What are you currently reading?
Radio Free Texas by Libba Bray - Trying to figure out what to do with his life and how to be a man, Bowie finds unexpected purpose and an unlikely mentor at the local radio station.
What did you recently finish reading?
Haunted Comic Club by Josh Tierney - Two kids meet at a kids club and collaborate on a comic about a local ghost story.
What do you think you'll read next?
Dasia (Forever) by Nic Stone
I've been making catnip toys from old t-shirts for a while now, selling them at craft fairs and farmer's markets. Typically I gravitate towards food shapes (because that is very funny to me). This year, though, we've signed up for a local monthly marketplace. In order to help keep our inventory fresh I feel the need to expand my catnip toy designs. I decided that I would make a few new designs every month. So here are a few I've added recently. If you have suggestions for others for late winter and early spring (especially March) please leave them in the comments. I'm struggling with a few of those upcoming markets.
Teens who enjoy Lies My Teacher Told Me should give this one a read. Not only does this book provide facts and statistics and clarify common misconceptions, it also interrogates the source of some myths and asks us to consider what we've accepted as truths without evidence. And it does all of that with a healthy dose of humor and an irreverent tone that keeps the topic from becoming excessively uncomfortable (though Clift argues that a little discomfort is probably good for us - an opinion that I agree with). This is not a read that everyone will enjoy but those willing to think a little deeper and question the history that's been handed to us will get a lot out of this one.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: The Pools
Author: E. Lockhart
Genre: magical realism
Age range: teen
Similar book: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Summary (provided by publisher): Once, in a small New England town known for its hot springs, something terrible happened. Something that should have been a warning to stay away from the pools, if the stories were to be believed.
But no one is afraid of the water anymore, even if they should be.
When new girl Lexie meets golden boy Chester, their chemistry is undeniable. She’s running from a glittering life she won’t speak about. He’s hiding secrets of his own. Their connection feels bigger than both of them, despite their damage.
One frigid winter morning in that small New England town, five people go for a swim in the pools. Five people, including Chester. What happens there sends shock waves through the town, changing life as Lexie knows it forever.
What I liked: Lockhart's writing is spare and carefully constructed. There are no wasted words. The moments chosen aren't the obvious ones we would expect but do a great deal to develop characters and relationships.
What I didn't like: WARNING - HERE BE SPOILERS
It's impossible to discuss what I don't like about this book without spoiling a good deal of it, especially since there isn't a lot going on in the plot. For a book about a curse there is very little action. Very little time is spent exploring why this particular trip to the pools turned people into birds. There is little time spent trying to "fix" it. Most of the text is reflecting on how people are feeling and interacting. Or not, as the case may be. It's very introspective to a degree that can become tiresome. And the ending is not the least satisfying. It breaks it's own rules of the curse. While it is artistic and a relatively quick read I was not overly fond of it.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
The House of Gardenias by Isabel Canas - After taking a job as a housemaid for the aging relative of the deposed viceroy, Minerva finds herself trapped in the infamous House of Gardenias with the cruel del Valle family and something darker.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Pools by E. Lockhart - Lexie is finally starting to feel like her life is changing for the better when her new boyfriend Chester and four other people go for a swim in the local hot springs and shocking changes follow.
What do you think you'll read next?
The Woman Who Heard the Sun by Amisha Padnani
Title: When The World Was Happy
Author: Benjamin Alire Saenz
Genre: realistic fiction
Age range: teen
Similar book: Thoughts and Prayers by Bryan Bliss
Summary (provided by publisher): CheChe knows that he and his twin sister Emma lead an unusual life. They enjoy spending time with their parents and grandparents, love to read, and don’t have a huge circle of friends—and they’re happy. Then, just a few months after they turn seventeen, three gunmen show up one morning at their El Paso, Texas, high school, and everything changes.
CheChe loses a leg, and both he and Emma have friends who die. Suddenly, the world feels like a very different place. But what they find hasn’t changed—or has only gotten deeper—is their love for their family, their close friends, and one another, and as they begin to heal, they create their own little community, one that wields the power of humor, kindness, and hope.
CheChe finds himself doing all kinds of things he never expected from his junior year: relearning to walk, falling in love with the boy he’s nursed a longtime crush on, making friends with a kid he always found intimidating. By the end of this life-changing school year, none of them will be the same, and many of them will have found their voices in ways they never imagined.
What I liked: While this is a book about a school shooting it is even more a book about beauty - the beauty of language and the beauty of life, even when it is heartbreaking. These are characters who have been through the worst tragedy and it does not break them. They are angry. They are devastated. But they are also living and finding a way forward. The narrative does not dwell on rage or even on the physical. This is very much a story of emotional change and the bulk of the text focuses inward.
What I didn't like: This book may be a bit abstract for some readers. It spends very little time on conversations or movement, filling it's pages instead with well crafted lines and evocative thought. It can be a bit preachy at times but that is largely forgiveable.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
A friend asked for some coffee cup sweaters in a variety of colors and I happily obliged. These little sweaters knit up quickly. They're made flat and then seamed up the back. It's a great use for some scrap yarn.
What are you currently reading?
Lydia Cooper is a Lie by Meagan McIsaac - Lydia's life explodes after she defies her father and creates a social media account, not knowing that she's been in Witness Protection most of her life.
What did you recently finish reading?
What Happened to Those Girls by Carlynn Greenwald - When her friends die after ditching her to go camping, Emma teams up with the sister of one victim to uncover the truth about what happened.
What do you think you'll read next?
Where Lost Girls Go by Kody Kepplinger
Title: Beware the Abbott Boys
Author: Chelsea Ichaso
Genre: mystery
Age range: teen
Similar book: Murder Between Friends by Liz Lawson
Summary (provided by publisher): The Abbott boys, fraternal triplets Henry, Bram, and Adam, live in a mansion on the outskirts of Silver Creek. For decades, their family's been at odds with the town, long before Mariana Flores died in a fiery accident on the Abbott property last year. The police ruled out foul play, but ask anyone in Silver Creek about it and they'll say one of the Abbott boys killed her. They just don't know which one.
But Hayden, the girl who lives next door to the Abbotts, swears they're innocent. After all, Henry's her best friend—maybe he could be more. She's been worried about Adam ever since he was injured in the accident that killed Mariana. As for Bram, he's a little complicated, but he and Mariana had been in love.
When the new school year brings a new victim—a popular girl, found dead in the woods—the hunt for a monster begins anew. The security camera footage doesn't show the face of the boy she was last seen with, but from his hoodie he could be any one of the Abbott brothers.
To clear their names, Hayden starts investigating the new death, but the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she becomes. Is one of the Abbott brothers a killer? Or could they all be monsters? And what will the boys do to protect themselves and the truth?
What I liked: Ichaso handles the evidence well. We have a fair number of clues that could be interpreted in a variety of ways. With flashbacks to the original crime and the various figures involved, the truth is carefully threaded throughout the novel with plenty of red herrings making for compelling reading.
What I didn't like: All three Abbotts are named after figures in classic horror novels. Their personalities seemed to reflect this connection. But there's no payoff. Ichaso doesn't see that connection through, an addition that would have truly elevated this otherwise standard novel.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Thornbird
Author: E. Kennedy
Genre: mystery
Age range: teen
Similar book: Have You Seen This Girl by Nita Tyndall
Summary (provided by publisher): Ten years after her father—the infamous serial killer Gabriel Thorn—was caught, Ryan Shipley is back in Starling, Tennessee, trying to lay low. No one can know who she really is. No one can know the truth about her past.
But as fresh eyes dig deeper into the case, old secrets refuse to stay buried. Cryptic texts, eerie coincidences, and a chilling note leave everyone wondering—does Ryan know more than she’s letting on? As the truth unravels, one thing becomes clear: in a town full of secrets, Ryan might be the biggest mystery of them all.
The world is hunting for answers. Now get ready for a thriller packed with twists you won’t see coming.
What I liked: Most serial killer centric novels are focused on getting to the truth about murders - proving definitively whether the widely accepted narrative is truth. That's not the case here. This book is primarily a girl coming to terms with the past and her own role in it. Ryan is a realistic character, trying to live a normal life and dealing with the fallout of her past.
What I didn't like: The final chapters go a bit off the rails as the town secrets and truths about her father are finally revealed. It detracts a bit from the overall net positive reading experience.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
Beware the Abbot Boys by Chelsea Ichaso - Hayden's been friends with the Abbot triplets since childhood and is determined to prove their innocence when a local girl is killed and everyone blames the Abbots.
What did you recently finish reading?
Thornbird by E. Kennedy - Ryan can't escape her past when she's forced to move back to the town where her serial killer father committed his crimes.
What do you think you'll read next?
Clock Hands by Marieke Nijkamp
Title: Just Ask Elsie
Author: Ari Koontz
Genre: realistic fiction
Age range: middle grade
Similar book: Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code by Bridget Farr
Summary (provided by publisher): Fractions and conjunctions—check.
Stressing about middle school—check.
Body-positive puberty class at church that also covers feelings and identities—check.
Okay, maybe that last one isn’t so normal. It’s a little weird (and awkward) to spend her Sundays talking periods, B.O., and pimples. But Elsie’s also learning a lot more than she’s heard in her public-school health class — like the difference between sex and gender, and what consent is, and what it might mean that she can’t stop blushing around a certain cute girl at her school.
When her puberty lessons become the school’s latest gossip, Elsie’s totally humiliated… until she finds an anonymous note in her locker from a classmate who wants to know more, and realizes that other kids might have embarrassing questions of their own.
Starting an underground advice board wasn’t exactly in her plans, but Elsie won’t pass up a chance to turn her reputation around — or to share words and labels that have not-so-accidentally been left off their curriculum. But when the principal tries to shut down the unauthorized puberty talk, Elsie has to decide what she’s willing to risk to tell the truth to kids who really need to hear it.
What I liked: The characters are realistic and age appropriate. These are clearly children. Their understanding of the world is simple and blunt and part of the plot involves beginning to understand nuance. As such, the solutions here aren't straightforward and easy. This is more about starting a journey than revolutionary change. The conversation around puberty is straight-forward and age appropriate.
What I didn't like: There are some uncomfortable moments but nothing to the point of becoming unreadable. Mostly this is a solid read.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Tell Me My Future
Author: Eileen M Ruvane
Genre: mystery
Age range: teen
Similar book: Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours
Summary (provided by publisher): Kess Turner is used to starting over. Her mom has dragged her all around the country her whole life, never spending longer than a few months in one place.
But nothing is normal about their new home—a dusty psychic shop—or the the way Kess's mom was summoned when a mysterious accident left the psychic Madame Amalia in a coma. When Kess finds coded messages and cash hidden among the crystal balls and Tarot cards, she knows there’s a lot more to the story than her mom is telling her.
Desperate for answers, Kess poses as a psychic in order to pump Madame Amalia’s clients for information—only to start experiencing strange visions of events that actually come true. The more she investigates, the more she suspects her mom and Madame Amalia were involved in a murder years ago.
When Kess’s visions escalate—and seem to predict her own death—it becomes clear that if she wants to save her future, she’ll first have to unravel the secrets of the past . . .
What I liked: Desamours's approach to psychic abilities here is compelling. As is standard in these tales, the visions are never a clear picture. They are fractured, impressions without context. As a result, the exploration becomes more about not having the full story, about making a vision happen by trying to prevent it, and raises the question of the changeability of the future. While these questions aren't explored in depth they are certainly raised. With engaging characters and a reasonable plot, this remains a solid read.
What I didn't like: A lot of what is happening here is quite expected. The twist ending is solidly threaded through the rest of the narrative so an attentive reader won't be particularly surprised. Additionally, the final action scenes are chaotic and over the top.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: The Spiritualists
Author: Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
Genre: historical magical realism
Age range: teen
Similar book: The Diviners by Libba Bray
Summary (provided by publisher): Stella Bohdan is never alone—never—and yet she is the loneliest person she knows, dead or alive. A gifted psychic who can hear the voices of spirits, all Stella wants is to con enough people to survive on the brutal New York City streets and find a way to deal with the tragic death of her sister.
Performing seances in parlor rooms and tarot readings by candlelight, Stella is barely holding on. Until she meets Pax, a mysterious young man who offers Stella an invitation and a promise: Join a secret group of talented mystics who explore the darker realms of spiritualism, and together they will get revenge on her sister’s killer.
But how can Stella admit she is the reason her sister is dead?
In the hope of righting past wrongs, Stella joins Pax and his team of mystics. It’s soon clear there is more behind their partnership than just vengeance.
They must tread carefully though, because in the world of spiritualism, not everything is what it seems—especially when communing with the unknown.
What I liked: This book strongly captures the setting. We see a lot of the Spiritualism movement, of course, but also simply historical New York in the wake of the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. This is also more than just an historical novel, though. In many ways it is a heist narrative as we walk through the assembling of the team, their diverse abilities and the secrets they all carry. There's a strong emphasis on action, constant twists and complications that make for an engaging read.
What I didn't like: The pacing can be a bit inconsistent, dwelling on introspection at moments that disrupt the flow of the narrative. The characters are no equally portrayed, with some members of the team serving as little more than props. While it is an engaging read it may not hold up to repeat reading.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
The Spiritualists by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb - A young psychic finds herself embroiled in a revenge plot.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Chismosas Only Book Club by Laekan Zea Kemp - Starting high school proves to be more challenging than a group of friends expected and threatens to drive them apart.
What do you think you'll read next?
Summerwork by Carrie Mesrobian
Title: The Chismosas Only Book Club
Author: Laekan Zea Kemp
Genre: realistic fiction
Age range: upper middle grade
Similar book: The Mother Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick
Summary (provided by publisher): Cat, Sofia, Ana, and Mari are best friends. Nothing, nada, can break their bond. When Cat’s mom scolds them for their loud cackling at the bookstore, calling them a bunch of chismosas, the name sticks. Cat creates the The Chismosas Only Book Club, giving the girls a way to stay connected as they begin high school.
But ninth grade is hard, and it seems like no amount of conchas y libros y risas at Milagro’s Books, founded generations ago by Cat’s great-great-great-grandmother, can repair the ever-growing cracks in their friendship. But maybe the spirit of Milagro herself can . . .
What I liked: The characters here are realistic and deeply flawed. For all of their close connection they are also distinctive and have wide ranging problems. None of them are portrayed as innocent victims, pure hearts. These are kids actively making choices that the outsider can recognize will go wrong even as we understand the choice they make. The pacing is solid and has enough going on to keep us engaged.
What I didn't like: The transition between perspectives can be a bit jarring as we jump between narratives. It isn't always a comfortable read but it is a reasonable one.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
