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Review: The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham

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The Fall of Iris Henley by Jennifer Graham

The Fall of Iris Henley
Jennifer Graham
Wednesday Books
Published February 24, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Fall of Iris Henley

For fans of Megan Lally and Kara Thomas, a twisty thriller about a Texas teen accused of murder who’s desperate to clear her name.

All it takes to ruin someone’s life is the stroke of a key. Just ask Iris Henley. Her life is destroyed when someone posts an anonymous message on her high school’s subreddit thread: “Iris Henley is a killer. I’ve been too scared to come forward until now, but I saw her murder Rocky and Lynette last summer.”

Just like that, Iris loses everything. Her reputation. Her friends. Her hope of getting into college on scholarship. Even, possibly, her freedom, once the police start to investigate. After all, she’s the perfect suspect: Rocky was her boyfriend, and Lynette was her ex-best friend—and the girl he was cheating on her with. But Iris didn’t do it, and now it’s up to her to clear her name by finding out who did—before it’s too late.

Propulsive, sharp, and absolutely twisty from the New York Times bestselling author who brought readers the Veronica Mars duology, Jennifer Graham’s YA thriller is unputdownable.

My Review

I have to agree with the cover copy– I found this book unputdownable, for sure. Iris is a fabulous heroine. She’s flawed, sure, but her grief is palpable, and her desperation to recapture some kind of normal life experience in the wake of terrible tragedy makes her easy to identify with.

The cast of characters is memorable and elicited a lot of strong feelings from me. I think, weirdly, I felt the most for Lynette. She definitely made mistakes, including some really bad ones. But she read like someone reacting to trauma, and I wished that the story had explored what happened to her a little more.

On the other hand, I think it’s not a bad thing to have a character who reads like there’s more going on than the author tells us, because that’s pretty true to life. We don’t always get to know what the people around us are facing, sometimes even the people closest to us.

The stakes in this book just kept getting higher for Iris. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat as the story sped toward its conclusion. I stayed up far too late finishing this one.

All in all, I think readers who enjoyed Girls Like Us by Mindy McGinnis or books by Courtney Summers will not want to miss this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing, references to sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to murder and suicide. Online bullying. One scene shows an attempted murder.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at parties in a couple of scenes. One minor character abused drugs (not shown on scene).

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: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

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Sunrise on the Reaping (A Hunger Games Novel)
Suzanne Collins
Scholastic Press
Published March 18, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Sunrise on the Reaping

The phenomenal fifth book in the Hunger Games series!

When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

My Review

Where do I begin? In some ways, I think Haymitch’s story may be easier to tell than President Snow’s origin story. Snow becomes the villain. We know how Haymitch’s tale ends, and though it does start at kind of a low point when he enters the scene in The Hunger Games, we sense that he was more than the alcoholic recluse he’s become. This story shows us how much more.

I think Collins did a great job connecting this book to The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, which occurs fifteen years before this book, and The Hunger Games, which occurs twenty-four years after it. That couldn’t have been easy.

The story also contains a lot of surprising moments and some really fun cameos. (Wiress and Beetee, for example.) Katniss’s parents are also in the story. We know Haymitch outlasts the other tributes, but the story introduces some other goals and stakes. It sets up how and why Haymitch reacts the way he does to Katniss and Peeta in The Hunger Games, especially when Katniss reacts to the game makers the way she does.

Beneath its surface, the story explores the power of propoganda. Haymitch gives a lot of thought to the difference between how the Capital defines itself and its policies versus his real experience in District 12. Participating in the Hunger Games gives him a unique opportunity to share his own message, if he can find a way to do so that can’t be ignored.

Some of the story’s components are similar to the other stories. The tributes from certain districts have trained their whole lives to compete, while those from others are barely surviving. It was interesting thinking about what motivated the tributes to behave as they have, and to watch Haymitch evaluate those motivations in light of his own values.

All in all, Sunrise on the Reaping is a great addition to the series. You could read it without having read the rest of the series first, but it will spoil some events in the original trilogy. I’d recommend starting with The Hunger Games first, if you haven’t read it yet.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Lenore believes when people die, they move to another plane of existence, where loved ones might find one another.

Violent Content
Multiple brief graphic descriptions of harm and death. Situations of peril. Gun violence. Fire. Poison. Animals attacking people.

Drug Content
References to drinking alcohol and illegally making alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Whale’s Song by Rossana Bossù

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The Whale’s Song: Discover the Giants of Our Oceans
Rossana Bossù
Post Wave
Published June 24, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Whale’s Song

Whales have fascinated us for centuries—award-winning artist Rossana Bossù brings these giant, awe-inspiring creatures to life.

Dive into the fascinating world of whales. Did you know that, when underwater, the heart of a blue whale can slow down to as little as two beats per minute? Or that a narwhal’s famous unicorn-like horn is actually a long canine tooth? Readers will also discover how these magnificent creatures play a vital role in keeping our oceans healthy.

From their enormous size to their complex behaviors, learn how these gentle giants live and thrive, and discover why they need our help now more than ever.

INSPIRATION TO TAKE ACTION: Perfect for sparking curiosity and a love for marine life, this book is a call to action to save these magnificent animals before they become legends.

ECO-THEMES: Kids will learn about the importance of animal conservation and environmental protection.

ENCOURAGES SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY: This exploration of whales will encourage an interest ocean creatures, big and small.

EXQUISITELY ILLUSTRATED: Gorgeous artwork introduces children to the incredible variety of these giants of the ocean, from toothed to baleen whales.

My Review

This is such a cool book. Every page has short blocks of text interspersed with fasincating illustrations. One spread, for example, talks about a whalefall (when a whale dies and its carcass sinks to the ocean floor) and the four phases of decomposition that happen and how that nourishes other animals and the environment. A diagram shows an example of each of the four phases. It’s not super specific, so it’s not gross. Think more of a cartoon-y illustration. This is not a science textbook– it’s a book you’d give to a kid who is in a marine mammal phase.

The book has so much information. None of it really goes into deep detail, but the text introduces a lot of interesting topics. For example, one spread shows the different kinds of orcas and details where they live and what they eat, showing how different the varied groups are. Even the endpapers have a purpose: the front endpages show line drawings of the different baleen whales and the back endpapers show the different kinds of toothed whales.

My older daughter did a report for school on whales in middle elementary school, and a book like this would have been absolutely perfect. Give this to the young whale enthusiast or animal lover in your life.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Brief summaries of stories about whales in mythology, folklore, and spiritual beliefs.

Violent Content
Circle of life stuff– what animals eat and hunt. References to whaling industry. Whales dying or becoming beached on shore. Accidental injuries/illnesses to humans because they approached beached whales.

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 Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

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The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures #2)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 11, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Poisoned King

Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and here was his summons.

But there is a poison spreading in the Archipelago. Rooting it out will involve a daring rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, a stealthy entrance to a dragon’s lair, and a death-defying plan to save a prisoner held in the heart of a castle. At the center of this storm is Anya: a small girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket, and a ravenous hunger for justice.

Katherine Rundell’s second thrilling installment in the Impossible Creatures series involves castles, dragons, and revenge—the things of which great stories are made. The splendors within are brought to life with more than fifty illustrations, including a map and a bestiary of magical creatures.

My Review

The cameos from some of the minor characters from Impossible Creatures were one of my favorite parts of this book. I really enjoyed getting to see what happened to Irian and Nighthand, but I loved that the tiny dragon, Jacques, was back in this story, too.

I have to say that after the painful losses in the first book, I was braced for tragedy in this one. While I don’t want to spoil anything, I will say that this book wasn’t as devastating as the last one.

The hardcover edition has beautiful artwork throughout. The endpapers have a map of the Glimoria Archipelago surrounded by some of the different mythical creatures. Like the first book, this one has an illustrated glossary of creatures in the back.

The story moved forward at a smooth pace, keeping me engaged all the way through. I am really enjoying the series and definitely want to read the next book when it comes out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
The narrator sees two adults kiss (from a distance).

Spiritual Content
Magical creatures exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone poisons several others as part of a power grab. Some magical creatures intend to kill or eat the main characters. One character vows to get revenge on the person who framed her father for murder. The characters hear that someone falsely accused of murder is sentenced to be executed.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Three Keys (Front Desk #2)
Kelly Yang
Scholastic Press
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Three Keys

The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.Mia Tang thinks she’s going to have the best year ever.She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing!

But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic…1. Mia’s new teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great. And her entire class finds out she lives and works in a motel! 2. The motel is struggling, and Mia has to answer to the Calivista’s many, many worried investors. 3. A new immigration law is looming and if it passes, it will threaten everything — and everyone — in Mia’s life.

It’s a roller coaster of challenges, and Mia needs all of her determination to hang on tight. But if anyone can find the key to getting through turbulent times, it’s Mia Tang!

My Review

Authors like Kelly Yang, who write about real situations from recent history that some young readers face, deserve much appreciation. In her author’s note, Yang recalls her own childhood, during which many of the events mentioned in Three Keys take place. She reflects on the parallels between that time period back in the 1990s and the rise of xenophobia and hate in the United States in more recent days.

Through the pages of the novel, though, she carefully deconstructs these challenging ideas so that young readers can see, think about, and explore them in an age-appropriate way. Like Mia herself, many readers will find themselves in school classrooms with children whose families face increased discrimination and fear.

The story makes space for readers to think about what those experiences would feel like and how political ideas, and even recent political history, impact the people around them.

I’ve loved this series so far, and I’m so impressed with the author’s wisdom and careful handling of these sensitive topics. I’m excited to read more of the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Brief racist comments. References to an adult being arrested and detained.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

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The Scammer
Tiffany D. Jackson
Quill Tree Books
Published October 7, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Scammer

A ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

My Review

I’m posting about a lot of books that are my first time reading books by authors this week, and this is no exception. Tiffany D. Jackson has been on my reading list for a LONG time, but I finally managed to read one of her books.

And, wow. You know that feeling on a roller coaster, where you’re being propelled upward, and you know the fall is coming any minute? That’s how it felt reading this book. It’s called The Scammer, and the back cover copy offers some pretty strong clues about what kind of story this is, so I had no reason to be surprised by Devonte’s behavior. But I felt like I wanted to jump between him and those girls, or at least to tell Jordyn to listen to herself so many times.

It was easy to feel Devonte’s magnetism, both in how people responded to him and in the way his character was written. While I wanted Jordyn to escape, I also felt how affected she was by his words and ideas.

I thought it was a really interesting choice to set the story on an HBCU campus. This posed some interesting questions and introduced ideas that a different setting may not have centered as easily.

The story is timely and bold. Jordyn’s hunger for connection with her peers, especially her roommates, was so powerful. Her grief was also easy to sense. The balance between the mystery/suspense elements and the romance was perfect. I felt like both fit well within the story.

I’m a huge fan of this author now, and I want to read everything else she’s written. I think I already own several more of her books, so hopefully I’ll get to those this year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex. One character tells another that their family abused them, even if they don’t remember it.

Spiritual Content
One character shares some brief information about her Christian faith. Another character directs others to refer to him as a god.

Violent Content
References to death by suicide (happens off-scene). Some scenes show domestic abuse and a group attacking one person at another’s direction. References to gun violence resulting in death.

Drug Content
Some scenes show teens (college students) drinking alcohol. Someone drugs another person’s drink.

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.