My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding by Sajni Patel Realistic Fiction Romance Suspense * * * Stars (Pretty good) Zurika’s older sister has pulled out all the stops and is about to be married Bollywood style – a big, fat, Indian wedding, with singing, dancing, and all of the traditional trappings. Zurika is happy for her, don’t get her wrong, but she’s hoping to get into a prestigious musical program/college where she can develop her … Read more
Soar by Joan Bauer Realistic Fiction Sports Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Jeremiah is the world’s biggest baseball fan, but he cannot play the sport due to his heart condition. However, this doesn’t stop Jeremiah’s love for baseball. He decides to become a coach for the new town he just moved to. As scandals of his town’s team arise, Jeremiah is determined to bring his team back. I really liked Jeremiah’s determination … Read more
Wish by Barbara O’Connor Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese hase been making a secret wish every day since she was in fourth grade. She gets sent to live with a family she barely knows and her hopes of her wish becoming true are now very unlikely. That is, until she meets a stray dog and a neighbor, Howard, who proves her wrong. I thought this was a … Read more
Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Maddie had a great life with her father in Washington until they moved to the middle of nowhere, Alaska. She missed her friend Logan deeply, but he never responded to her letters, so when he shows up six years later she wants to kill him. However, an assailant appears trying to kidnap Logan, so she … Read more
Miss Quinces By Kat Fajardo Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction Tween (grades 6+) * * * * Stars (Great!) Suyapa loves manga and drawing comics and wishes she could go to summer camp with her friends (who are into the same things), but her mami is very strict (she says NO, absolutely not), and the family is going to Honduras to visit family. While they are there, Suyapa learns that her mami has planned a surprise … Read more
Alone by Megan E. Freeman Novel in Verse Realistic Fiction Survival Suspense Tween (grades 6+) * * * Stars (Pretty good) Maddie and her friends plan a sleepover at her grandmother’s apartment while grandma is away. Everyone is supposed to lie to their parents about where they’ll be, so Maddie’s parents, who are divorced, each think she is staying with the other one. Their plans fall through, so Maddie winds up being the only one … Read more
Dear Student by Elly Swartz Realistic Fiction Tween (grades 4-8) * * * Stars (Pretty good) Autumn is starting 6th grade with a lot of life changes. Her dad recently joined the Peace Corps to make a difference in the world, and as a result, the rest of their family has had to move out of their big house and into a small apartment. Her best friend also just moved across the country, and Autumn … Read more
House Arrest House Arrest #1 by K.A. Holt Diary Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) The main character, Timothy, struggles with a difficult life. He has an absent father, and a mother who always has to work so they can pay for his at-risk brother. Timothy gets into trouble trying to find money for his brother’s medication, putting him on house arrest. When things finally seem to get better, Timothy has … Read more
When We Collided by Emery Lord Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) “When We Collided” is a book about two teenagers who meet after the main character (Vivi) moves to California for the summer. She’s dealing with bipolar disorder and her new love interest (Jonah) is dealing with grief after the loss of a family member. They quickly fall in love, but it might just break them, or it will … Read more
Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) “Lily and Dunkin” is about two middle-schoolers who have to learn to deal with life while finding themselves. Lily is a transgender girl trying to embrace who she is, and Duncan is a boy who is dealing with mental illness. They slowly figure out who they are and grow together even through the tough years of middle school. … Read more