If you were the only one left one morning in your town, you might freak out a little. When ominous messages appear for you to find, you’d likely freak out more. Ally Condie’s The Only Girl in Town attempts to be more than it should though. Hooking the reader with a scary mystery setting, Condie uses alternating “Once” and “Now” chapters to bring the real story behind July Fielding’s loneliness. July found herself in a bullying triangle and she didn’t become the upstander that she should have been. There’s also a love interest that doesn’t work out. But the mystery is more confusing than thrilling. The repetitive message of “Get Th3m Back” could be seen July’s need for retribution and the reader must prod along to find out why. But it was also read as longing for companionship as July wondereds if she can wish people back into her life like she wished for her cat to appear and it did. July’s own mental state becomes the focus as a reader realizes the metaphor at play and then follows her as she literally runs to a possible suicide. So why set readers up in the initial form of a mystery? Is she getting the readers back because, shocker, she doesn’t jump? Saying this is a spolier, I know, but when would a publisher let the character’s suicide actually succeed in YA? Other reviewers have commented that if you haven’t experienced depression or severe loneliness, you won’t get this book. If the fault is all mine, I can own it. But I just can’t give it a high recommendation.

In Ali Hazelwood’s spicy romance Check & Mate, Mallory Greenleaf appears to be a confident, charismatic, and clever high school graduate stuck in her hometown working as a mechanic to support her mother and two sisters. But this characterization will be challenged by the very game that put her into her current situation: chess. Mallory was a child chess prodigy and her father a Grand Master. But at 14, events unfolded that made Mallory choose to quit playing. At her best friend’s request, Mallory joined a charity team tournament. Upon winning the tournament, which sent a minor earthquake through the chess world, Mallory’s own world opens to amazing opportunities through chess. Is she willing to endure the pain of the past and the conflicting story of the person she thought she had become? Readers need to know that Mallory is mature in her sexuality. Comments made by her younger middle-school-aged siblings might even shock some people. But Hazelwood’s exploration of the chess world and the game itself is fascinating. Even a person who has never played the game will love the tension Hazelwood produces. Add in a tantalizing romance that builds and builds over the whole book and this is a winner, much like Mallory.

A rom-com with Asian flair, Jennifer Yen’s Love, Decoded mixes the pressures of high school classes, friendships, and angst into a predictable yet modern melodrama. Gigi Wong is a super smart girl with nothing holding her back — she comes from a family with money, she has respect from her peers and teachers, and she has a school that offers the high-level classes to take her anywhere. But like most teens, Gigi doesn’t know where to go after high school. An app creation assignment in class that includes the option of being entered into a contest brings out Gigi’s natural drive to be the best, but this will create conflict in multiple friendships as the story plays out. Gigi is a nice girl that readers will want to succeed and they may get frustrated as they know the tripwire is coming…she will fall down. How she handles both the elements she is in control of as well as those she lost control of will be the make-or-break point for readers. They’ll either see her as authentic or not. This is recommended for all high school and public libraries.

Craving that authentic, richly Hispanic fresh cooking one finds in many small-town, family-owned Mexican restaurants, then this fiesta of a cookbook is for you. While this beautifully crafted collection is meant to be breakfast forward –from salsas to drinks, to salads, soups, and sides– any of the recipes can be served for any meal in the day. Most of the recipes are made from traditional yet simple ingredients found in most major supermarket chains, though a trip to a specialty store will be required here and there. Pair a cactus and tomatillo cooler with the chicken mole folds. Perhaps a marinated panela cheese with watermelon, peach, and cucumber salad to bring a bit of health to the banana run french toast. Each recipe comes with a half-page or larger vividly colored photograph of the finished dish. Fifteen “Something Sweet”s finish this collection. The intro method on “How to roast a poblano chili” sets adventurists up for the several recipes that require the chili’s presence. This is a lovely addition to any cookbook collection — one that will make my Hispanic students proud to see and all other children hungry to try.

Shea Ernshaw’s A Wilderness of Stars brings multiple genres of adventure, romance, and sci-fi together as it starts off strong but finishes disjointed and rushed. Vega is from a line of “Astronomers”. When the stars are in alignment, she begins a journey to find the “Architect” and save the world. She meets a girl named Cricket who saves her from danger and brings her to the “Architect”. After the “Architect”‘s sudden death, the apprentice Noah replaces him and brings Vega to her final goal. This follows a traditional plotline that incorporates more serious topics of disease, poverty, and harsh environments that the author executes beautifully. However, the story falls flat with the climax and ending. The timing was inconsistent and the added science-fiction element created a disjointed flow—like a car jerking as it runs out of gas. And additional purchase for most libraries.

Kristine Ehlebracht for Kristi Bonds

Hiding her love for Nora was hard enough in her conservative, small town. After graduating high school, Stevie and Nora had big dreams of moving to a more accepting world. But Stevie’s accident has left her with amnesia — she can’t remember anything from the last two years and she barely feels connected with her own family anymore.

Confusion, frustration, and loneliness are part of the struggles both Nora and Stevie face as they learn about each other again, all while wondering if their love will be rekindled. Alyson Derrick gave enough backstory so one could feel how deep their passion for each other. This reader was cheering them on as Stevie and Nora fell back in love. The only flaw– how easily her parents accepted her sexuality given the community they lived in — is concerning in that not all students reading this would be so lucky. But a theme of the book has to be hope in true love and where one sees a flaw another can argue that it is evidence of the theme. What could have been a tragic love loss story is instead one where each page had a purpose in explaining the intimate details of their connection. A highly recommended love story for high school students.

Adina Walker is intelligent, driven, pretty, and sociable but because she is Black and middle-class, life at her exclusive, private high school has not been easy. When Adina loses her acceptance to Yale, she has the opportunity to regain it by winning “The Finish;” however, this elite competition is not all that it seems to be. In fact, something is clearly sinister about the game. 

Joelle Wellington’s Their Vicious Games is an entertaining read. The story is fast-paced, and populated with developed characters that are recognizable, not always likable, yet very interesting.  Events are unpredictable and the plot is twisty while descriptions are brutal and gory.   It is an anxiety-inducing, horrifying thrill-ride and the reader will not want to disembark until it is done.  This novel effortlessly allows readers of all ages to engulf themselves in this YA high-action, thriller and is highly recommended!

Venom & Vow, by Anna-Marie and Elliott McLemore, twists and turns through intrigue and self-discovery with excitement on every page. Valencia has trained her entire life in combat, trickery, and deception to aid her country and her Princess in the war against Adare and their prince, Patrick McKenna. When peace talks bring the two sides together, Valencia is finally able to investigate the mysterious boy who put a curse on the land and trapped the king and queen in El Encanto. Switching between the two characters’ perspectives creates a rich and vivid world without revealing the next twist in the plot. The character’s disabilities are woven well into their stories and believable in the book’s world. Topics surrounding gender identity are introduced slowly and naturally and avoid the common tropes that one would expect. Despite action occurring on nearly every page, the descriptions of movement, especially in combat scenes, can become difficult to follow. This fictional world of mystery, magic, and intrigue weaves Spanish and Scottish language and culture to make an unfamiliar world feel more familiar. For readers who like to guess the answer right away and those who wait for it to be fully revealed, the surprises and twists in this story will keep you guessing the whole way. Highly Recommended. 

I Will Find You Again is an emotional story about two teens who fell in love but one didn’t find hope in their future, which led to suicide. Chase is an overachiever and Lia is free-spirited. Lia feels there is no other choice than to die. The story revolves around Chase and her process of grieving.

The author does a great job creating a back story to keep the reader hooked and wanting to see what is about to happen. Lyu shows the emotions of the characters well throughout the book going into the stages of grief: denial, anger, depression, and then acceptance. The story is a bit strange in that the main character loses their memories due to taking pills. Then there was a character who is actually the main character’s subconscious because of the pills. It was a bit confusing at times, but the author eventually came around to connect all the pieces together.

This was a great read for people who are trying to make sense of suicide and Lyu doesn’t shy away from the grieving process. The theme of loving who you are, not some fake perfect version of yourself, is genuinely felt. It may also help someone who is grieving a loss know there is hope eventually. However, a large expanse of the book is heavy, dark, and depressing. This made it feel slow to progress, though it finished quickly and left this reader confused. The main character was too fine. Therefore this is recommended as an additional purchase for school libraries.

Spanning the last two years of high school for Stony Shelor, this fictional tale puts a sad light on a small town named Early in Appalachian U.S.A. Stony is a boy who is not only figuring out his own life but those of many in his town — from the town drunk to the bully, from the illegal moonshine makers to the racist acts by the Klu Klux Klan. Stony is coming into adulthood realizing that his father’s job as mayor of such a town is not easy. But Stony is a boy at heart who loves a good chase and when the new kid comes to town with swagger, Stony is drawn to his style. The two set off to be private detectives for the town, which gets them into touchy situations. He’ll be shot at multiple times but risking his life seems to be his purpose for living, even at his young age. More often than not he works with the local sheriff’s office, though it may not have been legal 100% of the time. There are many examples of racism that Stony has to deal with and while this is the obvious social message of Hopkins writing, it feels more like a Huckleberry Finn than a To Kill a Mockingbird story. It’s more about the action Stony gets himself into. This librarian will put it on the shelf and try to sell it to a few key students but it may not have an audience with today’s youth.

Traditions and connections are more important than most things at Seton Academic Prep. The football team has gone to the playoffs every year since 2006 when Cooper Adams was quarterback and he attributed it to the Seton Girls. A playoff birth became the expectation of every quarterback since and they would continue their “tradition” of making that happen with those exact Seton Girls. Enter “J” and “Alz”, two outsiders whose academic and extracurricular merits gave them scholarships to attend Seton. J and Alz have been a couple since they were kids and they walked into a hornet’s nest of affluent, and at times obnoxious, teenagers. J’s JV quarterback skills are promising for his senior year but first Parker will lead the team, and it’s “tradition” to win. Over the course of the summer though, Parker’s control of the “tradition” is lost, because of a few of the Seton Girls, including Alz’s brave decision and Britt’s recognition of how to play the player. In a story that would hopefully never happen, readers will discover just who the Seton Girls are, how have more control than they realize, and how certain traditions are meant to be broken. References to sex and partying are strung throughout the text but this is tame for high school audiences today.

In Jennifer Dugan’s (drawings by Kit Seaton) inconsistent graphic novel for teenagers, Emsy is a blissful California adolescent uprooted from all that she enjoys when she is forced by her parents to move to Upstate New York after the murder of members of the family coven. Emsy is a witch and in New York, she learns about her past, her powers, and her possibilities in ways that are unfortunately cliche for this genre. The novel seems sincere in its approach and is most successful when focusing on the web of social relationships, upheaval, and the sincere passion young people can have for one another so quickly. The drawings are clean and effectively convey a sense of inner vibrancy and intense fire moments. Unfortunately, the writing and plotting are too often tired and predictable. Adults are drearily predictable and two-dimensional. On the other hand, and not for the better, the adolescents are both wildly sophisticated and tediously whiny. “I mean witches? Evil Tomes? Dateless for homecoming? How is this my life?” The writing told excessively through dialogue and images, is weirdly out of their register and does not capture how teens talk. Dugan struggles to develop characters. Her tone is breezy and the writing stays fixated on teen relationships – who likes who – in the midst of murder, witchcraft, and what should be a deep loss. The plot jumps between a Who-Done-It, a tale of the supernatural, and interwoven relationships, without effectively satisfying an element. The book has a lot of potential appeal, unfortunately it treats the characters in such superficial ways the work fails to ignite the powers that the genre is so eager to tap into. Therefore, this is an additional purchase for most libraries.

Cassie Gustafson’s The Secrets We Keep delves into the emotional journey of Emma, a high school freshman faced with piecing together the truths about her family’s past. When her best friend accuses her father of sexual misconduct, she must confront dire shifts in her closest relationships and decide where her loyalty lies.

Emma writes “fairy tales” to cope with her loneliness, which are dispersed throughout the novel and provide an allegorical illustration of loss and rupture in trust. Within these nightmarish fragments, the reader gets a unique glimpse into a teenage girl’s anxious inner landscape. Meanwhile, the text shifts between accounts of Emma’s painful present-day social interactions surrounding the accusation and her repressed memories, including the scandal that drove her family from San Francisco to rural Oregon. Each vignette reveals poignant bits of information to build a cohesive and direct commentary about the webs of abuse. Though the plot is sometimes predictable and lacks complexity, Gustafon’s story-telling technique unfolds as a nuanced and dimensional study of intimacy and the psyche in grief. Thoughtful of the trauma some people already have experienced in their lives, she also gives readers a warning that the story may be a trigger for some as well as a list of support organizations at the end. Recommended for high school libraries.

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter is sure to be popular with hopeless romantics everywhere as they read sixteen-year-old Emilie Hornby’s experience of a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, reoccuring Valentine’s Day—think of the movie Groundhog’s Day here. She tries everything she can think of to make the day perfect instead of horrible, but she can’t seem to prevent the unfortunate events of the day. Because of this, she decides to change it to a Day of No Consequences (DONC) with Nick Stark, the person she keeps running into. On this day she does whatever she wants because she will wake up at the beginning of Valentine’s Day again, except when she finally wakes up on February 15th and all of the consequences of her decisions from the previous day must now be faced. I enjoyed the confessions at the beginning of each chapter as they gave the readers more background on Emilie without taking up too much of the book. I also love the Taylor Swift references throughout the novel and in the playlist. The concept of reliving the same day is one I have read in books before, but I enjoyed this one a lot more because Emilie was doing different things in an attempt to produce a different outcome, so the days were never exactly the same. I disliked that after the DONC Emilie woke up on the 15th, I found it predictable and I was not looking forward to reading about her getting in trouble. I was also disappointed that she never told Nick that she was reliving Valentine’s Day. This romantic twist on Groundhog Day is lighthearted enough to be fluffy with just the right amount of emotion to make it seem real. General fiction readers may enjoy the adventure and drama presented in the story with the DONC and Emilie’s family problems. While romance lovers will get butterflies from the friendship between Nick and Emilie— he is very grumpy and she is very sunshine. This novel is the book version of a rom-com and Lynn Painter has not failed me yet with her fluffy reads. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested.

I tried! I tried really hard to get into the YA novel Who We Were in the Dark by Jessica Taylor.  The setting of the novel is in the mountains of northern California near Truckee where the infamous Donner Party tragedy occurred. The element of suspense and potential horror sets an expectation of possible mystery and intrigue. Unfortunately, the interruption of the storyline with numerous changes of season and place makes for confusion and labored reading. The characters each have an “unknown” about their past, or their family, or their “real” life but the hints are not strong enough to carry the reader forward.  We are supposed to care but we don’t because each individual character is so underdeveloped.  The only clear message of this book is that we really are not able to know another person, even ones we consider friends or may even be in love with.  Therefore I would not be quick to recommend this book.  It is too much work for too little return.

It’s not surprising that this sequel to the award-winning Beasts of Prey is also getting starred reviews, or that the story has been optioned by Netflix already. Ayana Gray’s depth of description, the interweaving of emotions with magic, and tension between characters let Beasts of Ruin feel so solid as a story. Koffi and Ekon are now separated as this part begins. Koffi, basically a slave to the god of death, is intuitive enough to be looking for her path out of captivity, even if it through mystical and “mist-ical” ways. Ekon will challenge what he knows of himself on his path back to Koffi. And as we all learn and grow over time, the two will reunite to find things are not exactly the same as they were, as is true in all of life. Action, beauty, wonder —Gray’s series will continue based on the last line, hopefully in print before Netflix.

Remember when you felt such big emotions as a teenager, big enough to flood every moment of your day and take you from euphoria to tears and back in thirty minutes? Linus and Harrison are best friends who are not only navigating life as black, gay kids but have come to the last day before Linus is moving to South Carolina. Harrison wants to make the perfect “Ferris Bueller” type of day where they skip school, take a train from Baltimore to DC, meet up with Linus’s crush, and experience something unique before he moves. But part of growing up is learning that there is no perfect day. You have to grab the day that comes before you and make it the best it can be. Linus and Harrison have an epic day together, that’s for sure. And there is a huge amount for the reader to unpack, from all-out racist interactions to exploring the purpose of Pride, to family relationships, to the meaning of love. Eric Thomas brings the heart of hearts out in one day in the life of Linus and Harrison. This will get checked out by kids. My hope is that they hang on for the end. There is so much activity in the day, it felt a little overwhelming to keep track of the new acquaintances/few side characters. But this is right on par to relate with Linus and Harrison’s emotions as they know that their tomorrow will be the end of everything that was normal in their lives before.. and they are scared because their limited and sheltered life hasn’t allowed them to see beyond the day.

The YA novel, A Secret Princess,  is a creative collaboration by two renowned young adult literature authors, Margaret de la Cruz and Margaret Stohl.  With clear homage to Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author of The Secret Garden, A LittlePrincess and Little Lord Fauntleroy,  de la Cruz and Stohl weave an entertaining but fanciful story around three young people who chance to meet in a repressive English boarding school called The Select Seminary for Young Ladies and Gentlemen. The 2022 novel holds no surprises in plot, setting or character development.  Teenage attraction at almost first sight, the unfair use of adult power, the instant friendship formed from disadvantage and the magical powers of a hidden garden are formulaic and expected.  The surprising and refreshing aspect of this light and breezy novel is the inclusion of a person of color, Sara from the Philippines, who experiences subtle and blatant prejudice from every class level in pre-industrial England. The “prince” is a physically challenged young man whose wealth and privilege cannot bring him what he most desires: health and mobility. The third main character is Mary, a strong-willed, determined young woman who will not be the “lady” that is expected of her. 
     The rewriting of the classic stories by Burnett to reflect multi-cultural backgrounds and people of color is to update the original work with an air of honor and respect. These young characters overcome difficulties through friendship, courage and a bit of “luck”.  A Secret Princess is a whimsy, frivolous read.

Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions is a classic high school novel with a cast of diverse and unique characters. Sunny, a nerdy senior with a stutter, must make his way through a night full of trying experiences and difficult revelations. With the help of Mindii, the strange and aggressive girl he met at prom, Sunny will start making his own “rash decisions”, and in doing so learn more than he expected about himself and his deceased brother. 

Throughout the book, Sunny is constantly driving around his town on his quest to make rash decisions. This makes the book quite a page-turner, but it also means there are very few characters who are fully fleshed out and developed. Also, while it is realistic for a high school-age environment, the frequency of swear words is both jarring and distracting from the actual plot. This book will make you realize why most YA novels choose to include only a few swears.

Sunny’s continuous struggle throughout the book is his grappling with the death of his brother, who was an alcoholic. Other themes include bullying, cultural differences, and personal identity.

Overall, Sunny G’s Series of Rash Decisions is an engaging book that will easily kill a few hours of time. However, the overwhelming host of problems the main character is faced with, as well as the quick, snappy writing style, can cause it to be a bit much at times. 6.5 out of 10 Stars.

In Jordan Ifueko’s sequel to Raybearer, Tarisai will be tested physically and mentally as she begins her control of the throne as Empress. Tarisai is still a rock star of a heroine, staying one step ahead of most issues that arise but when spirits of the past add that additional layer of doubt, Tarsai takes a little of a Christ-like role in deciding if she can live with her people or if she must die to absolve them of past transgressions. This fantasy world continues its mythical tale as beautifully crafted as Tarisai’s characterization. Fans of Raybearer will enjoy Redemptor’s 2nd and final part of the story.

Minda Harts gives heartfelt advice on everything from finding your first job to reacting to squabbles between friends or break-ups of family, and from self-advocacy and positive self-reflection to being vulnerable in relationships. While race and gender positivity are obviously the reason for the book, this white reader could read it from the advocate’s lens as well as the learner’s lens. Discussion questions for chapters are at the end as well as reflective questions for a white audience and comments for a white caregiver. This is the “gift” book that counselors, teachers, guardians, and advocates can share with the beautiful brown girls in our lives. Harts writes in conversational, tell-it-like-it-is prose that creates the authentic cradle of care these girls need to be leaders in our society. You Are More Than Magic is highly recommended for school libraries.

Eric Smith along with Alanis Morisette, Diablo Cody, and Glen Ballard have taken the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical by the same name and novelized it for a high school audience. This is a grand-salami story from five teen voices where perspectives are not always what they seem and choices have repercussions. The main storyline focuses on the Healy family who tries to be picture-perfect but the frame slams to the ground. There are so many, many layers as the jagged little pill dissolves — people exploring their sexuality, people learning to trust themselves, people taking a social stand, people learning how relationships work. “Harder” pills of rape, drug addiction, and mental health issues will also push a fast-paced plot that includes text message conversations for audience appeal. Jagged Little Pill has a broad audience and will be an easy sell when book-talked. Highly recommended.

Sajni Patel gives readers a fast-paced behind-the-scenes experience of a highly ritualized, richly flavored, visually stimulating, and overly hectic Indian wedding week as Zurika Damani’s older sister ties the knot in an Atlanta, Georgia suburb. Zuri is a gifted violinist who wants nothing more than to please her parents while this week unfolds. The problem is that she has the opportunity of a lifetime — to compete for entry to a prestigious music school the same weekend as the wedding. And as the families converge, Zuri meets Naveen, the groom’s South African cousin, who also will compete for a spot. Competition will turn to flirting as the two navigate the well-scheduled week. Zuri’s own cousins will work behind the scenes to have her sneakily escape to the competition. But of course she’ll get caught and its the resolution that ties a nice, big bow to this story of family love. Much like Crying in H Mart but without the heartache of a death, My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding will be a fun romp around the foods, the feels, and the flaunting of the families who have enough money to throw a lavish affair. I highly recommend this book for upper elementary through high school young adults.

Adrianne Finlay comes up with creative sci-fi twists in Cut Off, where teenagers have signed up to be on a virtual reality show, stranded on an island in a survival-of-the-fittest game. Skym cameras hover over to stream their every move 24/7. Of course, they have the ability to tap out, much like Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid series. Four finalists become the story’s focus, each with different inner reasons (or demons) for why they signed up for this game. But when Brandon is injured during an earthquake and taps, nothing happens. Is it not working because of the earthquake? After finding other contestants equally as shaken up by the earthquake, they quickly learn something is very, very wrong. This story begins with fantastic pace, adventure, and character-building. But about 2/3 of the way through, the sci-fi gets complicated. Readers will probably keep going just to see if the characters they’ve been rooting for survive. Thus this will be hit or miss with some readers. A good sales pitch will definitely get them reading, but they may. not finish, much like a contestant or two.

https://watch.screencastify.com/v/gJNdPZvcsXvsFcNjto1y