Review: The Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki-Wegner

Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki Wegner cover shows the silhouette of a tyrannosaur head partly filled with a jungle of plants. The dinosaur's teeth hold the word hunted.

The Deadlands: Hunted (The Deadlands #1)
Skye Melki-Wegner
Henry Holt & Co.
Published April 4, 2023

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About The Deadlands: Hunted

Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.

“My favorite middle grade book of the year.” ― New York Times -bestselling author Amie Kaufman

Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.

When … Continue reading

Review: Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm by Kimberly Behre Kenna

Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm by Kimberly Behre Kenna

Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm
Kimberly Behre Kenna
Black Rose Writing
Published August 3, 2023

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About Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm

Jett Jamison can’t catch a break. Her home in small town Wisteria is noisy as a zoo, and her mind buzzes with bits of a traumatic memory she’d rather forget. She’s filled a shoebox with one hundred thirty-three to-do lists, her roadmaps to peace, but they only lead to dead ends. Sister Gia, master gardener and cat-whisperer extraordinaire, suggests a book by an anonymous author, but it’s disappeared from all local libraries, and nobody wants to talk about … Continue reading

Review: Roll for Initiative by Jaime Formato

Roll for Initiative by Jamie Formato cover shows a diverse group of girls sitting in a cluster around one girl with her arms crossed.

Roll for Initiative
Jaime Formato
Running Press Kids
Published September 27, 2022

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About Roll for Initiative

Perfect for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Raina Telgemeier, and Jessica Kim, a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about finding your voice and believing in your best geeky self.

Riley Henderson has never taken a bus to school in her entire life. Or made an afterschool snack, or finished her homework on her own, or—ewww—done her own laundry. That’s what her older brother Devin was for.

But now Devin’s gone. He’s off in California attending … Continue reading

Review: Sorceline Book 2 by Sylvia Douyé and Paola Antista

Sorceline 2 by Sylvia Douye, Paola Antista, and Tanya Gold

Sorceline Book 2 (Sorceline #2)
Sylvia Douyé
Illustrated by Paola Antista
Andrews McNeel Publishing
Published August 22, 2023

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About Sorceline Book 2

Return to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them! Follow along as the kids (and creatures) of Professor Balzar’s famous school of cryptozoology unearth the long-hidden secret at the heart of their story.

Sorceline has proven herself a star student at Balzar’s prestigious academy—but her gifts might have gotten the best of her. As Sorceline fights for her life, her classmates must work to uncover … Continue reading

Review: Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

Katzenjammer
Francesca Zappia
Greenwillow Books
Published June 28, 2022

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About Katzenjammer

AMERICAN HORROR STORY meets the dark comedy of Kafka’s THE METAMORPHOSIS as Cat searches for a way to escape her high school. A tale of family, love, tragedy, and masks–the ones others make for us, and the ones we make for ourselves. Katzenjammer will haunt fans of Chelsea Pitcher’s THIS LIE WILL KILL YOU and E. Lockhart’s WE WERE LIARS.

Cat lives in her high school. She never leaves, and for a long time her school has provided her with everything she needs. But now things are changing. The hallways … Continue reading

Review: Things I’ll Never Say by Cassandra Newbould

Things I'll Never Say by Cassandra Newbould

Things I’ll Never Say
Cassandra Newbould
Peachtree Teen
Published June 6, 2023

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About Things I’ll Never Say

For fans of Becky Albertalli and Julie Murphy, this beautifully raw coming-of-age story follows bi, fat surfer girl Casey who turns to journaling to navigate what it means to crush on your two best friends at the same time.

Ten years ago, the Scar Squad promised each other nothing would tear them apart. They stuck together through thick and thin, late-night surf sessions and after school spodies. Even when Casey Jones Caruso lost her twin brother Sammy to an overdose, and their foursome became a threesome, the … Continue reading