Happy Tuesday, everyone! This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is to pick a past topic to reboot. I made it easy on myself, and kind of went for a freebie type post because I’ve been wanting to do a Middle Grade Books Featuring a Magic School list for a little bit. In case you’re unfamiliar with Top Ten Tuesday, it’s a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. It’s a great way to connect with other bloggers and find new books for your reading list.
So, I’m going to assume you’re already familiar with the boy wizard series and Rick Riordan’s books featuring magic schools, as well as the Ever After High series, which was a favorite in our house. Instead, I’ll talk about some really great, more recently published middle grade books featuring a magic school. Here we go!
What you need to know: A magical school that trains unicorn and rider pairs! A boy who must stop a powerful thief from stealing unicorns. This one is a lot of fun.
What you need to know: Magic and friendship. A boarding school packed with secrets. Girls who are told they’re broken discovering their true strength. Still a favorite of mine.
What you need to know: This series tells the origin story of The School for Good and Evil and the two brothers tasked with maintaining a balance between good and evil magic. Packed with the same twisty storytelling and fun energy of the original series.
What you need to know: A magical town, and an opportunity to join one of five covens… unless you’re a Spare like Seven, forced to complete an impossible task in order to keep her powers.
What you need to know: A Black girl with prowess in the kitchen on top of newly discovered magic fights to save her magical school from closing. A super fun read packed with delicious food and family.
What you need to know: Quirky characters. A fun and fantastic story about the under-appreciated crew trained at their school to clean up after spellcasters.
What you need to know: A school that teaches musicians to create magic. A student on her last chance, who just might be the only one who can save her school from a mysterious, powerful storm. Music and magic make a great pairing here.
What you need to know: A magic school where students gather to practice cultural arts, and a girl who’s first of her ability to be admitted to the school. When her teacher goes missing, it’s up to her and her new friends to rescue him.
What you need to know: A magical school that trains warriors to use their hidden powers. A girl with powerful magic that links her to an infamous traitor who’s determined to find her parents, no matter the cost.
What you need to know: Night is ruled by toxic beasts which can only be defeated by children who are immune. When Nora reluctantly joins their ranks, she uncovers secrets that leave her questioning everything. A wild ride of a story.
Published June 14, 2022
What are your favorite magic school books?
Do you like middle grade books featuring a magic school? What are your favorites? Let me know if you’ve read any of the books on my list, or if there are others I should add.
Here we are, at the end of another year. A lot has happened this year, and more than ever, I’ve found myself grateful for the opportunity to read and talk about so many great books. In my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up post, I’ll focus on some overall stats and list a few favorite books I read this year.
I discovered that I enjoy finding out reading stats of other bookish people and reviewers. Mara at Books Like Whoa on YouTube is probably my favorite for this. I love the way she breaks down and shares her reading stats. I’d like to work reading stats into my wrap-up posts. Not an overwhelming amount, just a few key things.
With all that in mind, let me share some of the high notes from this past year, including a breakdown of what I read, what I loved best, and what my faithful readers love best. Here’s my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up.
205 Books Read
That’s a lot of books. In 2021, I read 139 books, obviously I read a lot more than that this year. In fact, that’s the highest amount I’ve read since I’ve been tracking my reading habits on Goodreads. I made a few changes to my reading habits that I think contributed to me reading more. Here are the big ones:
I read more e-books on my phone. Sometimes it was just a page or two at a time while I waited in a parking lot. Those minutes added up.
I read more than one book at a time. This is tricky for me, but I can do it successfully if I’m reading different genres and/or age groups in different formats. For example, a nonfiction audiobook, a paperback middle grade historical, and an ebook young adult fantasy. Usually I only read two books at a time.
I take more breaks from reading. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it has really worked for me. I’ve given myself a lot more permission this year to spend evenings in other ways besides reading. Sometimes I chat on the phone. Sometimes I watch TV or play a video game. I thought taking time away would leave me running way behind on reviews and super stressed, but I’ve found it to be the opposite. (Thanks due to THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION by Brené Brown.)
So I read 205 books. What kinds of books were they?
Breaking Down the Books By Age Range
Middle Grade: 67
Young Adult: 131
Other – mainly adult crossover or nonfiction: 7
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: My Favorites
Now, the good part: my favorites! Every time I read an amazing book, I try to decide if I think it’s the one that will top my list for the year. This year, I read my favorite young adult book really early. Despite lots of incredible books that came later in the year, this one remained my top favorite all year long. Other books were late arrivals to my reading list and immediately topped my list.
I’m including a favorite from middle grade, young adult, nonfiction, and backlist plus some other categories with standout books.
Favorite Middle Grade Book I Read in 2022
Ravenfall Kalyn Josephson Delacorte Press Published September 6, 2022
How I acquired the book: Review request from the author. ARC on NetGalley.
This book took me completely by surprise in all the best ways. I loved the sentient hotel. The cat-who-is-not-a-cat. The unpredictable magic. And the friendship between Annabella and Colin. It’s perfect and amazing, and I can’t wait to read more by Kalyn Josephson– I’ve already purchased her YA duology. Super excited about that!
Favorite Young Adult Book I Read in 2022
The Bone Spindle Leslie Veddar Razorbill Published January 11, 2022
How I acquired the book: ARC on NetGalley (I purchased a finished copy later.)
THE BONE SPINDLE is also one of my favorite books of 2022. It’s a gender-flipped retelling of Sleeping Beauty, and I’m so hooked on the story and characters. You’ve got Fi, the treasure hunter who accidentally forged a magical connection with a sleeping prince; Shane, the mercenary who carries a battle axe– don’t mess with her! And Briar Rose, the prince under a sleeping curse who hopes his magic combined with Fi’s wits can break the curse that’s kept him asleep for one hundred years. I cannot wait for the sequel, THE SEVERED THREAD, which comes out in February 2023.
Favorite Nonfiction Title I Read in 2022
Pirate Queens Leigh Lewis Illustrated by Sara Gomez Woolley National Geographic Kids Published January 11, 2022
How I acquired the book: received a finished copy from the publisher.
I kept seeing this book all over Twitter, so I was super excited when a publicist offered me a review copy. Before reading this book, I had NO IDEA there were so many powerful pirate ladies. I loved the exploration of history surrounding each pirate leader and the context which allowed me to compare what they’d done to other pirate leaders of their time (or any time). Another great thing about the book is that it doesn’t glorify the pirate life. Many times the book calls attention to how these pirate fleets treated others and the harm they did.
Favorite Backlist Title I Read in 2022
Cattywampus Ash Van Otterloo Scholastic Press Published August 4, 2020 (PB February 1, 2022)
How I acquired the book: pre-ordered the paperback version.
CATTYWAMPUS was another book that I felt like I saw everywhere when it came out in 2021, but I hadn’t had a chance to read it until this year. I picked up a paperback copy in one of Barnes & Noble’s pre-order sales, and loved every single page. It’s a wild, fun story packed with magic, mayhem, and heart. A total must-read.
Favorite Novel in Verse I Read in 2022
The Ghosts of Rose Hill R. M. Romero Peachtree Teen Published May 10, 2022
How I acquired the book: received a finished copy from publisher.
THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL is a novel in verse about a biracial girl (Latine and Jewish) who meets a ghost boy in a graveyard in Prague. She vows to break the curse that holds him, though doing so may mean losing him forever. It’s haunting, romantic, and unforgettable. I love the writing. In fact, there’s currently a quote from the book on my fridge.
Favorite Graphic Novel I Read in 2022
The Legend of Brightblade Ethan M. Aldridge Quill Tree Books Published March 1, 2022
How I acquired the book: purchased. Ethan Aldridge is an auto-buy author for me.
I’ve been a fan of Ethan Aldridge since I read THE CHANGELING KING, and this book only further cemented my admiration for his work. His worldbuilding is fantastic. I love the expressions on his characters’ faces. While this color palette is a lot different than his other work, I loved the way the colors worked in support of the story. Also, a band of bards fighting with magical music?! YES. As soon as I saw that premise, I knew I had to have this book. It’s so much fun.
Favorite Book Outside My Comfort Zone
It Looks Like Us Alison Ames Page Street Press Published September 13, 2022
I don’t usually read horror, but this one had me completely hooked. It’s set in Antarctica in a research station, so kind of a closed environment. An alien or infection begins infiltrating the group of teens doing a volunteer project there. They have to stop it in order to survive. I loved the relationships between the characters and the way those relationships were challenged by the thing infiltrating their group. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: Your Favorites
One of the most fascinating things about blogging this year has been watching my statistics and tracking what my readers are most interested in. Here is a sampling of some of the most interesting data.
Your Favorite Review
You’ve Reached Sam Dustin Thao Wednesday Books Published November 9, 2021
YOU’VE REACHED SAM is by far my most popular review with more than 6,500 views this year alone. I don’t quite know how that’s possible. It’s my top performing post almost every month, which is pretty wild. I enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t a favorite of mine, to be honest. I liked a lot of things about it, though, and I’m excited to see Dustin Thao’s next book. WHEN HARU WAS HERE is supposed to come out until December 2023.
Your Favorite List
26 Stories Inspired by Asian History, Folklore, or Mythology
Originally posted July 23, 2020
I’m a little bit embarrassed about this post? I wrote it before I learned of the controversy surrounding the filming of a live-action Disney movie, so my first version celebrated the movie coming out and offered a list of books by Asian authors, inspired by Asian history, folklore, or mythology to read while waiting for the movie’s release.
After learning more about the filming and some comments made by actors, I updated the post so that it focused on reading these books as perhaps an alternative to supporting the movie. I still think the original title is… weird? Awkward? It doesn’t quite say what the list truly is.
At any rate, it’s been a really popular post with more than 5K views since 2020, and about half of those from this year. I’ve started an updated list that includes more recent releases, but there are SO MANY BOOKS to include (yay!) that I haven’t finished it yet. Probably it’ll need to be a two-part list, too, with middle grade and young adult posted separately.
Most Discussed Post on The Story Sanctuary
Top Ten Tuesday My Summer Reading List
(of backlist book titles)
Since I posted my list of anticipated summer releases a few weeks before the Top Ten Tuesday meme topic, I made this list of backlist titles that I wanted to read. At 25 comments, it’s the post that had the most discussion on my blog. I loved that people stopped to comment. It’s always fun to talk books with visitors and to see which books people have read and what their feelings about them are.
Most Discussed Post on Twitter
Best Middle Grade Books I Read in 2021
Over 9K Twitter Impressions. 9 Comments. 8 Retweets. 41 Likes.
I’m not very engaged on social media these days. It’s so much just keeping up with my blog, reading, and making sure reviews get posted when they should be. So these stats probably aren’t very impressive to someone with a regular Twitter plan, but they kind of blew me away. I have Middle Grade Twitter (my favorite twitter!) to thank for the love on this post.
2022 Reading Wrap-Up: Overall Stats and Goals for the Year
This past year was the best my blog has ever had. I more than doubled my visits and page views over my totals for 2021 with about 202K page views and 131K visitors for the year.
One of my goals was to post seasonal reading lists, which I did pretty consistently. Sometimes I posted one list with both YA and MG titles, and sometimes I posted separate lists, depending on how many books there were between both categories. This summer, I began doing recap posts, tracking how many books I read from my anticipated list and which books turned out to be my favorite. I loved doing that, so I’m definitely planning to continue that.
I’ll talk about my goals for 2023 in a Top Ten Tuesday post after the New Year, so more on that in the other post!
What’s in your 2022 Reading Wrap-Up?
Let’s talk about your favorites. Favorite book you read this year? Favorite post you read or wrote for your own blog?
Or feel free to tell me about your favorite part of my 2022 Reading Wrap-Up, too! I’m very much still experimenting with my recap format, so I’d love to know what parts you find the most interesting or things you wanted to know that I didn’t share.
Best wishes to you all as we head into the new year. May your bookshelves be full of fantastic chapters yet to be read. May you find the right book at exactly the right time. And may your journey be filled with great friends, both on the page and in your life.
How are there so many great books coming out in the next few months? It gets harder and harder to limit my calendar to the books I can actually read, because it seems like there are so many great ones out there. I read three to five middle grade titles in an average month, but I wish I could read more. These books will all be published from January to March 2023. My list is mainly contemporary, historical, and fantasy novels. Here are the middle grade books coming winter 2023 that I’m most looking forward to reading.
Amazing Middle Grade Books Coming Winter 2023
The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel by Antonio Iturbe, Salva Rubio, and Loreto Aroca
What you need to know: The story of a fourteen-year-old girl imprisoned in Auschwitz becomes the guardian of 8 books slipped past the guards as a graphic novel. I really want to read this.
What you need to know: Described as “WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE with a #METOO message.” A girl uncovers what’s behind a classmate’s fall from popularity. I’ve loved both books by Claire Swinarski that I’ve read, so I’m really looking forward to this one.
What you need to know: Described as “a brilliant middle-grade survival story that traces a harrowing family secret back to the Holodomor, a terrible famine that devastated Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s.” I’m excited to finally read a book by Katherine Marsh!
What you need to know: The true story of two Austrian-Jewish brothers who experienced the atrocities of the Holocaust in very different ways adapted from an adult book. Looks heartbreaking and moving. There are still so few stories of Jewish Holocaust survivors or victims– I am eager to read this one.
What you need to know: A cursed princess waiting for a prince to break her curse… or ready to take matters into her own hands and save her kingdom herself. The cover is lovely, and I’m super intrigued by the description of the story.
What you need to know: A twelve year-old school shooting survivor living in the National Quiet Zone– a place where there is no internet. I loved Erin Bow’s YA books, so I was really excited to see this MG title.
What you need to know: A world inspired by pre-Shogun era Japan. A girl who will go to the ends of the earth to save her sister. I love sister books, so I can’t wait to read this one.
What you need to know: A girl who can discovers she can borrow others’ talents for a day tries to save her dad’s failing planetarium. Looks like a funny, sweet story.
Release Date: February 7, 2023
The Swallowtail Legacy 2: Betrayal by the Book by Michael D. Beil
What you need to know: A young writer and her favorite author. A writer’s conference and a suspicious death! The first book in this series was fantastic, so I’m really excited to see what happens to Lark and her friends next.
What you need to know: A boba tea shop in trouble. A girl determined to save it by selling handmade amigurumi dolls. A story about friendship, family, and entrepreneurship. This looks super sweet.
What you need to know: Described as “THE PARENT TRAP meets THE HOLIDAY.” Two girls who become friends when their families swap houses for the summer. I loved GLITTER GETS EVERYWHERE, so I’m super excited to read another book by Yvette Clark.
What you need to know: Two siblings fight to save the marsh they love and learn the story behind a statue revealed by a drought. I think I’ve read every novel Gillian McDunn has written– which I can’t say for many other authors. I can’t wait to read this one.
What you need to know: 14th Century Europe. A lost girl who can’t remember her name traveling from Norway to England looking for safety from the plague. A really intriguing premise from an author I’ve enjoyed before.
What you need to know: Identical twins drifting apart agree to swap places for the summer. Whoever does a better job impersonating her sister gets to decide where they’ll go to school in the fall. This looks like a fun, fresh spin on a sister story– and I am desperate to read it.
What you need to know: Celtic mythology. A magical boarding school. A girl who must overcome her people’s prejudices against her to recover a stolen artifact before the world is plunged into darkness. I didn’t read the first book in this series, but this one looks awesome.
Release Date: March 28, 2023
What titles are on your reading list this winter?
What are your most-anticipated middle grade books coming winter 2023? Are you planning to read any of the titles on my list? Have titles to recommend? Leave a comment so I can add more books to my reading list!
I don’t usually post anything specifically about Spooky Season. Halloween wasn’t an important holiday in my house. Though I was raised in a conservative Christian home, I think the real reason we weren’t big Halloween celebrators is that my dad is generally against holidays which revolve around candy. Ha! So I never really got into the spirit of the holiday, I guess. My mom sews and loves costumes, so we always had costumes and created reasons to dress up around our house. Maybe that’s another reason I didn’t look forward to the holiday specifically for an excuse to dress up?
In any case, I also happen to be a pretty tense reader, so I don’t usually chase down a lot of spooky-ish reads. Somehow this year I’ve ended up with a reading list full of books that I’d call at least mildly spooky. These are spooky but not terrifying.
Here are my best suggestions for a book to curl up with under your blanket while you sip your pumpkin spice beverage as you celebrate this spooky season.
5 Perfect MG Books for Spooky Season
I’ve listed these books in order from least to most spooky. That way, if you’re like me, you’ll have a better chance of finding a book at your personal spooky comfort level.
What you need to know: Jewish folklore. Best friends. A real-live golem on the loose with instructions to save the world. What could possibly go wrong? This was a super fun read.
What you need to know: Inspired by BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE WATCHMEN. Vampires were supposed to be vanquished decades ago… but it looks like they’re back. Looks fantastic.
What you need to know: From Goodreads: One magical inn, two kids with supernatural powers, and an ancient Celtic creature trying to destroy their world by Halloween night…
What you need to know: I read this book earlier in the year, and can’t stop thinking about it. It’s got some spooky magic, unforgettable characters, and possibly the best exploration of grief I’ve ever seen in a novel.
Release Date: August 3, 2021
10 Perfect YA Books for Spooky Season
Just like the middle grade section, these spooky reads are arranged in order from what I found to be least to most spooky.
What you need to know: Three friends will use art, science, and the magic of a powerful legend to seek the perfect romance. I haven’t read anything by Evelyn Skye, but I love the books by Sandhya Menon and Roshani Chokshi that I’ve read, so this one looks like a sure win to me.
What you need to know: 1943 Virginia. After a string of murders, four codebreaker girls team up to find the killer so they can stop him before he strikes again. I couldn’t stop reading. F/F romance.
What you need to know: A town full of secrets. A love-story fan-fic written by two unlikely friends. A murder: the boy they’ve written about. Twisty and suspenseful. Perfect for fans of WE WERE LIARS.
What you need to know: A Latine Jewish violinist banished to Prague. The ghostly boy she falls in love with. The dark force that feeds on him. A beautiful, haunting novel-in-verse.
What you need to know: Twin sisters. A family curse. An incredible boy who should be off-limits. Inspired by “Goblin Market” by Christina Rosetti. I am hooked on this one.
What you need to know: A small town plagued by missing teens. A nest of vampires and bloodsucking butterflies. One girl determined to destroy them and find her sister. I liked the unique spin on vampires in this one.
What you need to know: A kidnapped boy. A role his abductor has created for him. Can he escape before he loses himself? This one could be on the edge of what I can handle, but I loved A LIST OF CAGES, so I really want to try it.
What you need to know: A twin’s sister dies under horrific circumstances, and he will do whatever it takes to find out why. I’m not usually brave enough to read horror, but this is RYAN LASALA. I feel like I have to give it a try after the way I adored REVERIE.
What you need to know: A high school team visiting an Antarctic research station. An unknown, shapeshifting infection pursuing them one by one. Scary books aren’t my usual go-to, but I couldn’t put this one down. Ace main character.
17 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2022
Some of my most-anticipated middle grade books coming out this fall are written by familiar authors like Tricia Springstubb and Arnée Flores. I’ve also got a bunch of new authors on my list. A few of these books are debuts, some by authors who’ve written YA and are branching out into middle grade fiction.
Since I’m a little late posting the list, you’ll see some review links already in the descriptions. I’ll update the post as I read and write more reviews, too, so bookmark it and check back if you want to see what I thought of a particular title.
I’m hoping to start doing a seasonal recap post where I talk about what I read and my favorites. That’s still a bit in the works, but hopefully I’ll have figured out a format that I like by the end of the fall.
For now, please enjoy this list of the 17 middle grade books I can’t wait to read this season.
17 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2022
What you need to know: From Goodreads: One magical inn, two kids with supernatural powers, and an ancient Celtic creature trying to destroy their world by Halloween night…
What you need to know: 1970s Atlantic City setting. A Jewish boy whose family hotel is in trouble becomes a favorite of a local mob boss. Loved the setting and Joey’s journey through the story.
What you need to know: A talented violinist with a gorgeous ‘fro she calls “the wooly mammoth” faces discrimination in her music program and finds a way to speak up about it. I loved the music references and relationships in this book.
What you need to know: Jewish folklore. Best friends. A real-live golem on the loose with instructions to save the world. What could possibly go wrong? Great fun!
What you need to know: The follow-up to THE BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA. A young Mexican girl building a new life in America in the early 1900s. Beautifully written and engaging.
What you need to know: Inspired by BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE WATCHMEN. Vampires were supposed to be vanquished decades ago… but it looks like they’re back. Looks fantastic.
What you need to know: This looks a bit like a MG version of MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE (sans romance). Enemies must work together on a robot team. Friction abounds, pushing them to learn new ways of working together. This is a late add-on to my fall list. I can’t resist!
What you need to know: A kidnapped boy is forced to work in a power plant. Then he discovers a ghost who may be able to help him escape. Looks fresh and fun.
What you need to know:THE FIREBIRD SONG was one of my favorite books of last year. I can’t wait to read this follow-up about how joy emerges out of sorrow. A whole new adventure about Calliope and Prewitt. I’m so excited!
What you need to know: A novelized tale about the childhood of legendary architect Julia Morgan. I keep saying I need to read more historical fiction, and I couldn’t say no to this one.
What you need to know: The follow-up to FINALLY, SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS, which was laugh-out-loud funny. The One and Onlys return to solve another mystery involving mechanical crows, a poetry-slash-wrestling club, and a hamster infestation. Yes, please.
What you need to know: I loved THE MOST PERFECT THING IN THE UNIVERSE also by Tricia Springstubb for its heart and humor, so obviously I’m all in for this new story about friendship and saving a dog in trouble.
What you need to know: A girl tasked with changing the world. Her brother’s dream of being a YouTube fashion icon. Internet bullying. Daisy must face her fears and find her voice if she’s really going to make a difference. Looks heartwarming and beautiful.
What you need to know: Shows the emergence of Covid-19 and how a community came together. Contains delicious recipes to try at home. This looks like a fantastic read.
What you need to know: A boy on a quest to find nine pieces of a lost key to save a city of Elves. And himself. I read A CORNER OF WHITE by Jaclyn Moriarty, and I still remember being struck by the creativity and quirkiness of that story. I’m super excited to read this book from a new series of hers.
What are your most-anticipated middle grade books coming fall 2022?
What’s on your reading list for the fall this year? Are you looking forward to any of the titles on my list? Are there amazing titles I’ve missed that I simply must add to my TBR? Leave a comment and let me know! I’d love to add more books to my list– and my shelves.
Summer is one of my favorite times to read. The more relaxed schedule makes me feel like I’m not so pressed for time, and I usually manage to fit in a few backlist titles I’ve been excited about reading.
This year was better and worse for me reading-wise. I have no shortage of books thanks to my early-pandemic massive orders to indie bookstores near me, as if somehow I alone could save their businesses. (Hopefully I did help, though!)
But I also had a lot of other stuff going on. Some physical. Some just the accumulated exhaustion from an overwhelming school year with my girls. In any case, it was more of a relief to hit summer than it usually is, but also not as much of a respite either.
In any case, I did get to read a number of really great titles, books that totally made my week. I also got to pass on some of my favorites to another reading friend and her daughter, so hopefully those books will be much read and loved there, and that makes me happy, too.
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the list of my favorite reads in summer 2021.
5 Awesome Middle Grade Books I Read in Summer 2021
I’ve only been reviewing middle grade books for a few years, but I can’t believe I overlooked them for so long. Often I find middle grade titles say things I didn’t know I needed to hear in a way that I never thought to put them. These are the best middle grade books I read this summer, and every one of them will stick with me a long time.
The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe by Tricia Springstubb
What you need to know: I feel like this book hit me straight in the center of my heart. It said so many things I needed to hear, and at exactly the right time. It centers on hope and the life-saving quality of unexpected friendships.
What you need to know: I love the way the author used senses of hearing and smell in this book. It’s packed with lyrical prose and an incredible story world. Loved it!
What you need to know: Heartbreaking in all the best ways. A sister(and oboe player!!)’s search for her missing brother written in poetry. Moving and heartfelt.
4 Fantastic Young Adult Books I Read in Summer 2021
When I first started blogging, I only reviewed young adult fiction. In the years since, I’ve branched out into middle grade and nonfiction, and I love both of those, too, but YA will always hold a special place in my heart. These books were the best in YA that I read this past summer.
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
What you need to know: You probably know how I feel about Rachel Lynn Solomon, so there’s no surprise to her latest being in this list. This is another perfect, delightful rom-com featuring a baker and a harpist! So much to love.
What you need to know: Fun and gripping. A must-read for online gaming fans and fans of star-crossed romance. I need everything by Alexis Nedd forever.
What you need to know: Sequel to Forest of Souls. It’s still got the creepiest trees I’ve ever read! Love that. The characters strike my heart and the story keeps me guessing. I’m in to the end with this series.
What you need to know: The sequel to Lobizona. Another wild, fast-paced adventure following a group of teens determined to make a place in their world for themselves. Inspiring and action-packed.
4 Incredible Nonfiction Books I Read in Summer 2021
I guess I could have lumped these in above, but it felt more right to give these nonfiction titles their own place to shine. These were so much fun to read. I found myself searching online for more information about the topics mentioned and eagerly turning pages in every single one. Several are backlist titles, but I couldn’t leave them out because they were such great books.
What you need to know: Thirteen amazing stories of inventers and scientists who did not get the credit they deserved during their lifetimes. I could not stop reading this one.
What you need to know: All the things about Harriet Tubman that you never knew. Wowza! The writing is so accessible and the biographical information about Tubman is truly amazing.
What you need to know: This is another backlist title. This book totally breaks down options for high school graduates from internships to charitable programs to military to college and gives tips for how to apply to or prepare for all of them. So much great information.
What you need to know: This is a backlist title, but I did read it over the summer, and it’s AMAZING. Tells all kinds of incredible facts about trees, their lives, and how they interact with plants and animals around them. Beautifully illustrated. So much information on each page.
