Reviews, Etc.

BOOK NEWS: March 10, 2020

Posted on March 9, 2020February 25, 2021 by Jaymie

Here are some of the books releasing this week!

Books for Kids

Goodnight, Veggies – A bedtime story starring vegetables
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything – A picture book biography of Jennifer Keelan regarding the fight for accommodations for those with disabilities.
The Voice that Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History – The fight for women’s suffrage hinged on a vote in Tennessee. And the deciding vote was cast because of a mother’s letter urging her son to vote for suffrage.
Beatrice Zinker: Upside Down Thinker – Sabotage – Book 3 in the Beatrice Zinker series. Someone mimics Beatrice and her friends’ Upside Award, but they can’t figure out who did it.
Creature Campers: Surprise Under the Stars – Creature Campers, Book 2. The Creature Campers are working to pass their map and compass skills test.
Houndsley and Catina at the Library – Houndsley and Catina find out the library will close if the town can’t find someone to replace the retiring librarian.
Time Dogs: Barry and the Great Mountain Rescue – Book 3 in the Time Dogs series. A group of older dogs is transported back in time and become puppies again.

Books for Older Kids/Teens/Young Adults

The Blackbird Girls – Historical fiction set around the Chernobyl disaster
City Spies – First in a new series from the fantastic James Ponti. Five kids from around the world join forces as spies in a secret MI6 agency. This is at the top of my wish list for this week.
The Copycat – A girl in a new home and new school discovers a family magic that allows her to transform into a copy of any living creature.
Thunder Girls: Skade and the Enchanted Snow – Book 4 in the Thunder Girls series. The goddess of skiing is chosen by Odin to be an alternate on the team, rather than a starter, when some giants challenge the Asgardians to a skiing contest.
Worse Than Weird – Mac participates in a food truck scavenger hunt to win the money she needs to go to coding camp.
What Is the Story of Batman? AND What Is the Story of Looney Tunes? – Readers can learn the stories of popular characters like Batman and the Looney Tunes.
Hidden Knights (e-book) – The third and final book in the Knights of the Realm series. After the events of Shadow Knights (♥♥♥♥½), Reid may be the only one who has any chance of saving the people of Marsden. I have loved this series from the start! This will be at the top of my reading list for the week.
Most Likely – Four teens negotiate their senior year, not realizing that some day one of them will be president.
A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope – A collection of science fiction and fantasy stories starring Black girls.
The Small Crimes of Tiffany Templeton – A tough teen, back from reform school, tries to negotiate the whispers around town, the changes she is trying to make in her life, and the secret she’s never shared.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You – An adaptation of Stamped From the Beginning for teens.

Books for Adults

Death on the Page (Hardcover) – Book 2 in the Castle Bookshop Mystery series. Bayside Books has hosted true-crime writer Savannah Page for two signings, but now that she’s been found dead in a secret passage in the castle, Shelby is sleuthing again to find a killer.
Girl Can’t Help It (Trade Paperback) – Book 2 in the Krista Larson series. When the band Hot Rod and the Pistons reunite for their induction into the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame, two of the band members wind up dead. While both deaths are deemed suicide, Police Chief Krista Larson is keeping a close eye on the rest of the band, as well as their replacement players, because she thinks the deaths might be murders. This book, as well as book one, Girl Most Likely, are both available to read for free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers at the time of this writing.
In Five Years (Hardcover) – A woman who answers the “Where do you see yourself in five years?” question in the most important job interview of her life has a vision of a very different life in 2025. While she tries to put the vision behind her as she doesn’t really believe in such things, she encounters the man she saw herself with in the vision.
Mimi Lee Gets a Clue (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Sassy Cat Mystery series. Mimi Lee’s pet grooming shop, Hollywoof, leads her to an encounter with a talking cat. Using the cat’s inside scoop, Mimi confronts an unethical breeder who is later killed. Mimi’s public argument with him makes her the prime suspect. This sounds so fun!
Mint Chip and Murder (e-book) – Book 4 in the Cambria Clyne Mystery series. When Cambria is up for a new job as a building manager, it is essential for her to stay out of trouble. A dead body in the attic of her current building is all kinds of trouble. To keep the discovery from ruining her new opportunity, Cambria is going to have to track down what happened so the trouble will go away.
Murderous Relation (Hardcover) – Book 5 in the Veronica Speedwell Mystery series. Veronica and Stoker go undercover at a high class brothel to protect the royal family from Prince Albert’s indiscretions, except their task is compounded by a murder.
Star Trek TOS: The Higher Frontier (Trade Paperback) – Captain Kirk teams up with a powerful telepath and a mysterious race to help the crew battle seemingly unstoppable killers.
The Starr Sting Scale (Trade Paperback) – First in the new Candace Starr series. A former hitwoman, recently released from prison, is contacted about a new target who happens to be a teenage boy. That’s a line Candace won’t cross, but the boy ends up dead anyway. So Starr teams up with a police detective to find out what really happened to the kid.
Undercover Bromance (Trade Paperback) – Book two after The Bromance Book Club (♥♥♥♥♥). When Liv is fired and blackballed after confronting her boss for harassment of another employee, Braden and the rest of the Bromance Book Club try to help her take her life back.I’ll be reviewing this later this week.
Yours in Scandal (Trade Paperback) – Book 1 in the new Man of the Year series from Lauren Layne. An up and coming politician asks the wild-child daughter of his rival to plan the party of the season.
The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress (Hardcover) – A closer look at the women who joined the House of Representatives in 2018.
Untamed (Hardcover) – The latest from Glennon Doyle (Love Warrior) is a message of liberation for women.
The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease (Hardcover) – The first book to address women’s brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention.

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 2019 Cybils Awards

Posted on March 7, 2020February 24, 2020 by Jaymie

[I received an advanced reader copy of The Bridge Home from another committee member and a published copy of Right as Rain from the publisher HarperCollins for review purposes. Both were passed on to a classroom teacher when my committee work was completed. All opinions are my own.]

The Process

Once again I had the privilege of serving on a committee for the 2019 Cybils Awards. This is the second year I served with the group choosing the winner in the Middle Grade Fiction category. You can see my post about the 2017 Cybils here and the 2018 Cybils here.

Now that our committee work is done, I am able to talk about the finalists we read this year. These are my personal thoughts on each of these books and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full committee who presided over this category. Keep in mind that another committee determined what books we would be choosing from. These seven were not our personal best of 2019, but the ones chosen by another committee of readers based on nominations. Books here are listed in alphabetical order.

The Books

The Bridge Home – Four homeless kids make a family for themselves as they live near an abandoned bridge, but when illness strikes, will they continue to fend for themselves or will they have the strength to reach out for help? This was one of those “it’s well written, but I didn’t like it” books. This was dark and sad and upsetting and heart-wrenching. I did not enjoy reading it. But it’s well-written and there’s TONS of material in it for readers to dig into. This is for older middle grade readers (10+). Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over-reacting or should be flattered. You can read my full review of this one here. I really liked this one! I feel like this is an important story that gives kids language for those behaviors that feel icky, but they can’t quite pinpoint why. There are other books releasing now that address similar situations (Chirp was a good one I read recently), and they are so important. This is another one that I think is good for older middle grade readers. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

Operation Frog Effect – Eight kids tell the story of what happened that got their teacher in trouble. One of the stories is told in graphic novel format. To me this felt like a Mr. Terupt book (or something else by Rob Buyea), although not as in-depth. There’s a great, diverse group of students in this as well as an inspiring teacher. I enjoyed this. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise – Coyote and her dad have lived life on the road in their renovated school bus since Coyote’s mother and sisters were killed in an accident. But now she is desperate to get back home before her last moments with her mom and sisters are lost forever. You can read my full review of this one here. This is another story that deals with difficult topics, in this case grief. This also deals with the subject of identity, which is a favorite topic of mine, especially in kids literature. This is the book chosen by the committee to win the Cybils Award for 2019 for Middle Grade Fiction. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

Right As Rain – A grieving family moves to New York hoping a change of scenery can help them in their loss, but Rain is convinced her brother’s death is her fault. While she holds her secrets close, a new friend may help her open up and shine the light of truth on what happened that night. I LOVED this! Of these 7 books, I had already read and reviewed 3 of them. Of the four that were new to me, this was my favorite. I adored everything about this – the grieving pieces as well as the poetry and the hot chocolate and the soup kitchen and the running. Fantastic characters. A story I just wanted to hug. A happy tearful ending as Rain finally shares her story. Beautiful! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

Roll with It – A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school. I loved Ellie and her family and friends in this one. The baking pieces were fun and sounded delicious. I don’t have a lot of books in my reading repertoire starring characters with disabilities, so I was glad to add this book to my list. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Song for a Whale – A deaf girl who is also a tech genius learns about a whale that can’t communicate with other whales, and she decides to find a way to “sing” to this whale. You can read my full review of this one here. I adored this book! Sure, there are moments where the reader has to suspend disbelief (like when the main character runs away to go on a cruise with her grandmother – and her parents don’t freak out more), but there are other moments that are so perfect. I loved the threads in this about finding community and being with others who understand you and share some of your life experiences. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

You can see all of the 2019 Cybils Award winners here.

REVIEW: What the Other Three Don’t Know by Spencer Hyde

Posted on March 5, 2020March 4, 2020 by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Shadow Mountain in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It was luck of the draw that Indie ended up on the rafting trip. The senior journalism students were randomly assigned to an adventure opportunity for their “Summer Scoop” project. And at the end, they would write about one of the people they got to know on the trip.

It was the first time Indiana had left her grandfather since her mom died two years ago. On a rafting trip. On this very river. Indie would rather be at home, but it was a school assignment. And she cared about this journalism course and the instructor. And her grandfather and therapist thought the trip would do her good.

Indie knows the three other kids on the trip. Skye hasn’t been around for the last year. Indie hadn’t heard why, but the prosthetic leg is probably part of that story. Wyatt lives in a trailer near Indie’s grandfather. He’s an amazing artist – and a “prepper.” That could be a good thing on an outdoorsy trip, although from the start he seems to only care about antagonizing the others. Shelby is a social media influencer who’s unhappy to be cut off from her phone for five days.

This isn’t the trip Indie would have chosen for herself. But, as she’s learned in her grief, there’s no way out but through. She can get away from this group only by finishing this trip. So she takes her place on the river, braced for whatever will come.

Review

Readers who enjoy outdoor adventure/survival stories will enjoy this journey with Indie and the other teens. There’s tons of rafting, camping, fishing, and climbing details for fans to enjoy. That’s really not my style, though, when it comes to stories. I chose this one more for the interpersonal journey of the four students.

Indie tells the story, and there’s a lot of her internal processing in this book. I think I might have clicked with this more if each kid told part of the adventure. But the focus of this is less on the ensemble and more on Indie and her journey as well as her history with their guide. There’s a lot here about grief and forgiveness, so Indie had to be the one to tell the story. I found there to be too much inner processing for my preference. It felt out of balance with the action and the interactions in the book.

Some of the themes in the book are: identity, secrets, grief, truth, forgiveness. And there’s plenty here for readers to dig into as each of the other three teens reveals something to the group that others don’t know. They move from rumors and assumptions about each other to being seen and known. And those pieces kept me engaged through the story.

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: Death with a Dark Red Rose by Julia Buckley

Posted on March 4, 2020July 18, 2022 by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lena and her friends are settling into a quieter pace of life after their recent adventures. Fall has arrived, and everyone is enjoying the colors of the season. Camilla and Adam have a getaway planned. Lena and Sam are making wedding plans. And Doug and Belinda are also going on a trip. But when Doug goes to pick her up, he finds her gone. Her car, purse, phone and keys are still at the house. Doug, Sam and Lena start looking for her.

Belinda’s parents inform them that Belinda’s brother, Carl, is living nearby. Belinda adores her brother and might have met up with him. And if Carl hasn’t been taking his medication, he might have met up with Belinda unexpectedly.

While Belinda is found safe, Carl reached out to her because he thinks someone else isn’t. Carl’s friend, Luis, has been missing for 5 days. Luis’ wife seems unconcerned, and the management at work is dismissive. But Carl is certain something is wrong. And because Luis and Carl work for the mysterious Plasti-Source, the disappearance will give the police an inroad into the company so they can check it out.

Review

This was fantastic! I’ve been a fan of the Writer’s Apprentice Mystery series since book 1, A Dark and Stormy Murder. I’m two books behind, but I was able to drop into this one because I understood the primary characters, and the story didn’t require me to know all of the back story. (The larger over-arching mystery from the start of the series was wrapped up in the books I haven’t gotten to yet.)

I always feel like I get my money’s worth (so to speak) from this series because the books are dense with material. Yet none of it feels like fluff or filler. I love the ensemble and the ways they work together on the mysteries. The addition of Belinda’s brother Carl was great. What an endearing character! There are tidbits of character and relationship development here and there, but they are always well-balanced with the meaty mystery central to the book.

The mystery here was top notch as usual. Lots of twists that kept me guessing to the end. I also enjoy the writing pieces in the series with Camilla and Lena. Each chapter starts with either writing notes from Camilla or lines from the fictional story they are working on in the book. I appreciated the fact that they often throw out several ways for the fictional story to go, acknowledging that the details get sorted out in the writing process. Terrific!

I loved this book, and I highly recommend the whole series to mystery and cozy fans!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Batman Overdrive by Shea Fontana

Posted on March 3, 2020February 24, 2020 by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Bruce Wayne is a month away from turning 16. A month away from a driver’s license which means freedom from Alfred, his butler, guardian, and overseer. He’s a teen on the edge – a street vigilante looking for a fight, always pushing to be independent. He’s so close to that freedom he is desperate for.

Part of that freedom is driving his dad’s ’66 Crusader. But the car has seen better days. Bruce meets Mateo at the salvage yard and he says he’ll help Bruce track down the parts he needs. But their plans are interrupted by some masked girls who keep stealing from Mateo’s uncle at the scrap yard. One girl, they notice, dresses like a cat.

Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Lady Shiva are stealing luxury cars and then stealing things from the salvage yard to change up the looks of the cars. Bruce and Mateo are on the case, but they have no idea the girls Bruce knows from karate are the car thieves.

Bruce is also investigating his parents’ murders. Carmine Falcone is his primary suspect. And he’s finding clues that could tie Falcone to the car thefts. But is it possible there are also ties between Falcone… and Alfred?

Review

This was fun! So much of the Batman future is in evidence – the secret entrance to the garage, Alfred, the “Batmobile” name, and the villains. Fans of the franchise will see a lot of familiar pieces in this.

The Alfred storyline was my favorite part of this. If you’re looking for it, you can see his presence, always watching out for Bruce. The panels of moments between Alfred and young Bruce are so precious. And anyone who understands grief and loss can see how Bruce is looking for an outlet for his anger. Alfred is the convenient target. Yet he keeps showing up. Just like a parent.

I’m eager to see if this becomes a series and if any other DC characters join this young hero team. I enjoyed the group that Bruce puts together and would eagerly show up for more adventures for them in the future. In this book, the car theft case gets wrapped up and Bruce gets some closure on the murder of his parents. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BOOK NEWS: March 3, 2020

Posted on March 2, 2020February 28, 2020 by Jaymie

How is it March already?! The year is speeding by, but in some ways I don’t mind. I am ready to leave winter behind and enjoy some spring sunshine and temperatures. Here are some books to help you pass the time as winter shifts to spring.

Picture Books for Kids

Be You! – The latest from Peter H. Reynolds, the author of The Dot and So Few of Me. Great message to be your own work of art because there’s only one you.
I Found a Kitty! – The latest from Troy Cummings, the author of More Bears. A sequel to Can I Be Your Dog? (♥♥♥♥♥) Arfy the dog writes persuasive letters to townspeople trying to find a home for a homeless kitten. Great for animal lovers and for classroom teachers working on letter writing and persuasive writing.
The Legend of King Arthuratops – A re-imagined Camelot story starring dinosaurs. This looks darling!
Monster’s Trucks – Monster loves his trucks, but he doesn’t like it if anyone else touches them – and that is just what the reader is going to do!
Violet Shrink – When an introverted girl finds out her family reunion is coming up, she talks to her dad about her anxious feelings at large family parties. I am looking forward to reading this one!
When My Brother Gets Home – A little sister imagines the adventures that await when her older brother gets home from school.
Bringing Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem – A government sponsored hunt in the late 1800s decimated the wolf population at Yellowstone National Park, negatively impacting the entire ecosystem. In the 1990s, the government reintroduced wolves to the area which in time restored the ecosystem. I am fascinated by this story and can’t wait to read this book. Terrific nonfiction addition for homes and schools.
This Book Is Literally Just Pictures of Snoozy Animals That Will Make You Sleep Better – Beautiful photographs of sleepy, yawning, and snoozing animals.

Early Chapter Books for Kids

Arise and Shine – Amelia Bedelia and Friends, book 3. Amelia and her friends are studying the Middle Ages at school and learning about chivalrous behavior. This sounds cute.
Bo and the Dragon-Pup – Book 2 in the Unicorn Diaries series from Scholastic BRANCHES. Bo the Unicorn and the rest of the unicorns at school discover the dragon caves. I enjoyed the first book so much (Bo’s Magical New Friend – ♥♥♥♥). I’m looking forward to reading this one, too.
The Dead Sea Squirrels: Tree-Mendous Trouble AND Whirly Squirrelies – Books 5 and 6 in this silly series from Veggie Tales co-creator Mike Nawrocki. These two stories focus on kindness and self-control.
Disney Before the Story: Anna Finds a Friend AND Elsa’s Icy Rescue – Childhood stories of Anna and Elsa.
Fierce Competition! – A sports competition with the school villains gets out of hand.
The Future of the Time Dragon – Book 15 in the Dragon Masters series from Scholastic BRANCHES. The kids must find the time dragon to save a friend.
I Can Build It! – The darling Princess Truly, with her magic hair, is back for her third adventure from Scholastic ACORN. Princess Truly uses her inventing skills to help with a problem at the animal shelter.
Space Shuttle Scam – Book 12 in the A to Z Mystery Super Editions. The kids try to find a sneaky thief at a Space Museum in Florida.

Books for Older Kids/Teens

Aster and the Accidental Magic – A bored girl in a new place wishes for the power to communicate with her new dog and ends up only able to speak in dog language.
Awesome Dog 5000 vs Mayor Bossypants – The robot dog Awesome Dog 5000 teams up with three kids when the Mayor decides he wants to get rid of Awesome Dog for good.
Batman Overdrive (Graphic Novel) – Bruce Wayne is itching to turn 16, fix up his dad’s old car, and track down some thieves stealing cars in Gotham. I loved this one. I’ll be reviewing it here tomorrow.
Black Brother Black Brother – A Black student at a mostly white prep school struggles to fit in and face injustice unlike his lighter-skinned brother. This sounds like a fascinating story.
The Chaos Curse – Book 3 in the Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series about a girl struggling with the forces of evil.
Coo – Ten years ago, a flock of pigeons took in an abandoned baby and raised her. Now, when her most favorite pigeon is injured by a hawk, Coo must venture down into the world of people to find help. I’ve already requested this one from the library!
The Dragon Egg Princess – A boy who comes from a long line of rangers who protected a magical forest full of supernatural creatures wants no part of the woods that claimed his father. But there are forces trying to take over the woods and an evil stirring within them – and he might be the only one able to save the world.
Dragonslayer – The second Wings of Fire Legends story (after Darkstalker – ♥♥♥♥♥). Three human kids negotiate the dangers of Pyrrhia. This is at the top of my list for this week!
Fly Back Agnes (Older Middle Grade) – A struggling girl invents a new identity for herself when she visits her dad for the summer, but her lies start to pile up and cause problems with people she wants to befriend.
The Future King – Book 3 in the Revenge of Magic series. Six magic students from the UK return from being lost in time with stories of a dire future and a coming war. I have this series on my wish list.
The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane – A girl longing for the father she’s never known finds out he will be judging a singing contest in Nashville, and she’s determined to perform for him and finally meet him face to face. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
The Lost Lands – Rise of the Dragons, book 2. This is a multi-author series like The 39 Clues series. Dragons used to roam the Earth, but they were banished. But now, the kids are friends with a dragon that can open the portal between the worlds – and there are some who would use that power to invade Earth again. I have the first book in the series from the library right now. I love dragon stories!
Mananaland – The latest book from Pam Muños Ryan (Echo, Esperanza Rising). A boy longing to know more about the mother who disappeared when he was a baby sets out on an adventure to find answers for his questions.
Marvel Action: Captain Marvel: Cosmic CAT-tastrophe – First in a new series. Manhattan is overrun by Flerkens, and Captain Marvel is on the case. I’m eager to see this one in person.
The Oracle Code (Graphic Novel – Older Middle Grade) – Barbara Gordon is living in the Arkham Center for Independence after being shot and losing the use of her legs. But her investigative instincts are still sharp as she looks into stories of missing patients. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month.
Show Me a Sign – An Own Voices story of a Deaf community on Martha’s Vineyard in the early 19th century and a girl caught in a cruel experiment as a scientist tries to discover why so many residents of the area are Deaf.
Things You Can’t Say – A boy still grieving the loss of his dad faces other losses – a best friend who pulls away; someone taking over his sacred, safe space; and his usual routines at home when a stranger moves in. I’ll be reviewing this one later this month, too.
Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor (Older Middle Grade) – The fabulous Ally Carter publishes her first middle grade novel this month, and I can’t wait to read it! A group of orphans look for clues to several mysteries in the old mansion which has become their unusual home.

Books for Teens/Young Adults

Every Reason We Shouldn’t – The daughter of Olympians tries to settle into a new life now that her own Olympic dreams have ended, but the arrival of a new Olympic hopeful at her parents’ ice rink adds an unexpected wrinkle to her new normal.
The June Boys – The Gemini Thief has been kidnapping boys for years – three boys, held for 13 months and then released, every time. Except one teen believes an extra boy has been taken this year. And she’s starting to wonder if the kidnapper is closer to home than she ever imagined. This sounds amazing.
The Kingdom of Back – The latest from Marie Lu (Legend, Warcross, Young Elites) focuses on Mozart’s older sister, equally brilliant and talented, but limited by her gender and her family’s expectations until a mysterious stranger offers her everything she dreams of.
Moment of Truth – A girl who is sure she has her life figured out finds everything upended by a masked man dressed like action hero Heath Hall. This sounds so fun!
Only Mostly Devastated (LGBTQ+) – A m/m take on Grease. A summer fling ends abruptly for Ollie, and he thinks he’ll never see Will again. But when his family moves across the country, there is Will, at Ollie’s new school. But the Will here is NOTHING like the Will Ollie spent the summer with.
Salty, Bitter, Sweet – A new Own Voices romance from Blink. Isa is living in France with her father and step-mother after losing her abuela and watching her parents’ marriage implode. The only bright spot is the chance to compete for an apprenticeship with Chef Grattard, but the arrival of an attractive young man might unravel what stability she has left.
The Warrior’s Curse – The Traitor’s Game, Book 3, from the fabulous Jennifer A. Nielsen (The False Prince – ♥♥♥♥♥+, A Night Divided – ♥♥♥♥). Simon and Kestra are still trying to defeat the evil Lord Endrick, but their paths have diverged and it’s not clear if they will ever be able to work their way back to one another again. This series is on my TBR list.
Wicked as You Wish – A Hundred Names for Magic, book 1. The prince of a magical land, now frozen in ice, is stuck in Arizona where no magic works at all. But the appearance of a magical creature means there might be a chance for him to return to his home and defeat the Snow Queen. This sounds amazing!
Find Your Voice – From the author of The Hate U Give comes this guided journal for teens about writing your story and your truth.