Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross - MANY

Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross 420 pages. Wednesday Books, 2023. $12 

Language: PG (7 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (implied sex, nondescript) Violence: PG-13 bloody fighting, bloody wounds 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Two weeks after 18yo Iris was forced to watch her husband struggle against a gas bomb in the attack on Avalon Bluff, she’s back in Oath living with her brother Forest. 19yo Roman is trapped in Avalon Bluff under Dacre’s watchful care with no memory of who he is or his past. Iris manages to get her hands on the Alouette typewriter in the museum and uses it to search for Roman or anyone who may be using one of the other two Alouettes. Roman unknowingly writes back and forth with Iris as he gets his memory back a little at a time. He also sends a warning that Dacre will be invading the area that Iris is staying at while writing war correspondence. Roman is terrified that Dacre will learn of his secret messages and Iris is terrified of an invasion.

Beautiful story telling. I love the brave and loyal characters. A riveting story and I didn’t want to put the book down. The ethnicity falls to white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez - ADVISABLE

Concealed by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, 320 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic Inc.), 2021. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Three years ago, 12yo Katrina was in an accident that caused amnesia—which means she can’t remember what her life was like before she and her parents started living on the run. But she’s getting tired of all the secrets. With one wrong move, the secrets start crashing down around Katrina, and it’s too late to turn back.

Fast-paced and action-packed, the search for identity takes Katrina and readers to unexpected places. I loved Gonzalez’s solutions, even if there was some trust whiplash as Katrina struggled with the overwhelming number of secrets revealed. Part of me is still braced for another stab in Katrina’s back despite the non-cliffhanger ending.

Katrina’s mother is Cuban, and Parker is half Dominican. The mature content rating is for illegal activity and mentions of drugs and alcohol. The violence rating is for gun use and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett - OPTIONAL

The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett, 413 pages. Del Rey (Penguin Random House), 2024. $29.

Language: R (256 swears, 67 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NO; ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

As investigator’s assistant, Dinios (20yo) is sent to the scene of a murder—his first. He faithfully engraves the information needed for the investigator, Ana, and reports back, but the case is far from over. Murders in the same strange manner pop up, prompting officials to bring Din and Ana in on those cases, but time is of the essence: the wet season is coming, bringing destruction with it.

I absolutely love the eccentric Ana, who is a type of Sherlock Holmes, and her assistant, Din, who is her perfect Watson. The mystery tangles and unfolds masterfully, though I got worried as I started to run out of pages. While the conclusion is satisfactory plot-wise, I can hardly sit still due to the anticipation of seeing these characters solve another mystery. Besides the characters, I also love the world Bennett has built. Furthermore, I am impressed with Bennett’s ability to make the complex world and magic feel so easily understood; from the first chapter, I found myself immersed in a world that made sense despite its newness.

Dinios is described as having darker skin than another character, and races are mentioned but they are not the same as the races in our world. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs, prostitutes, sexual harassment, and sex; alcohol use; innuendo; brief discussion of animals mating; and nudity. The violence rating is for blood and gore, assault, murder, assassins, and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill - OPTIONAL

This Day Changes Everything by Edward Underhill, 288 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $20.

Language: R (83 swears, 31 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Both on their way to New York City to play in their respective marching bands for the Thanksgiving Macy’s parade, Abby (16yo) and Leo (16yo) have vastly different feelings. Abby is sure the Universe is on her side, giving her the perfect opportunity to confess to her crush. However, Leo is sure the Universe is conspiring against him and that this trip is the beginning of the end.

Their story is packaged as a cute romance, which it is, but the romance falls to the side of what Abby and Leo both really want. At the heart of it, this book is about discovery and acceptance. They want to know who they are, they want to love who they are, and they want others to accept who they are.

Abby is White, Leo is White, Kat is Asian, and Gina is not White but is not otherwise defined. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson and Junyi Wu - ADVISABLE

Elf Dog & Owl Head by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu 232 pages. Candlewick, 2023. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (home invasion not brutal but damage, peril, dog attack). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Pre-teen Clay finds a magical dog in the woods near his home. Because of the pandemic, everyone is in lockdown, so he doesn't get to play with his friends - he's stuck with his sisters. So, a dog is a great thing! But this dog was left behind when the People Under the Mountain ventured to the surface on a hunt. Now, as Clay wanders the woods with "Elphinore" he is led to hidden places that exist alongside Clay's community, but which humans can't see. There he meets a boy with an Owl's Head, and the two become fast friends. But Amos (the Owl Head boy) knows that if they are discovered, Clay's family will be cursed and Amos will be punished. 

M.T. Anderson weaves a pandemic story that was not as weird as I expected. His world-building - within the human world - made sense. I loved the side characters, the sleeping giant was my favorite, and the story was a lot of fun. Who hasn't dreamed of stepping off a path in the woods and entering a whole other world? Junyi Wu's illustrations were plentiful and expressive. A great read for either upper elementary or middle school. Clay and his family are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Eyes & The Impossible by Dave Eggers - ADVISABLE

The Eyes & The Impossible by Dave Eggers, 250 pages. Random House, 2023 $19.00 Language: PG (9 swears (all deity) 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Johannes is a wild dog who lives in a park. The bison, who seem to be in charge of all the wildlife in the area, have given him the responsibility of being The Eyes. He runs through the park and reports back what he sees - with the help of his friends a seagull, a squirrel, a pelican and a raccoon they know about everything - the people, the park workers, the construction projects. The bison are wise and know just what to do. But Johannes has a problem, he's not fast if he gets distracted. 

The Eyes & The Impossible isn't just another dog book. Oh, I loved it so much. Eggers' story telling is engaging and exciting. The characters, although animals, are realistic and believable. The gorgeous landscapes (actual Fine Art with the dog added) made the book fancy and beautifully illustrated. A sure purchase for my library. 

Lisa Librarian

Frankenstein (Manga Classics) art by Linus Liu - ADVISABLE

Frankenstein (Manga Classics) art by Linus Liu, 324 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Udon Entertainment, 2020. $20.

Language: PG (9 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Natural philosophy is Victor’s subject matter of choice, and, when he goes to university, he learns to apply other sciences, like chemistry, to the philosophy he loves. Determined to bring theory to life, Victor literally animates a being—a monster. Years of study culminates in a decision that haunts Victor the rest of his life.

Shelley’s Frankenstein is as much about Victor’s and his monster’s thoughts as it is about their actions, and Shelley tells several stories inside of each other. The illustrations by Liu show readers the turmoil inside and outside of these characters and help readers clearly keep track of who is telling which stories. I like this manga version as much as I enjoy the original text.

Victor and his family are Swiss, Agatha and her family are French, Safie is Turkish, and Robert is implied English. The mature content rating is for partial nudity and disturbing images. The violence rating is for corpses, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Last Fallen Realm by Graci Kim - ADVISABLE

The Last Fallen Realm (Gifted Clans #3) by Graci Kim, 300 pages. Rick Riordan Presents (Disney-Hyperion), 2021. $17.

Language: PG (6 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Witches all over the world have lost access to their gifts, so Riley (13yo), her parents, her Horangi guardians, and her friends are traveling across the country to help witches everywhere get their powers back. Unfortunately, while the group is in Las Vegas, the space between the three realms tears, beginning the war. Riley and her friends need to figure out their attack plan now before the angry goddesses destroy their world.

Readers watch Riley struggle through good character growth in this trilogy, reminding us how difficult things continue to impact our lives and that we can choose to let the impact be positive. Amongst other good life lessons and humor and contemporary references for levity. While the story takes some random twists and turns, Riley does her best to be a hero—and she wants you to be one too.

The majority of characters are Korean. The mature content rating is for kissing. The violence rating is for assault, blood, and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce - ADVISABLE

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce, 304 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2024. $12.

Language: PG (13 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

After getting caught driving home from seeing Waitress with her best friend—without a license—Riley’s punishment is to work at her father’s game store for several weeks. Now on top of homework and her unwanted job, the new choir teacher announces that the school musical has been canceled. And Riley can’t let that happen.

Riley is the definition of “if there’s a will, there’s a way,” which gets her into a myriad of scrapes. I loved that Boyce doesn’t focus on any one aspect of Riley’s life, but, instead, shows how this trial in her life affects her hobbies and her friends and her family—because that’s how this messy life works. Throughout the book, Riley learns how to reconcile herself to the changes in each of these areas of her life, and her story feels both relatable and adorable.

Riley and Nathan are depicted as White on the cover, Hoshiko is Japanese, Anthony is Latino, Jordan is Black, and Sanhi is Asian. A couple of guys in the DND friend-group are LGBT. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol (including underage drinking), illegal activity, kissing, and innuendo. The violence rating is for a joke about running into oncoming traffic.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Relit by Sandra Proudman - MANY

Relit by Sandra Proudman, 352 pages. SHORT STORIES. Inkyard Press, 2024. $21.

Language: R (63 swears, 2 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

These sixteen authors retell stories we know from Disney movies and high school English class. From Greek mythology to folktales, Jane Austen to Edgar Allan Poe, stories familiar to us are made new and exciting again.

The intent of this collection was to rewrite familiar stories with Latinx characters, which breathes new life into the retellings. The cultures of the new main characters and their settings lend elements to the stories that did not exist in the originals. It’s as if the authors are inviting readers to ask how the story would change if they—if we—were the main character. Let your imagination go wild.

Most of the characters are implied, if not explicitly, Latinx. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, drug use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for fantasy violence; mentions of guns, torture, homicide, and genocide; and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day and Brett Helquist - ADVISABLE

The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, with art by Brett Helquist. 276 pages. NON-FICTION Random House, 2023. $20.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. This theft made the Mona Lisa the most famous painting of them all. Author Nicholas Day switches back and forth between 1911 Paris and the 1400s as he tells about Leonardo da Vinci, Lisa Gherardini, the Medici family, and the lives of women in Renaissance Italy, as well as 20th century newspapers, early 1900's forensic investigations, what would seem like a bumbling cop, and the race to find this painting. 

A lot is going on in The Mona Lisa Vanishes, but Day has skillfully weaved his narrative nonfiction to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seat. I love Brett Helquist's illustrations placed at the perfect times to give a sense of the clothing, the culture, and the story. A delightful read, the kids who like true crime will eat this up and learn a lot about Art and the Renaissance too. 

Lisa Librarian

Houses with a Story by Seiji Yoshida - ADVISABLE

Houses with a Story: A Dragon's Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore by Seiji Yoshida (translated from Japanese by Jan Mitsuko Cash,) 124 pages. Abrams/Amulet, 2023 (originally published in 2000 in Japan) $25.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Senji Yoshida is an illustrator. He has always imagined the houses in the stories he's read and wanted to create illustrated houses that could be in these stories. 30 different houses are represented, with a short single-paragraph story starter a character who lives there, and something about what makes the house special. Then, the illustration itself is a cutaway (ala David Macaulay) with labels for the things we might miss or which need to be explained and a blueprint-type drawing of the layout. 

I really loved Houses with a Story! The stories themselves were intriguing, I wanted to imagine a story that would happen in the house. Except for the House of the Seven Dwarves, none of them seemed to be connected to actual stories. Includes dragons, ogres, a clocksmith, orphans, ghosts and so much more. Special pages teach about different roofs, toilets, and a glimpse into the artist's studio. A fun book that can be opened to any page and feed the reader's imagination. Most of the characters are Japanese 

Lisa Librarian 

Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster and Laura Freeman - ADVISABLE

Ida B. Wells, Voice of Truth by Michelle Duster, illustrated by Laura Freeman. PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHY. Godwin Books (Macmillan), 2022. $19. 9781250239464

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Born into slavery, Ida B. Wells, a Black woman, decided early to speak up against injustice of all kinds, at all times, n matter the personal consequences. She raised her voice as a writer, co-owning her own newspaper, and persisted even when her printing press was destroyed by an angry white mob. As one of the founders of the NAACP, Well’s voice is heard on to today.

Well’s granddaughter, Duster writes a clear, powerful look at a brave woman. Good for any Black history, Civil Rights, American History class.  Or use it in an ELA class as a concise biography example.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS

Imagine a Garden : Stories of Courage Changing the World by Rina Singh and Hoda Hadadi - ADVISABLE

Imagine a Garden : Stories of Courage Changing the World by Rina Singh, illustrated by Hoda Hadadi. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION Greystone Kids, 2023. $19. 9781771647137 

Content: PG. One story features tear gas grenades. It doesn't focus on the effects of the tear gas. In another story, a woman receives threats for helping refugees. The threats are not described. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Written in free verse, Singh tells seven stories from around the world of people who took difficult circumstances, and, with courage and resilience, did small things to change the world. A woman in Palestine turns empty tear gas canisters into planters for a flower garden. An artist in Mexico uses the pieces of dismantled illegal weapons to create musical instruments. A soccer lover moves to South Africa and, despite his own troubles, becomes a friend and soccer coach to local boys, helping to keep them in school. Singh includes an ""about the stories"" section at the end.  

I LOVED this book! The cut-paper art was mesmerizing. You don't have to have money or do something big and grandiose to change the world. I found myself wanting to learn more about the people and places in this book. The people in this book are from Palestine, Brazil, India, South Africa, Canada (native), Mexico, and Greece. 

Rachel, Elementary Library Specialist

Window Fishing by DK Dyson and Rudy Gutierrez - OPTIONAL

Window Fishing by DK Dyson, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez PICTURE BOOK Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. $19. 9780593429013

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Rudeday is an artist who doesn't enjoy his job of making art anymore. One day, he hears a tapping on his 4th-floor apartment window and sees a paperclip on a string. Excited, Rudeday draws a fish and attaches it to the string. The fish is pulled up out of sight. Each day, Rudeday draws more fish, and each day they are lifted up on the string. Until one day, it stops. 

I enjoyed the unique mixed media illustrations. I liked the message that we can take breaks and enjoy ourselves, and when we do, we might even find that we help others. I think that the story would be more relatable for kids if it had focused on the little boy on the other end of the string more than the grumpy adult artist. Rudeday is Latino, and the little boy has dark skin and curly hair. 

Rachel, Library Media Specialist 

Middle School and Other Disasters: Worst Love Spell Ever! by Wanda Coven and Anna Abramskaya - HIGH

Middle School and Other Disasters: Worst Love Spell Ever! by Wanda Coven, illustrated by Anna Abramskaya, 322 pages. Middle Grade, Simon and Schuster, 2023 .$15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY

Heidi is at Kettledrum Academy, a boarding school that caters to witches-in-training and nonmagical kids alike. Heidi is totally enamored with Hunter "McCutie" and wonders how she can cast a love spell to get him to notice her since she thinks of herself as boring and invisible. What could go wrong? 

True confession: I almost didn't get past the first few pages. There are so many words all in caps and an overabundance of exclamation points. However, if you can channel your inner middle school angst that most of us try to smother with a pillow, it's actually pretty relatable to the target audience. The book does bring up some real issues, like why being yourself is important and that perhaps all first crushes don't work out and that's ok. So while you can practically hear girl screams about boys in your head, it would actually be a fun read for tween girls. Culture or race is never specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan - ADVISABLE

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years by Shubnum Khan, 320 pages. Viking/Penguin Group, 2024. $25

Language: PG-13 (14 swears;  0 'f');  Mature Content: G (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

15yo Sana moves into a decrepit large house in Africa with her father. The other residents say it’s haunted and this makes Sana curious. She asks the other residents questions about the house and its past and she explores everything and every place in the house. In the attic, Sana discovers a diary and she reads until the ending. What she finds, haunts her and she hopes there’s more of the story to unravel.

The Djinn Waits a Hundred Years is slow and builds the setting and characters until the second half when the mystery piqued my interest and grabbed my attention. I found it fascinating that Sana was a conjoined twin but she’s the only one who survived and now Sana sees and hears her dead sister. I loved discovering the background of the haunted home that is the setting for this story. The ethnicity is Indian and African with some white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Library

Mission Manhattan by James Ponti - ESSENTIAL

Mission Manhattan (City Spies #5) by James Ponti, 423 pages. Aladdin Paperbacks, (Simon and Schuster), 2024. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY

Book five in the City Spies series shines some love on 13yo Rio, who is a skilled street magician on top of being one of the City Spies. The group of spies travels to Venice, Italy to protect a teen environmentalist during a demonstration and her speech to the UN conference. When Rio spots a bomb, he is hailed as a hero, but finds that there are a lot of sinister powers in play. 

Another engaging spy novel that will suck you in. There are a lot of characters to root for, and the Venice and Washington, DC settings make it even cooler. Yes, the young spies seem almost superhumanly gifted, but who wouldn't want to be them? Plus Cairo's mom, who seems to be the City Spies' enemy, is lurking in the shadows and figures to play a bigger role in the future. I shall anxiously await further missions! City Spies represent a variety of ethnicities. 

Michelle in the Middle 

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft - OPTIONAL

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft, 384 pages. Wednesday Books. 2024. $18

Language: R (25 swears 8 'f's); Mature Content: PG-13 (petting); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

18yo Niamh is invited to the Avalon palace as head seamstress for Prince Kit’s wedding preparations. He’s as haughty and rude as ever and much more than Niamh expected. 19yo Kit is angry at the world but Niamh has no idea why. Sinclair, Kit’s lifelong best friend, is the first and only person that treats Niamh kindly and as a friend instead of some lowly servant. The three of them become friends and help each other break down the personal barriers they’ve put up but political pressure, intrigue and scheming threaten to crush everything they’ve gained. 

A Fragile Enchantment is full of interesting characters. The author approaches self care and mental health graciously. Political intrigue dominates the book and creates a nice mystery. Beautiful descriptions are found throughout the book. Humor is used perfectly. Ethnicity falls to white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Library

Mixed Up by Gordon Korman - OPTIONAL

Mixed Up by Gordon Korman, 244 pages. Middle Grade Scholastic Press (Scholastic), 2023. $18 

Language: G (no swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Reef and Theo are completely different people, living in different towns. But lately, their memories seem to be playing tricks on them. Reef has flashes of memories that aren't his, and Theo recognizes a school he's never been to before. As they gain new memories that aren't theirs, their own are fading. Reef can't bear losing his memories of his mother. Finding each other and a solution becomes a race against time before their memories slip away forever. 

Reef and Theo are both experiencing their own difficulties. Theo has an overbearing father who wants Theo to be something he isn't, and Reef is grieving the death of his mother and living with a family who has taken him in and their son who bullies him, so it has some heavy themes mixed in with the memory loss. As long as you can suspend your disbelief at the premise, it makes for an interesting read and begs the question of how important memories are, even the bad ones, and what you'd do to get them back. Characters default white.

Michelle in the Middle