Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo - MANY

Rule of Wolves (King of Scars #2) by Leigh Bardugo. 608 pages. Macmillan/Imprint. 2021. $14 

Language: R (36 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (passionate kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY

19yo Nina Danger surrounds Zoya, Nikolai and 19yo Nina as they fight to make their own paths and live with what has been dealt to them. Zoya is trying to figure out her powers and her place next to Nikolai. Nikolai is determined to conquer his beast and help his kingdom with Zoya alongside him. Nina is working to free the pregnant, enslaved, and drugged young Grisha, stop the evil ruler of Fjerda and create a new life without Matthias. Will they be able to stop war between Fjerda and Ravka or will evil conquer all? 

I love the author’s writing. The character development is impeccable. I love the perseverance of the characters. The ethnicity is mixed with the following: bronze skinned, tawny skinned, light brown skin, Zoya is Suli (similar to Indian) and Nikolai, Genya, and Nina are white. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones - OPTIONAL

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara (Guardians of Dawn #1) by S. Jae-Jones, 416 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2023. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Being discovered as a magician means death in order to prevent abominations from running rampant again—except that abominations are coming back anyway. While she is still unsure about the nature of her magic, 16yo Zhara will do what she can to help find the guardians and heal the abominations. 17yo Hans also wants to find the guardians and offers to help, all the while hiding the identities of himself and his betrothed.

Forbidden magic, unwanted arranged marriages, and a search for the heroes to save them all—fantasy troupes we all love. Zhara’s story has a lot of potential, but setup for the action was slow going. The fantasy world built by Jae-Jones could be cool, but there was too much textbook-like explaining and I skimmed a lot of it. I admit that the parts with meeting the secret society, backstabbing, and the powers were engaging; I hope this book got all the boring details out of the way for the sequels.

Zhara is described as having “brown” skin, and the majority of characters are implied non-white. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and pornography, innuendo, scary images, and attempted sexual assault. The violence rating is for mentions of genocide and murder, implied physical abuse, child abuse, and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

One Girl In All The World by Kendare Blake - MANY

One Girl In All The World (Buffy: The Next Generation #2) by Kendare Blake. 342 pages Hyperion 2023 $16 

Language: PG-13 (13 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Making out briefly mentioned, a vampire biting the side of someone's neck made sexualized); Violence: PG-13 (Stabbing vampires in the heart with a stake, fighting monsters and killing them) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

"One Girl In All The World" is a deeper dive into the world of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the hit TV series. It's full of the same characters and similar plot lines as it emphasizes the character, Frankie, and her struggle to balance being a slayer-witch but also going to school and dealing with tests, the social ladder, and teachers. 

Going into this book with no previous knowledge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I was rather confused, but the overall world establishment and development of characters were nice. I thought that the author captured several of the high school cliches a little to perfectly and Frankie's high school life was too clique. Frankie is described as white. 

Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer

Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright - ESSENTIAL

Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2023. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

After attempting suicide and surviving, 17yo Addison is headed back to high school classes, where she knows everyone else knows what went down. But Addison isn’t the only one struggling. Throughout the day, Addison interacts with others whose secrets are hidden, unknowingly making the day brighter and lending courage, as one seemingly unimportant interaction did for her.

In reading heart-warming stories like this one, I start to wonder if kindness is really so simple. Not three days after finishing Addison’s (and co’s) story, a similar little kindness was extended to me in real life. And it made a difference. Addison’s story reminds us that everyone is struggling, even if they don’t look like they are, and everyone just wants someone to be kind to them. I hope kindness will start with me and every other reader of this book.

The majority of characters are described as “pale” or are otherwise implied white, but there are also several characters that are described as “dark brown" or are otherwise implied Black, like Booker and Hazel. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs, alcohol, and illegal activity; innuendo; and implied sexual abuse. The violence rating is for mentions of abuse, self harm, and guns as well as for discussions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Grace Needs Space by Benjamin A. Wilgus and Rii Abrego - OPTIONAL

Grace Needs Space by Benjamin A. Wilgus, illustrated by Rii Abrego, 204 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL RH Graphic (Random House). 2023. 22. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Grace can hardly wait to fly off into space with her fun mom, Kendra, and leave her boring mom, Evelyn, behind on her home space station. Unfortunately, the trip isn't everything Grace had hoped for because Kendra is so busy with work that Grace feels lonely and left out. 

 The art is nice and the story is easy to follow. Very much a family relationship story. There were so many pages establishing the fact that Grace was lonely, there wasn't much else in the plot. The space idea is intriguing, but the storyline could have been set anywhere. No set race or culture is mentioned, but Grace and Evelyn have brown skin tones and Kendra is paler with red hair. 

Michelle in the Middle

Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam - ADVISABLE

Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam. 300 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Alfred A. Knopf (Random House). 2023. $22 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Meesh is not great at being a demon. She doesn't blow fire, and she likes watching a show about a fairy princess named Nouna. Meesh lives alone with her grandma. Life for Meesh changes when she discovers that demon-kind and her way of life is threatened. Turning to the fairy world for help, she discovers some unlikely allies. 

The art was beautifully done and helped the storyline. Meesh has to discover who she is before she can really be of help, so themes of friendship, inclusion, and self-discovery are relatable. Meesh and her friends will be going on a new adventure in a subsequent book since the ending suggests an evil mastermind. The author is Chinese American and all the different worlds have a variety of skin tones. 

 Michelle in the Middle

Trex by Christyne Morrell - ADVISABLE

Trex by Christyne Morrell. 289 pages. Delacorte Press. 2022. $9 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Trex is a 16yo girl living in a post-apocalyptic society. While Trex was exploring she uncovers a ancient artifact that could possibly change the lives of everyone around her. What is the artifact? And what does it do? Her family urges Trex to put the artifact back where she found it, but she feels like it belongs somewhere else... Trex begins a quest to find the "Haven", a safe place to put the artifact back. As she starts to uncover the secrets of the past, she learns about her own identity and why the "Haven" called out to her in the first place. 

Trex by Christyne Morrell is a very whimsical and cute novel, that I grew to appreciate the more I dove deeper into the chapters. It's characters are lovable and relatable. The overall world building and magic of the book could've been described and expounded upon better as it was quite vague. Trex is described as white. 

Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer

Lumara by Melissa Landers - ADVISABLE

Lumara by Melissa Landers. 278 pages. Hyperion. 2022. $19.

Language: PG-13 (37 swears 1 'f'); 37 1 PG-13 (Someone flipping another person off, brief mention of a hickie, making out and kissing briefly mentioned) Violence: PG-13 (Magic throughout the book, curses, someone getting drowned, and someone getting pushed off a cliff.) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

All of her life, 17yo Talia has been told to stay away from Mystics. Mystics are people that draw power from a place, lineage, or aura, and often times they use those powers to promote privilege and elitism. But with Talia's heart condition getting worse and worse every passing day, she decides to visit a Mystic, against her father's wishes. Much to Talia's dismay, she is turned away and not healed but in fact scammed, heartbroken and devastated she soon discovers that her boyfriend is a Mystic as well. Overwhelmed with the news, she is terrified to tell her father, for fear that he will ban her from seeing her boyfriend, Nate, ever again. But when Nate invites her over for the week to visit his family, Talia agrees and now is thrust into a world of magic and Mystics. 

Lumara is a book that is heavily plot-driven. It is full of plot twists that are unexpected and can seem very sudden. I did like the overall plot and I found it to be entertaining and fun. I was entertained, but the world-building was definitely lacking, often times it led me to question what a Mystic could or couldn't do and what their limits were. Another complaint I had was that the characters were very rushed and flat and often times I would roll my eyes at bits of dialogue or choices that a character would make. The idea and plot were amazing, but the execution of it could've used a little bit more work, but overall I found it enjoyable. Talia has no description of her race, but her hair is long and black. Nate has no description of his race, but he is described as a golden child with blonde hair and perfect features. 

Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer

The Lizard Prince and other South American stories: by Kate Ashwin, Kel McDonald, and Alberto Rayo - HIGH

The Lizard Prince and other South American stories: A Cautionary Fables & Fairytales Book Edited by Kate Ashwin, Kel McDonald, and Alberto Rayo. 200 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Iron Circus Comics. 2023. $15 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (one story has violence against a child: beatings and leaving him to die) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

This book consists of twelve stories, all retold by South American illustrators. Each story has a different flair and style. Some are more childlike, and some are creepy. I loved the authentic voices the illustrators brought to their work. It is nice to see something from South America for middle-grade readers. There is some uneven storytelling as some stories were easier to follow than others, but an interesting read, especially because folklore reveals a lot about a culture. Different ethnicities within South America are represented. 

Michelle in the Middle

Pack Your Bags, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno and Courtney Lovett - ADVISABLE

Pack Your Bags, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno, illustrated by Courtney Lovett 272 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 2023 $19. 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Spring is in the air. Everything is going great for 12yo Maggie - her friends are a team once again, her grades are great, the 7th grade has planned a spring break trip to St. Augustine and Maggie is starting track. But it's Valentine's day and love is in the air. Crushes and Prom are on everyone's mind but Maggie's - well, maybe Maggie likes someone. Then Zoe fails a math test and can't come on the trip, Abuela signs up to be a chaperone and Maggie has to room with Vanessa, a new girl (who she thinks might be Julian's crush!). 

I really like Maggie Diaz - her home life is still a bit crazy. Her Abuela has moved out of her room and into the tiny house on their property, but she's still super involved, and I love it. I love that Moreno doesn't translate the Spanish (Abuela rarely speaks English) but easily incorporates context so there's no missed dialogue. Perfect middle school drama - with academic expectations mixed with who likes who. It reads a bit young for my 8th graders, but I'm still buying a copy for my library. Maggie and her family are Cuban. Maggie's sister is LGBTQ she is going to Prom with another girl, Maggie's friends are of various racies and orientations as well. 

Lisa Librarian

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy - ADVISABLE

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy. 329 pages. Harper Collins. 2022. $18 

Language: PG (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence: PG 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

"The Stars Did Wander Darkling" is a novel set in the future where space travel is more accessible and easier. Traveling planet to planet is child's play. The story follows a group of astronauts who explore uncharted regions of space. As they dive deeper into the black abyss of space, they find wonders and strange civilizations, each with its own secrets and challenges. Amidst the vastness of space, the crew must learn to be resilient and be able to combat the loneliness of space. 

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy is a fun enjoyable book that allows readers a classic feel without reading a book that was published a hundred years ago. I loved the angle the author took about being lonely in space, it was an interesting take that I appreciated. Sci-fi isn't really up my wheelhouse most of the time but this is a good starter for anyone wanting to jump into Sci-fi. The main characters Archie, Olive, Chris and Athena are all described as being white. 

Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - MANY

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows) by Leigh Bardugo. 560 pages. Henry Holt and Company BYR. 2016. $16. 

Language: R (68 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (passionate kiss) Violence: PG-13 (bloody shot, explosion, bloody fights, fatal fall) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

17yo Kaz and his crew are working together to get Inej back after she was kidnapped to be used as a trade for the young scientist who knows how to make the drug parem that increases Grisha power. This drug has become a highly sought after commodity because of its incredible strength but it has dire consequences for severe addiction. Nina is fighting that addiction after she took parem just one time so she could save the crew. The group is staying steadfast by her side and helping her fight the need for the drug. Another problem has cropped up involving Jesper’s father; he has been used as bait to lure Jesper and the Crows out of hiding so now Kaz is taking care of him too and helping get the money to save his family farm. Wylan finds out the truth about his mom that supposedly died when he was eight and how his father placed her in an insane asylum and divorced her to claim her money. 

All these situations intertwine to create another book full of complex schemes masterminded by Kaz Brekker, leader of the Crows. I love the humor. The cleverness and complex schemes kept me on my toes. The loyalty is priceless. Jesper is brown and his Dad is Kaelish-dark red hair and salt-white skin; Kaz is white, Inej is Suli (a Grisha heritage), and Nina is white.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Each Night Was Illuminated by Jodi Lynn Anderson - MANY

Each Night Was Illuminated by Jodi Lynn Anderson, 240 pages. Quill Tree Books (HarperCollins). 2022. $17. 

Language: R (26 swears, 5 F); Mature Content: PG (loss, self-questioning) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Cassie is 11yo, she and Elias see a train crash off a bridge into the water. When Cassie is 17yo, Elias returns and she has to face her fears. Elias wants to look for ghosts and Cassie has a deep need to feel safe. Things come to a head when Cassie questions her faith, and their secrets, and has to survive the world around her. 

 Skillfully written, I love that Cassie's questions of faith are addressed beautifully and carefully. She and Elias make the perfect foils for each other and their adventures are intriguing and enlightening. The beginning pulled me in and intriguing enough to get me quickly to the end. A great stand alone book with plenty of life metaphors. Cassie is a good Catholic girl with a warrior zipped tight inside and Elias is from Australia with a varied cultural background. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban - MANY

Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban. 384 pages. Razorbill/Penguin Group. 2023. $13 

Language: R (134 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (implied sex (no details), passionate kissing, underage drinking, drug use); Violence: PG-13 (bloody mess in room and bloody trail to ship railing, possible suicide by hanging) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY

20yo Jade is taking a cruise across eleven countries in four months with the Campus on Board college program. Her ex-best friend Lainey and ex-boyfriend Silas are joining the cruise too and they’re treating Jade like she’s a toxic, horrible person. Jade can’t figure out why or what they think she’s done to be treated that way. When a blood trail is found leading from Lainey’s room to overboard the railing of the ship, many passengers believe Jade is guilty. Jade jumps into action to find evidence that will find the killer and prove her innocence.

The mystery was fun to untangle. Jade is kind and has true, sincere compassion for others. I enjoyed the college on board a cruise setting. Ethnicity is predominantly white, Divya and Navya, who are twins and Jade’s cabin mates, have golden brown skin. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Malice House by Megan Shepherd - OPTIONAL

Malice House (The Malice Compendium) by Megan Shepherd. 373 pages. Hyperion Avenue. 2022. $14 

Language: PG-13 (14 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Some kissing, and brief mention of someone getting laid.); Violence: PG-13 (Illustrations pop out of the book, screaming and gnashing their teeth- scary images that sometimes strangle her or try to kill her.) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW 

"Malice House" follows the thrilling tale of Emily, a young 20yo who inherits a magnificent Victorian mansion from a long-lost relative. The house, full of dark rumors and haunting legends, becomes both her fascination and fear. As Emily settles in, strange occurrences and unsettling visions and illusions begin to haunt her. Determined to unravel the secrets within Malice House, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and uncovers a history of tragedy, betrayal, and hidden family secrets. As Emily delves deeper into the mysteries of the mansion, she must confront her fears and uncover the truth before it consumes her sanity and possibly her life. 

"Malice House" is a haunting and suspenseful novel that skillfully weaves a chilling tapestry of psychological suspense and Gothic intrigue. Malice House by Megan Shepherd has a totally dark academic vibe to it. The Victorian mansions, the strange allure of her relatives, and not to mention the whole town itself. I loved the overall plot and structure of it and its haunting language and dictation. Although the plot was fast-paced, there were times in the novel that I was struggling to keep reading and it starts off slowly. Emily is white. 

Kenzie Hoehne Reviewer

Glitter Everywhere by Chris Burton and Chaaya Prabhat - ADVISABLE

Glitter Everywhere: Where it Came From, Where it's Found & Where it's Going by Chris Burton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat. NON-FICTION Charlesbridge/Imagine. 2023. $20. 9781623542528 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Glitter lovers, this book is for you! Well-organized and engaging, Barton takes the reader through what makes it sparkle, and why humans might like sparkly things. We learn about iridescent beetles and ancient Egyptians, where Mica comes from, and how it was used in art and even fabrics. Barton covers the history of glitter in the US, and the factories that produced it. We learn the improvements to glitter today and even discover that there is edible glitter. There are tips for getting it out of your hair and concerns about microplastic and its effect on aquatic animals and other environmental problems. 

Full of informative text, this non-fiction dive into the world of glitter is better recommended for upper elementary. I loved the illustrations - I sort of expected the book to be very glittery, and it wasn't, and that was totally ok. I'll enjoy recommending this to my middle school readers as well as the upper elementary crowd. Everyone loves glitter! Right? 

Lisa Librarian

We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard - MANY

We'll Never Tell by Wendy Heard. 320 pages. Little, Brown BFYR/Christy Ottaviano Books. 2023. $17 

Language: R (61 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (detailed kissing, implied sex with no details); Violence: PG-13 (bloody stabbing, breaking and entering, bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Eddie and Jacob, both 18yo, and Zoe and Casey, 17yo, have created a popular show about Los Angeles buildings that are sealed off or partly sealed off to the public. The show is called “We’ll Never Tell” and the teenagers keep their true identities secret as they investigate, search and record what they discover. One of these places is known as the Murder House where a couple died fifty years ago. After they’ve broken into the Murder House and are searching, Jacob is stabbed. The other three freak out and the mystery pulls the police into a twisted investigation that will change everything.

The mystery is interesting. I enjoyed the variety of character personalities. I like how the mystery was revealed.  Jacob is white, Eddie is Chinese American, Zoe is Philippine American and Casey is white. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli - MANY

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli, 432 pages. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray 2023 $16 

Language: R (101 swears 58 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing with no details, implied sex, sexual innuendo); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY

18yo Imogen is a people pleaser through and through. She goes with the flow and agrees with whatever others want. Her best friend Lily is attending college and Imogen visits her over a weekend and falls right into place with the group. She also begins to question herself and her intentions when she starts having feelings for Tessa who is part of Lily’s college friend group. 

A sweet, humorous story about accepting yourself. I like Imogen, the main character. She has true integrity and a kind soul. I appreciate the author and how she represents all people and how no one should feel like they have to label themselves or others. Imogen is white, Kayla has deep brown skin, and Lily has Brazilian relatives. 

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian

Almost There by Farrah Rochon - OPTIONAL

Almost There (Twisted Tale) by Farrah Rochon. 464 pages. Disney Hyperion. 2022. $13. 

Language: PG (6 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Souls traded in exchange for powers with nothing explicitly described.); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In Disney's animated "The Princess and the Frog," 18yo Tiana successfully beats Dr. Facilier and marries Prince Naveen, but in "Almost There," Dr. Facilier manages to successfully manipulate Tiana into making a deal moments before she could ultimately vanquish him. The majority of the story continues a year following the deal. In this new ending and because of her deal with Dr. Facilier, Tiana's father is alive and runs a restaurant with her, Louis becomes human, and Naveen loses all memory of their time together. Even more, Tiana isn't allowed to fall in love with him. Naveen luckily didn't marry Charlotte and instead works for Charlotte's dad, but his constant presence keeps Tiana on edge and on the verge of constant heartache. Tiana works hard to make a name for herself, but her chances and opportunities are limited as a black woman in the 1920s. Worst of all, her deal with Dr. Facilier has welcomed a new kind of evil into New Orleans, and she must unite with her friends once more to vanquish the darkness that threatens to overtake the new life she's made for herself and the people she loves. 

Many of the "Twisted Tales" series change major plot points earlier in the story, but this one changed the ending. While that might have worked in its favor, I found that it ultimately forced the characters to regress a little or take on personality traits that weren't consistent with the beginning of the story. Most readers would need to be familiar with Disney's film "The Princess and the Frog" in order to understand what is happening in this version as there's only the briefest summation of events from the film. There are some plot holes as well, but I did enjoy how the novel tried to show the differences between Vodou as it should be used and the kind presented in pop culture. It also addresses a little more explicitly the racism Tiana would face at the time. It's a fun read, but it's a bit of a niche storyline for people who like Disney or twisted fairytales. Tiana, Naveen, and their families are black; Charlotte is white; and Louis's human form is never described.


Lisa J HS ELA Teacher

Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King by Katie Zhao - ADVISABLE

Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King (Winnie Zen #2) by Katie Zhao. 288 page. Random House. 2023. $18.

Language: PG (5 swears - Diety 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, magical battles, evil spirits). 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

11yo Winnie Zeng (and David Zuo as well) have been accepted into the Spirit Council as Agents - with badges and an assignment. Spirits are causing trouble again in Groton, they are becoming more powerful, and Winnie and David have only until Halloween to round them up, a daunting task for 2 entry level shaman agents, so the council has assigned a mentor, but she's their same age and also a a know-it-all. 

Winnie Zeng is proving to be a fun series. I love the banter between the elderly overspirits; I love the cooking connection and the recipes included at the end of the book, although there is less cooking and cookie eating than in book one (which I missed.). The action starts right away, so when a reader picks it up, they won't want to put it back down. David and Winnie are Chinese. 

Lisa Librarian