All posts by Kasey

About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024

Blogger's Favorites, Contemporary, Fantasy, Lists, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , , , , ,
22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024

22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024

How are there so many great books coming out in just three months? It’s wild. I love it, but I wish I had time to read them all. Since I’m so late getting this posted, I’ve read a few of these already, and they’ve been excellent! I can’t wait to read the rest of them. The list includes a mix of contemporary and fantasy novels, graphic books, and mystery. Here are my 20 most-anticipated middle grade books coming spring 2024.

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping!

22 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Spring 2024

Kyra, Just for Today by Sara Zarr

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl’s complex relationship with her alcoholic mom and the value of her support system. Sensitive, beautiful, and packed with emotional depth.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A book about grief, saying goodbye, living life outside the box, and embracing adventure. Fabulous characters. Poignant and fun.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Sona and the Golden Beasts by Rajani LaRocca

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl hears music everywhere in a land where music and magic are forbidden. Sounds like a sweeping fantasy exploring the impact of colonialism.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review to Come

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A wild family adventure about a girl, a ghost, and a grandmother by two-time Newberry Medalist Kate DiCamillo.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review to Come

Pirates of Darksea by Catherine Doyle

Amazon | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A secret island ruled by a pirate king. A dangerous island-eating monster. A desperate boy in need of a miracle. By the author of The Storm Keeper’s Island series.

Published March 14, 2024 | My Review to Come

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A novel in verse and fictionalized account of the author’s personal experiences with disordered eating. Looks haunting and powerful.

Published March 19, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Deadlands: Survival (The Deadlands #3) by Skye Melki-Wegner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: The thrilling finale of a trilogy I couldn’t get enough of. An unlikely alliance of dinosaurs must save their herds from the Carrion Kingdom’s powerful weapons.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

The Second Favorite Daughters Club 1: Sister Sabotage by Colleen Oakes

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Tired of being second-favorite, these two girls plot to get their parents’ attention and affection in this goofy, heartfelt story.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

Trouble at the Tangerine by Gillian McDunn

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A boy moves to a new apartment where a series of robberies occur. He and his new friend vow to find the culprits. An energetic, fun mystery.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A graphic memoir about a girl who longs to find her place as her family moves between homes in Bangkok and Maine.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Dark Times (Lightfall #3) by Tim Probert

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Cad and Bea continue their journey in the third installment of one of my favorite graphic novel series. It’s fantastic.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review to Come

Winnie Nash is Not Your Sunshine by Nicole Melleby

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl spending the summer with her estranged grandma and dealing with big feelings about her identity and mom’s depression. Deep, wise, and lovely.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

Nightmares in Paradise (Ring of Solomon #2) by Aden Polydoros

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A boy who saved the world once already must find the Tree of Life to wake his sister from a coma. Looks like a wild adventure from a great author.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review to Come

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl with an elderly best friend in cognitive decline. I’m expecting all the storytelling power Lowry never fails to deliver in this sweet, loving story.

Published April 23, 2024 | My Review to Come

Fake Chinese Sounds by Jing Jing Tsong

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A Taiwanese American girl learns how to deal with bullying and find her voice. This looks powerful and engaging.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Cats of Silver Crescent by Kaela Noel

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This one had me at magical cats! A story of friendship, family, and the magic inside all of us. Looks absolutely adorable.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review to Come

Skandar and the Chaos Trials by A. F. Steadman

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: The third installment in the series promises more unicorn magic, challenges to family bonds, and the power of true friendship. I can’t wait!

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Secret Library by Kekla Magoon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl discovers a magical library where each book is literally a portal to an adventure. Part mystery, part adventure, part exploration of identity. I’m in!

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review to Come

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A fantastical, adorable underwater adventure about a girl determined to save the boy she loves from dangerous mermaids.

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review to Come

Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A child and their father visit the B&B her grandmother never opened and face deadly puzzles and strange messages. Looks super imaginative and packed with family drama– my favorite!

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review to Come

The City Beyond the Stars by Zohra Nabi

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl sets out to rescue her mother from powerful alchemists and save her world in the sequel to one of my favorite MG books from 2023.

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers’ Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: The gripping true story of the largest labor uprising in American history and how it led to protection for workers. Seems pretty relevant to me!

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review to Come

What most-anticipated middle grade books coming spring 2024 did I miss?

I am not as good at keeping up with middle grade fiction as I am with young adult fiction, so there are always titles that didn’t make my radar or somehow got missed.

What upcoming MG titles are you looking forward to? Have you read any of the books on my list? Let me know in the comments!

Review: The Wolves of Greycoat Hall by Lucinda Gifford

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , ,

The Wolves of Greycoat Hall (The Wolves of Greycoat Hall #1)
Lucinda Gifford
Kane Miller Publishing
Published September 1, 2020

Kane Miller Website | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Wolves of Greycoat Hall

A family of wolves leaves their mansion in Moravia, returns to their Scottish homeland and fights for their right to live among society and save the castle that has been in their family for generations from a crooked developer.

Boris Greycoat is a friendly young wolf who likes meeting people and trying new foods. His father Randall Greycoat is becoming an expert in speaking French and playing table tennis. Boris’s mother, Leonora Greycoat, likes to practise her warm, reassuring smiles. Wolves need to look reassuring if they are to flourish in society.

Excited to hear the news that wolves are to be reintroduced to Scotland, Boris Greycoat and his parents, Randall and Leonora Greycoat embark on a journey back to their ancestral lands. However, it’s more difficult for wolves to travel than one might think, and it seems that Scotland may not be prepared for sophisticated wolves like the Greycoats. A deliciously funny tale, with equally amusing illustrations, about being judged for what, rather than who you are.

My Review

What a cute book! I’ve seen a couple other reviews of this series, and thought it sounded like fun. I have a young, voracious reader who will shortly be looking for middle grade books with a lot of illustrations, and I think this series might be perfect for her.

Every few pages or so, black-and-white drawing shows the characters or significant objects in the scene, which breaks up the text nicely. The whole book is about 220 pages, so it’s longer than a chapter book, but the frequent illustrations and short chapters make this a good choice for readers transitioning from chapter books to middle grade novels.

Boris and his family are kind, well-mannered wolves preparing for a vacation in Scotland. They face some prejudice from fellow passengers on a train and in a restaurant who clearly do not expect a family of wolves to be riding or dining with them. As Boris and his family explore Scotland, they decide to buy a castle, which becomes a whole adventure in itself. There are a couple of moments where tension builds, but for the most part, this is a sweet, cozy family vacation story.

I got a kick out of the different ways each family member approaches their interactions with people and their vacation adventure. This is one I know I’ll be reading again with my daughter and recommending to other readers her age.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12. It would work as a read-aloud with a younger child, maybe 6-8, as well.

Representation
Main characters are wolves who experience some prejudice when they go certain places humans aren’t expecting to see well-mannered wolves. The human characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
In one scene, a character trips and worries he might fall from a balcony.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Misdirection of Fault Lines
Anna Gracia
Peachtree Teen
Published April 2, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Misdirection of Fault Lines

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants goes to the US Open in an emotionally honest and openhearted novel for fans of Yamile Saied Méndez and Jenny Han.

Three teen girls compete at an elite tennis tournament for a shot at their dreams—if only they knew what their dreams were.

Alice doesn’t belong at the Bastille Invitational Tennis Tournament. She needed a sponsorship to attend. She only has a few wins on the junior circuit. And now, she has no coach. Tennis was a dream she shared with Ba. After his death, her family insisted she compete anyway. But does tennis even fit into her life without him?

Violetta is Bastille’s darling. Social media influencer, coach’s pet, and daughter of a former tennis star who fell from grace. Bastille is her chance to reclaim the future her mother gave up to raise her. But is that the future she wants for herself?

Leylah has to win. After a forced two-year hiatus, Bastille is her last chance to prove professional tennis isn’t just a viable career, it’s what she was built for. She can’t afford distractions. Not in the form of her ex-best friend and especially not by getting DQ-ed for her “attitude” before she even sets foot on the court. If she doesn’t win, what future does she have left?

One week at the Bastille Invitational Tennis Tournament will decide their fates. If only the competition between them stayed on the court.

THE MISDIRECTION OF FAULT LINES is an incisive coming-of-age story infused with wit and wisdom, about three Asian American teen girls who find their ways forward, backward, and in some cases, back to each other again. Anna Gracia, acclaimed author of BOYS I KNOW, delivers with a refreshingly true-to-life teen voice that perfectly captures the messiness, awkwardness, and confusion of adolescence.

My Review

I read and enjoyed Gracia’s debut, BOYS I KNOW, last year, so when I saw this book coming out this year, I knew I needed to read it. I love the frankness in the way this author writes. It makes her characters seem so real.

In this book, the story follows three separate points of view: Alice, Violetta, and Leylah. All three girls have come to the Bastille Invitational Tennis Tournament with different baggage, and they’re not all even sure they want to win. They wind up as roommates and unlikely friends as the competition heats up, and they each face unexpected challenges and truths they weren’t ready to admit.

I am not at all familiar with tennis as a sport, so there were some spots where the jargon went over my head. I don’t understand the points system or some of the rules of the game, so I didn’t always follow what was going on with those elements. However, it didn’t hinder my ability to enjoy the book. If there had been a glossary of sports terms or an explanation of the points system, I would have checked it out, but I wasn’t confused enough even to internet search beyond a couple of things. For the most part, it was fine.

My favorite part was the way the girls’ friendships developed. Because they’re there to compete with one another, they’re not immediately inclined to become friends. In fact, Violetta and Leylah have some unresolved, painful history. But as the girls do get to know one another and realize how lonely they are, they begin to form tenuous connections with one another that could become the kinds of friendships that change lives, if the girls can learn to be vulnerable again.

In some ways, this is a story that wrestles with different kinds of grief. The grief of loneliness, loss, failure, and letting go. It’s also about the triumph of finding true friendship, what it truly means to win, and finally speaking up for yourself.

Fans of sports books and books celebrating friendship need to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The three main characters are Asian American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl.

Some grooming behaviors by an adult male coach toward a teenage girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A couple of people get injured playing or practicing tennis. There are some racist comments or implied racist statements made against the main characters. One character purposefully knocks into two people after the’ve made racist insinuations about another character. One character eats and purges several times. She resists recognizing this as disordered eating.

Drug Content
One character smokes pot a lot. Others do it infrequently. In one scene, a girl gets very high and behaves in ways she feels embarrassed about later.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Nightmares in Paradise by Aden Polydoros

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Nightmares in Paradise (Ring of Solomon #2)
Aden Polydoros
Inkyard Press
Published April 2, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Nightmares in Paradise

Zach Darlington saved the world from total apocalypse and all he got was grounded. He’s not even allowed to watch his favorite horror movies anymore, and now his parents want to ship him off to boarding school!

But before Zach can talk some sense into his parents, his little sister, Naomi, lands in an unexplainable coma. Zach’s friend Ash (yep, Zach and the King of Demons are friends now) knows this was the work of Ash’s eternal nemesis, the Archangel Uriel. And the only way to revive Naomi is with the fruit from the Tree of Life. Yeah, that tree. Like, from the actual Garden of Eden .

Zach and his friends will have to face terrifying angels, monsters, and a serpent to get to the tree and save Naomi’s life. He just hopes he won’t be grounded till the end of time if they ever make it back.

My Review

I’m a little late to this series (I haven’t read the first book), but I loved WRATH BECOMES HER by Aden Polydoros. WRATH is an immersive, dark YA novel, so when I learned that the author also writes middle grade, I had to check it out. I couldn’t imagine a middle grade book in the same writing style as the young adult book I’d read. NIGHTMARES IN PARADISE is written in a completely different style than the YA novel I read, which is great, and shows the incredible range of this author.

I love that this is a fantasy series based on Jewish mythology. It’s such a cool idea. I also love that the book includes the relationship between an older brother and a younger sister. Their relationship feels very real. There’s some sweetness but lots of frustration as they navigate their relationship.

Zach has a little bit of an attitude, but it’s balanced by his fears and worries about his identity as a gay boy. He deals with a bully at school and the knowledge that the world nearly ended, something hardly anyone knows and he really can’t tell anyone about. So, he’s a pretty complex guy.

The pacing was the only thing that I found a little bit challenging. It might be that I just expected something different from the plot based on the back cover copy, or maybe I missed something somewhere in the book. It seemed like the middle ran a bit long, and the end of the story happened very fast. I also couldn’t tell if the ending concludes the series? The description of the first book in the series calls it a trilogy, but I wonder if, because Inkyard Press has closed, maybe the Ring of Solomon series has become a duology? I guess we’ll find out!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Zach and his family are Jewish. Zach is also gay. His best friend is Ecuadorean American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A boy bullies another boy because he’s gay.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a couple who used to date one another.

Spiritual Content
Zach’s family celebrates Passover. A relative asks him if he would like to have a Bar Mitzvah. Uses Jewish mythology. Some spiritual characters, like angels and the king of demons.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to battles with a sword that bursts into flames. Some monstrous creatures, such as a giant worm that eats stone. References to the creation story in the Garden of Eden.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

35 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Spring 2024

Blogger's Favorites, Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

35 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Spring 2024

I can’t believe how many amazing books are scheduled to come out this spring! This could be why my TBR list only gets longer. Of these 35 most-anticipated spring 2024 young adult books, four conclude a duology or series. Seven feature contemporary romance. Five are thrillers, and thirteen are fantasy. There are a few graphic novels and nonfiction titles in here, too.

I’m definitely going to be busy!

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them for your book shopping!

35 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Spring 2024

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: If you like Dungeons and Dragons and heartfelt rom com, you do not want to miss this one. It’s probably my favorite F/F romance ever.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Bad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This fast-paced, closed-circle murder mystery was a super quick read (thank you, short chapters!) and just the right touch of romance.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: If you’re looking for a high-seas adventure with a touch of magic, this one delivers. Bonus if you like insta-love/enemies-to-lovers romance.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Kindling by Traci Chee

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A bold, fantasy, female/enby-centered reimagining of The Seven Samurai with an unforgettable cast. I must read more books by Traci Chee.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This adorable cozy fantasy is perfect for readers making the leap from MG to YA or anyone looking for a sweet story with a dash of romance.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Breathing Underwater by Abbey Lee Nash

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A competitive swimmer has a life-changing seizure underwater. Poignant and heartfelt.

Published March 5, 2024 | My Review

Marked Man by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Short chapters with brief statements from Serpico make this compelling book unputdownable.

Published March 19, 2024 | My Review

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A dark, brave story about a girl wrestling with grief and identity while searching for the parties responsible for the disappearance of her private school roommate.

Published March 19, 2024 | My Review

Otherworldly by F. T. Lukens

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A fabulous blend of fantasy and reality brimming with innocence, first love, and a town stuck in unending winter.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

The Misdirection of Fault Lines by Anna Gracia

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Three Asian American teen girls compete at an elite tennis tournament for very different reasons. Gracia’s debut was hilarious and emotional, so I’m excited for this one.

Published April 2, 2024 | My Review

The Final Curse of Ophelia Cray by Christine Calella

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Sisters in a family crisis. One joins the Navy to escape the past. The other means to bring her home to save their future. Sounds like an incredible adventure.

Published April 9, 2024 | My Review

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Inspired by Pacific Island mythology and packed with danger, sea dragons, and a chance at redemption.

Published April 9, 2024 | My Review

Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl reeling from her brother’s death finds solace in the companionship of summers spent with her cousins. Set during the years leading up to the Bosnian genocide.

Published April 9, 2024 | My Review

Calling of Light (Shamanborn #3) by Lori M. Lee

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A new kingdom promising a bright future for her people falls under threat by a powerful enemy. One only Sircha can stop. The long-awaited finale to an incredible series.

Published April 16, 2024 | My Review

This Is Me Trying by Racquel Marie

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Friends estranged after a terrible loss reconnect in this novel about grief, love, and mental illness by one of my favorite authors.

Published April 16, 2024 | My Review

The One That Got Away with Murder by Trish Lundy

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: An intense thriller about a girl who must solve a murder before becoming a victim herself by a debut author. I’m in!

Published April 16, 2024 | My Review

Deep is the Fen by Lili Wilkinson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Magic, secret societies, and dangerous secrets make this one book I can’t resist reading.

Published April 16, 2024 | My Review

Sheine Lende (Elatsoe #2) by Darcie Little Badger

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Another mystery steeped in magic and folklore centering on Ellie’s six-great grandmother’s life. I can’t wait for this!

Published April 16, 2024 | My Review to Come

Finally Fitz by Marisa Kanter

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Fake dating and hijinks in this social media savvy, maybe friends to lovers novel from sure bet Marisa Kanter.

Published April 23, 2024 | My Review

Pillow Talk by Stephanie Cooke and Mel Valentine Vargas

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This graphic novel sounds too awesome to miss. A fierce competitor on a pillow fight federation (part roller derby, part wrestling) exploring body image, women in sports, and freshman year of college.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review

Where Was Goodbye by Janice Lynn Mather

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl wrestling with grief after her brother’s death by suicide may find friendship and love again. Looks poignant and hopeful.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review

Sound the Gong (Kingdom of Three #2) by Joan He

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: I devoured the first book in this epic, intriguing duology, and now I HAVE to read the conclusion.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This sounds like it would appeal to fans of YOU’D BE HOME NOW or ALL THAT’S LEFT TO SAY. A search for a missing girl exposes sinister secrets.

Published April 30, 2024 | My Review

The Poisons We Drink by Bethany Baptiste

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Clever storytelling, a high-stakes quest, and a girl looking for answers from the dangerous leaders of a magical network.

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

Death’s Country by R. M. Romero

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A novel in verse by an incredible author in which two people venture into the underworld to rescue their girlfriend.

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

Better Must Come by Desmond Hall

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Two Jamaican teens’ lives intersect when one finds missing drug money, and the other’s gang will stop at nothing to retrieve it. An action-packed thriller with an international setting.

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

Burning Crowns (Twin Crowns #3) by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Twin sisters share a crown and face grave threats to the kingdom, their magic, and themselves in the series conclusion. (Plus romance!)

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

The Ballad of Darcy and Russell by Morgan Matson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl who believes in love at first sight may have found it in the boy she meets while stranded overnight at a bus station. Sounds like a sweet, whirlwind romance.

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

Karate Prom by Kyle Starks

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Described as “a loving homage to teen comedies of the ’80s as well as badly dubbed kung-fu films.” What more needs to be said? Ha!

Published May 7, 2024 | My Review

Takedown by Ali Bryan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A 16 yo girl with a promising wrestling career risks everything by cage-fighting to raise money for medical treatment for her father.

Published May 11, 2024 | My Review

A Crane Among Wolves by June Hur

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A girl desperate to save her sister. A prince desperate to dethrone a tyrant king. Based on a true story from 16th century Korean history.

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review

The Worst Perfect Moment by Shivaun Piozza

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: An angel accompanies a dead girl through memories of her past to find her life’s perfect moment. This promises humor and heartbreak– two of my favorite things in a book.

Published May 14, 2024 | My Review

Shooting for Stars by Christine Webb

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: A grieving girl dreams of a NASA internship to finish her mom’s research. An unexpected friendship and romance may complicate her plans. Sounds like a sweet story.

Published May 21, 2024 | My Review

Another First Chance by Robbie Couch

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: Pitched as THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END meets YOU’VE REACHED SAM, so I can’t miss this one!

Published May 28, 2024 | My Review to Come

Don’t Be a Drag by Skye Quinlan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: I can’t say it better than this: Two rival drag kings competing for a crown might just win each other’s hearts. (From the back cover.)

Published May 28, 2024 | My Review to Come

What are your most-anticipated spring 2024 young adult books?

Are there any upcoming YA titles you’re looking forward to? Have you read any of the ones on my list? Let me know in the comments!

If you’ve read any great YA books that came out this spring but didn’t make it onto my list, let me know!

Review: Three Summers by Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Memoir, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , , , , ,

Three Summers: A Memoir of Sisterhood, Summer Crushes, and Growing Up on the Eve of War
Amra Sabic-El-Rayess with Laura L. Sullivan
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Published April 9, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Three Summers

An epic middle-grade memoir about sisterhood and coming-of-age in the three years leading up to the Bosnian Genocide.

Three Summers is the story of five young cousins who grow closer than sisters as ethnic tensions escalate over three summers in 1980s Bosnia. They navigate the joys and pitfalls of adolescence on their family’s little island in the middle of the Una River. When finally confronted with the harsh truths of the adult world around them, their bond gives them the resilience to discover and hold fast to their true selves.

Written with incredible warmth and tenderness, Amra Sabic-El-Rayess takes readers on a journey that will break their hearts and put them back together again.

My Review

This memoir is broken into three sections, one for each of the summers Amra spends with her cousins. Before that first summer, her family experiences a terrible loss, and Amra sinks into a dark depression. As she gets to know her cousins, she begins to have hope again, confidence in herself, and the courage to form friendships with others.

Her love for her family is so clear in the pages of the book. It celebrates familial bonds, especially those between a child and their parents, and the bonds between siblings and cousins.

This is the first book I’ve ever read about the Bosnian Genocide, though it isn’t the author’s first memoir about that time. After reading this book, I ordered a copy of her YA memoir, THE CAT I NEVER NAMED, so hopefully I’ll be ready to share my review of that book soon, too.

Technically, this book focuses on the years leading up to the genocide, in which the government becomes more and more hostile, one slow step at a time. I’m not gonna lie; it is harrowing to read a story like this and see parallels in some of the dehumanizing rhetoric certain political leaders are using right now.

Those comments make stories like this critically important because we need to remember that genocide doesn’t begin with the targeted deaths of a group of people. It begins with the systematic dehumanization of them.

I’m so glad Sabic-El-Rayess continues to write about her experiences in a way that kids can read about. The scenes in this book stay focused on Amra’s experience as a child, looking through her eyes. This is an important book, especially now. I hope that many people will discover and read it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Amra and her family are Muslim. Amra’s older brother has Marfan syndrome.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
References to different faith practices of different groups around Amra.

Violent Content
Death of a sibling on scene. References to Islamaphobia. References to torture and execution.

Drug Content
One teen character smokes cigarettes.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.