Category Archives: By Genre

Review: My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

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My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand et al

My Contrary Mary (Mary #1)
Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
HarperTeen
Published June 22, 2021

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About My Contrary Mary

Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?⠀
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Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.⠀
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Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But after the king meets a suspicious end, things at … Continue reading →

Review: Pirate Queens by Leigh Lewis

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Pirate Queens by Leigh Lewis

Pirate Queens
Leigh Lewis
Illustrated by
National Geographic Kids
Published January 11, 2022

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About Pirate Queens

This wow-worthy book proves that women have been making their mark in all aspects of history―even the high seas!

Meet Ching Shih, a Chinese pirate who presided over a fleet of 80,000 men (by contrast, Blackbeard had some 300). Get the scoop on Anne Bonny who famously ran away from an arranged marriage to don trousers and brandish a pistol in the Bahamas. And there are more!

Each pirate profile includes a dramatic original poem presented against a backdrop of gorgeous full-color art by award-winning illustrator Sara Gómez Woolley. Each profile is followed by fascinating information … Continue reading →

Review: Gone Dark by Amanda Panitch

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Gone Dark by Amanda Panitch

Gone Dark
Amanda Panitch
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published April 12, 2022

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About Gone Dark

When seventeen-year-old Zara escaped her father’s backwoods survivalist compound five years ago, she traded crossbows and skinning hides for electricity and video games…and tried to forget the tragedy that drove her away.

Until a malware attack on the United States electrical grids cuts off the entire country’s power.

In the wake of the disaster and the chaos that ensues, Zara is forced to call upon skills she thought she’d never use again—and her best bet to survive is to go back to the home she left behind. Drawing upon a resilience … Continue reading →

Review: A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

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A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer

A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers #3)
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury YA
Published January 26, 2021

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About A Vow So Bold and Deadly

Face your fears, fight the battle.

Emberfall is crumbling fast, torn between those who believe Rhen is the rightful prince and those who are eager to begin a new era under Grey, the true heir. Grey has agreed to wait two months before attacking Emberfall, and in that time, Rhen has turned away from everyone—even Harper, as she desperately tries to help him find a path to peace.

Fight the battle, save … Continue reading →

Review: This May End Badly by Samantha Markum

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This May End Badly by Samantha Markum

This May End Badly
Samantha Markum
Wednesday Books
Published April 12, 2022

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About This May End Badly

Pranking mastermind Doe and her motley band of Weston girls are determined to win the century-long war against Winfield Academy before the clock ticks down on their senior year. But when their headmistress announces that The Weston School will merge with its rival the following year, their longtime feud spirals into chaos.

To protect the school that has been her safe haven since her parents’ divorce, Doe puts together a plan to prove once and for all that Winfield boys and Weston … Continue reading →

Review: This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

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This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

This Rebel Heart
Katherine Locke
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published April 5, 2022

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About This Rebel Heart

A tale set amid the 1956 Hungarian revolution in post-WWII Communist Budapest.

In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most–safe from the Holocaust. But that was before the Communists seized power. Before her parents were murdered by the Soviet police. Before Csilla knew things about her father’s legacy that she wishes she could forget.

Now Csilla keeps her head down, planning her escape from this country that … Continue reading →