The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz Graphic Novel LGBTQ+ Romance * * * Stars (Pretty good) Lady Camembert has never cared for men, and she tells her father, the Count, in no uncertain terms, that she will NOT marry. He in turn reveals that he is not long for this world, so in order to pass along his estate and her inheritance (because their laws are stupid and don’t allow women … Read more
Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer & Matthew Holm Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Sunny is now in high school and is discovering her interests. She and a friend try out for cheerleading (not really what Sunny wants to do, but she wants to be with/support her friend). She doesn’t make the squad. When another friend, Arun, starts complaining about how their school is too focused on sports and sports … Read more
A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen Fantasy * * * * Stars (Great!) Ren is a promising student of magic at Balmerick University, but she fails to attract the attention of any wealthy magical houses. On the way home for the holidays, Ren and 5 other students attempt to travel using the public waxway portal when somehow the magic goes wrong, wraps them all up, and casts them far away from their intended … Read more
The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Hercules Beal has already been through a lot in his young life. He and his older brother Achilles recently lost their parents in an accident and Achilles has moved back home to run the family business (Beal Brothers Nursery) – leaving behind a career he loved writing stories for National Geographic. One of the changes Hercules experiences … Read more
While I Was Away by Waka Brown Autobiography Biography Nonfiction * * * * * Stars (Great!) Waka is sent to stay with her grandmother in Japan for several months in the 1980s so that she can be immersed in Japanese language and culture. Her mother is under the impression that she doesn’t understand Japanese and needs a language crash course and will have to attend Japanese school. It means all of Waka’s plans for … Read more
Lonely Castle in the Mirror (vol. 1) by Mizuki Tsujimura Fantasy Manga Mystery * * * * Stars (Great!) Kokoro was horribly bullied by some girls at her previous school. The experience has left her exhausted, anxious, and afraid. Although she is transferred to another school, Kokoro still feels sick every time she thinks about attending classes. What if the girls return? What if they hurt her? While she’s home sick (again) she notices something … Read more
Moongarden Plotting the Stars #1 by Michelle A. Barry Fantasy Science Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) In the future, on the Moon, where humans were forced to flee when the Earth’s plants turned against them, Myra Hodger is attending boarding school. Everyone expects her to follow in the footsteps of her Number Whisperer parents, but her talents lie elsewhere. If she doesn’t discover her particular brand of magic soon (she hasn’t shown any … Read more
Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto Funny Realistic Fiction Romance Rom-Com * * * * Stars (Great!) Sharlot and George find themselves at the center of a teenage rom-com entirely fabricated by their well-meaning parents, after each is discovered in an embarrassing sexual situation. To get some distance from her boyfriend, Sharlot is whisked off to Indonesia where her mother creates an online dating profile for her and starts exchanging messages with “George.” … Read more
Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington Suspense Thriller * * * Stars (Pretty good) Adina Walker had her whole future revoked when she got in a fight with her former best friend. The scandal got out and her acceptances to Yale and all her other college options were recinded. Now, the only option left to her is to somehow get herself into “The Finish,” a competition sponsored by the founders (the Remingtons) of her very … Read more
A Kid’s Guide to the Chinese Zodiac written by Aaron Hwang, illustrated by Qu Lan Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) The Chinese Zodiac is much more complicated than I’d thought. Previously, I’d only ever looked up my “animal” using my birth year, and since I’m born in January, before the Chinese calendar/New Year officially starts, it’s actually a different animal than I’d thought. In addition, predictions and horoscopes can be plotted out depending … Read more