random House), 2026. $18. 

Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, monsters) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

11yo Clementine Hopeful knows he doesn't fit in. He loves spiders, privately wears dresses and sees faces in the forest. The kids at school don't like him, the one girl who will talk to him tells him he's weird. His homeroom teacher refuses to call him Clementine - saying it's a girl's name (It's a boy's name if a boy has it, and Clementine has it). But then, a boy named Beetle - who prefers to be called Bug - throws a rock through Clementine's window and the two become friends. But Bug and the friends he introduces Clementine to are different as well; they seem to have magic. 

I really like the writing style of Noah Corey. Clementine Hopeful has a modern feel with a traditional fantasy telling, including a spider-filled adult looking to eat Clementine, and a pretty sinister villain - although that's Clementine's dream, to be a villain. Includes an underlying queer theme that is well woven into the story. This debut author has written a marvelous adventure. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian

The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li - OPTIONAL

The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li, 256 pages. Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (49 swears, 18 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use including underage drinking, illegal activity, innuendo, and mentions of nudity and sex); Violence: PG13 (assault and mentions of suicide and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Amelia goes by many names—specifically Amy, Ellie, and Mia, depending on which one of her boyfriends she’s around at the time. Having artfully dealt with all three unexpectedly showing at the same party last night, Amelia is feeling good about how well everything is going. Until she learns that her best friend died last night, and the only person who agrees about the suspicious circumstances is Jackie, the nosy girl on the school newspaper vying for Amelia’s spot as valedictorian.

Just when you think you know it all and are wondering why there are still pages left, Li hits you with another sharp turn. It’s a rollercoaster of lies, betrayal, tragedy, and an irrational need to believe that each new explanation is the actual truth. Amelia’s story is one of those where I still wonder if I have all the answers or if I’m just paranoid enough now to be reading too much into every word choice. Overall, it was a wild ride that I would absolutely do all over again. Amelia is Chinese American. Jackie is lesbian.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Lucha of the Forgotten Spring (Lucha Moya #2) by Tehlor Kay Mejia - OPTIONAL

Lucha of the Forgotten Spring (Lucha Moya #2) by Tehlor Kay Mejia, 403 pages. Make Me a World, 2025. $20

Language: R (34 swears, 3 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing, implied off page sex); Violence: PG-13 (killing, sword fighting, death, hand to hand combat, skin eating blight)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

16yo Lucha Moya has unfinished business in her hometown of Robado. Determined to destroy the drug olvida, which devastated her family, and bring down the powerful kings who produce it, she returns home ready for a fight. Instead, she finds a city in ruins, its surviving residents struggling to endure desperate conditions. Joining forces with four young leaders who have stepped up in the city's darkest hour, Lucha sets out to accomplish her mission. Among them is Cruz, a girl who awakens unexpected feelings in Lucha and complicates her lingering love for Paz, the girl she left behind when she first departed to save Robado. But destroying olvida is only the beginning. The forest that serves as the region's sole food source begins to die, a consequence of events Lucha set in motion in the first book. Faced with a growing disaster, Lucha and her friends must form an uneasy alliance with the acolytes devoted to the goddess Almudena. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, they must decide whether these mysterious followers can be trusted—or whether they pose an even greater threat."

The story dragged at times and took several winding detours on its way to the conclusion. Since I had not read the first book, I occasionally felt lost, as some events, relationships, and world-building details were not fully explained for new readers. However, the novel's inspiration from Latin American folklore adds a unique and intriguing element to the story, helping to create a rich and distinctive setting.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Limelight by Andrew Keenan Bolger - OPTIONAL

Limelight by Andrew Keenan Bolger, 344 pages. Penguin, 2026. $20.

Language: R (161 swears, 36 'f'); Mature Content: R (sexual activity - clothing removed, heavy petting, mention of prostitutes, gay and straight kissing); Violence: PG13 (domestic violence described, verbal sexual harassment)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Danny's life has recently changed dramatically. It's 1996, and he and his mother have run away from Danny's abusive father, and they are living in a seedy apartment in Staten Island. The apartment belonged to Danny's uncle, who has died, and who left behind a large collection of Broadway cast albums on cassette. Danny is bullied at the Catholic school he attends, and with his new interest in Broadway, he auditions for the LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in New York City and gets in! He meets Christian, a dance major who is learning to perform drag. Christian welcomes Danny into his friend group, and the two become best friends. But Danny is worried when his feelings for Christian change to something more. Based on New York in the 90s when author Andrew Keenan-Bolger first arrived there and the city was gritty and sleazy. Although Danny only lives a ferry ride away, his life experience is very different from the kids he meets at theater school.

I loved it when they took him to all the places they loved in New York City. I loved all the show references and nods to really old Broadway songs and composers like Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, but Keenan-Bolger also referenced contemporary shows like Rent and Les Misérables. Much too mature for a middle grade audience, I think high school theater kids will enjoy this LGBT coming of age story set right around the corner from Lincoln Center and Broadway.

Danny is white, and Christian is Asian.

Lisa Librarian h

Love Makes Mochi by Stefany Valentine - SEVERAL

Love Makes Mochi (Love in Translation #3) by Stefany Valentine, 320 pages. Penguin Random House, 2026. $13 Language: R (21 swears, 1 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (passionate kissing); Violence: PG (body shaming)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Lilyn Jeong has the opportunity to study abroad in Tokyo with a famed tailor, which will be just what her future college applications need. However, she almost loses her mentorship before it starts, is experiencing a creative slump, and must design a collection in 10 days. She needs to focus, and her mentor’s daughter Yua offers to help. But once she starts spending time with Yua, Lilyn finds herself falling for her even though Lilyn has sworn off summer flings.

Initially, I found Lilyn’s often critical character hard to like, but I warmed up to her as the story progressed and her character developed. The inclusion of Lilyn’s gothic and Japanese inspired fashion designs and Yua's tattoos are fun. The novel also tackles topics like self-doubt, taking chances, first-romances, and being yourself. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. A fun fashion-forward travel romance for upper middle school and high school students.

Lilyn and Yua are LGBTQ+. Lilyn is Japanese, Taiwanese, and Korean American. Yua is Japanese. 

Ms. Megan, HS Librarian 

Sometimes the Girl by Jennifer Mason-Black, - OPTIONAL

Sometimes the Girl by Jennifer Mason-Black, 294 pages. Carolrhoda Lab (Lerner), 2025. $20

Language: R (41 swears, 43 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (drug use, kissing, sex mentioned); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

18yo Holi is struggling to find her footing after the death of a friend, her brother’s suicide attempt, and a painful breakup with her girlfriend, Maya. Hoping to earn enough money for one last trip with Maya, Holi takes a job organizing the attic of Elsie McAllister, a reclusive author in her nineties who published only a single celebrated novel. As Holi sorts through decades of letters and forgotten artifacts, she discovers there was far more to Elsie than her carefully crafted public image. When one of Elsie’s children offers Holi $10,000 to find the missing original manuscript of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Holi becomes caught between money, loyalty, and larger questions about art, legacy, and ownership. In uncovering Elsie’s hidden history, Holi begins to understand herself differently, finding solace in nature, music, and the possibility of moving forward after loss.

A thoughtful and emotionally insightful novel about grief, creativity, and self-discovery. While I appreciated the writing and themes, the overuse of strong language detracted from the overall experience for me.

Holi is white

A. Snow, Librarian

I Don't Wish You Well - OPTIONAL

I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill, 400 pages. Delacorte Press, 2026. $20

Language: R (89 swears, 16 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (Off-page underage drinking and drugs, Off-page consensual sex); Violence: R (historic child sexual abuse, off-page sexual assault and rape, off-page murder with descriptions, off-page murder-suicide)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Five years ago in the small town of Moss Pointe, Louisiana, four members of the local high school team were murdered. One of their teammates is believed to have committed the horrific crimes, but there are those who believe that the authorities got it wrong. Freshman in college and resident of Moss Pointe, Pryce Cummings, is a journalist in training and decides to spend his summer break creating a podcast to investigate if, in fact, the murderer is still roaming the streets of his hometown. As he starts to ask questions, there are those who do not want buried secrets revealed or the truth to come out and will do anything to stop him.

Using the creation of a true crime podcast as the plot for a contemporary thriller works well as it plays into what is incredibly popular for many readers. As the story unfolds, readers should be aware that there are triggering plot points throughout in regard to LGBTQIA+ issues and sexual abuse, assault, and rape. At times, the social issues can become a bit much as the reader has to keep straight numerous characters and the ways in which they fit into the story and how they are affected by one or many of the topics. The plot twist at the end is clever and well paced moments of suspense will leave thriller fans satisfied.

Reviewer–AEB

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa - OPTIONAL

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa, 432 pages. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2025. $20.

Language: R (122 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG (some kissing, no underage drinking or drug use); Violence: R (repeated bloody, graphic violence, with the on-page & off-page death of several minor characters)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

In the sci-fi fantasy dystopian world of Escal, 16yo Crow is one of the Deathchildren, a minority that was nearly wiped out 10 years earlier by the Gods, and has had to grow up hiding his true nature. He wants to save his uncles, who have been arrested for helping Deathchildren escape the city, but with no money or political sway as he grew up in the wretchedly poor Shallows ghetto, Crow chooses to compete in the Tournament of Gods for the slight chance to save his uncle's lives. It’s quite literally a fight to the death in the gladiator-style combat competition, but in between matches, Crow and his friends begin to uncover a greater conspiracy that the Gods and the government are trying desperately to keep hidden.

I was fully invested in Crow’s story almost from the beginning and by the end of the novel, I just wanted to watch the whole world burn with him. Novoa excels at worldbuilding, establishing a setting where Crow is isolated at first, not by his queer identity, but rather by the systemic inequalities and prejudices directed by the government against his minority population. I thought the book was an interesting mix of sci-fi, dystopian, & fantasy elements. It was kind of like Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games meets the Fifth Element. It is incredibly violent and contains strong graphic language, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Teens who love dystopian worlds will devour this one.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher #bookswithbeddes 

Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion - OPTIONAL

Lost Girls of Hollow Lake by Rebekah Faubion, 384 pages. Delacorte Press, 2026. $20

Language: R (95 swears, 15 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (Romantic kissing and snuggling, underage drinking); Violence: R (Numerous on-page bloody and gruesome killings, descriptions of corpses, animal in peril, assault).

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Eight girls went missing on a school trip to Hollow Lake National Park. After 46 days, five return leading to many questions and few answers. As Evie and the other remaining “Lost Girls” try to navigate a return home, they are haunted by the three girls they left behind and what they did during their time in the wilderness. Now someone is coming after the survivors and those involved in the tragedy, picking them off one by one. Evie must decide if the only way to survive and protect the ones she loves means a return to the island and the horror it holds.

A paranormal horror that plays out in dual timelines. The overall plot is 

intriguing, but the execution is average. There are too many characters to 

keep track of, which leads to confusion as the reader attempts to keep 

track of who is in danger, who is missing, who is dead, and who is a 

suspect. The supernatural aspect never comfortably sits with the story 

causing a disconnect for the reader.

Reviewer: AEB

Space for Saffron by Rie Neal - ADVISABLE

Space for Saffron by Rie Neal, 177 pages. Aladdin, 2026. $8

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

10yo Saffron loves everything about science, but she struggles to control her impulsivity.   When Saffron and her two moms move from Iowa to California to run her grandmother's coffee shop, they discover that it is in financial trouble.  Can Saffron save the coffee shop using her love of science? 

Space for Saffron is a sweet book about trying to be okay with who you are but also work well with others.  Saffron learns that it is ok to be different. She struggles with controlling her impulsivity.   This book also contains many space facts. 

Saffron is hearing impaired and wears a hearing aid.  She is presumably white.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

Ollie In Between by Jess Callans - ADVISABLE

Ollie In Between by Jess Callans, 256 pages. Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2025. $19. 

Language: PG (4 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (lots of maturation talk, Ollie's period is a big part of the plot, reference to boobs, nipples etc.); Violence: G; 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

12yo Ollie does not want to become a woman. She's not afraid of growing up, she's just certain that she's not a girl. But she also doesn't think she's a boy. Ollie is somewhere in between. But this is the age where everything starts happening to your body. The boys won't let her play hockey with them anymore because she's too much of a girl, and her girl friends are embarrassed by her for acting too much like a boy. But when she's invited to join the LGBTQIA book club, she finds a group of friends who understand what she's going through. 

A well-written coming of age story, it's got all the stuff - Ollie's mother has passed away, and sister moved in with her boyfriend, so no one really expects dad to help her navigate puberty, which, because she is questioning her gender, makes this whole thing terrifying and extra awkward. She's seeing the trouble Stella, a trans girl in her book group, is having with parents objecting to which bathroom she uses and feels both fear for herself and guilt for not standing up better for her new friend. A good window or mirror if your library needs more LGBT titles, particularly with a non-binary main character. Ollie is Persian and White and non-binary 

Lisa Librarian 

Every Reason to Stay by Lane Clarke - OPTIONAL

Every Reason to Stay by Lane Clarke, 305 pages. JULY 2026. $20.

Language: R (78 swears, 7  ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:SEVERAL

For 16 years, Skylar and her rock star dad have been best friends together - until the day Dad dies. Then, Skylar finds herself not only grieving losing her father, but she has been whisked away from Austin, Texas to Washington, D.C. to live with the mother, Mona, who Sky thought was dead. And with Mona’s wife and their young son. As Sky tries to come to grips with her new life, she finds a diary written by Mona in the months before Sky was born. 

Clarke thankfully did not give as an evil mother/stepmother here - the book is about Sky processing her grief and learning that hearing someone else's story can go a long way to building bridges. While some may feel everything worked out too easily, I did enjoy the soothing story and the bit of romance.  The only thing I did not like was a bit of magical realism - or schizophrenia - you decide which it is when you find the twist. Almost every character is LGBT of some sort.

Skylar and her family are Black.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches by Kayla Cottingham - OPTIONAL

Extraordinary Quests for Amateur Witches by Kayla Cottingham, 416 pages. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2025. $20.

Language: R (49 swears, 12 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (repeated underage drinking, repeated kissing on page, and a couple of sexual innuendos); Violence: R (repeated bloody, graphic (fantasy & human) violence, with the on-page death of a dozen mercenaries)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

In order to complete his magical training and undo an accidental/illegal curse on his ex, Kieran takes on an impossible quest to find a magical cure-all. In true Hero’s Journey fashion, he encounters three trials, each more dangerous than the last. Along the way, he picks up a familiar and maybe a new love interest. Will Kieran find the cure or be doomed to failure and a life without magic?

In general, I enjoyed reading this book. It is the second in the series, the first being Practical Rules for Cursed Witches, so there I experienced some confusion trying to get into the novel initially, but I eventually got caught up in the story. There were some things that I thought were odd. It couldn’t figure out what kind of fantasy it wanted to be. There were parts that were steampunk, there were parts that were contemporary modern day, and obviously parts were magical. In general, it was a textbook example of the hero’s journey, albeit with some incongruencies that kind of took me out of the story. I think high school students will love the action & adventure, along with the sweet queer romance at the heart of the story.

Diversity note: all the main characters are white and LGBTQIA.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher #bookswithbeddes 

Love, Misha by Askel Aden - ADVISABLE

Love, Misha by Askel Aden, 316 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan), 2025 $18. 

Language: PG (10 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, monsters) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Misha and their mom are taking a rare trip together - Misha's mom isn't usually around much, and is having trouble accepting Misha as non-binary. Things are contentious right from the start, and when Audrey (mom) gets them lost in the woods, they find themselves in the Realm of Spirits where humans are eaten. Now they are not just lost, they have to work together in order to escape. Misha has tarot cards, and a spirit guide, and still the conflict with their mother seems to color every decision they make. 

 

I really liked this story, the graphics are muted, mostly in shades of orange and brown, with flashbacks in shades of gray. I was reminded of adventures akin to Spirited Away or Over the Garden Wall. Lots of different monsters, helpers who aren't, and a lot of self-reflection on both Misha's and Audrey's part. While I think it's better for a high school, I would still purchase a copy for my middle school - I like the long form graphic novels that have a nice story. Misha defaults white. 

Lisa Librarian