Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph

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This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph

This Thing of Ours
Frederick Joseph
Candlewick Press
Published May 12, 2026

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About This Thing of Ours

“Both heartening and heartbreaking, this richly layered, sensitive YA fiction debut from Joseph unflinchingly confronts systemic racism, classism, and homophobia via a powerful story of self-discovery and social justice that aims, shoots, and scores.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In an instant, Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now that basketball is no longer a major part of his identity, Ossie—a Black teen who doesn’t come from wealth and privilege—must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of … Continue reading →

Review: Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles

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Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles

Listen to the Girls
Chrystal D. Giles
Random House Books for Young Readers
Published May 5, 2026

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About Listen to the Girls

When Calla finds out her favorite teacher has been accused of inappropriate conduct, she decides to take action in this powerful story about growing up and speaking up, about listening to others and learning to listen to yourself. Because the more Calla listens . . . the more she realizes that maybe she has something to say too.

“Important and empowering—this story is a testament to the power of girls supporting one another.”—Kate Messner, New York Times bestselling author

What if … Continue reading →

Review: Chris Makes a Friend by Alex Gino

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Chris Makes a Friend by Alex Gino

Chris Makes a Friend
Alex Gino
Scholastic Press
Published November 4, 2025

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About Chris Makes a Friend

From the award-winning author of MELISSA, a sweet and tart story about unexpected friendship and family reconciliation.

Chris does not want to be spending the summer with their grouchy grandmother and social butterfly sister. But they don’t really have a choice, once their mom leaves them at Grandmother’s house. They can, however, try to escape whenever they want to — into the woods, where they encounter another kid who is the friend they need to survive the summer.

Only… there’s more to this friend than … Continue reading →

Review: The Spell for Unraveling by Rochelle Hassan

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The Spell for Unraveling by Rochelle Hassan

The Spell for Unraveling (The Buried and the Bound #3)
Rochelle Hassan
Roaring Brook Press
Published April 28, 2026

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About The Spell for Unraveling

Author Rochelle Hassan delivers a pulse-pounding conclusion to her dangerous and alluring trilogy, The Buried and the Bound, inviting readers into the realm of witches that churns beneath the surface of the mundane—just as it threatens to boil over. . .


After the chaos of the summer solstice, elder hedgewitch Anne Sterling steps in to take Coven Blackthorn under her wing—and to enlist their help. There’s damage control … Continue reading →

Review: Tides of Fortune by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

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Tides of Fortune by Lauryn Hamilton Murray

Tides of Fortune (Storm Weaver #2)
Lauryn Hamilton Murray
Roaring Brook Press
Published July 21, 2026

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About Tides of Fortune

“Bears all the hallmarks of addictive YA fantasy. . . This is going to be huge.” —Laura Steven, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates, on Heir of Storms

Return to the spellbinding world of Heir of Storms in the explosive second installment of the Storm Weaver trilogy, perfect for fans of Red Queen, Throne of Glass, and The Rose Bargain.

Having survived three treacherous trials to win her crown, Blaze is now Queen of the Aquatori. But before she … Continue reading →

Review: Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson

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Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson

Killing Sadie
Rachel Peterson
Simon Pulse
Published August 4 2026

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About Killing Sadie

Perfect for fans of How to Survive Your Murder and Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets, this young adult thriller unspools the truth behind a tragic murder through multiple unreliable narrators who all have secrets to keep.

Here’s what we do know: there was another infamous barn party at the McClain family farm last night, and things went horribly wrong. By the end of the night, there were two dead bodies in the old barn: seventeen-year-old Sadie Cooper and her killer, Mason Vreeland. The murder was … Continue reading →