By Ella

Celia Cleary has always known that on her 4,444th day alive, she'll inherit the power of prophecy, just like generations of Clearys  before her. She's been looking forward to it, too. But none of her grandmother's stories have prepared her for the shock of finally having her first vision--and watching the boy down the street, Jeffery, die. 

Celia knows she has to save him. She might not know him well, but she's always been sure she should use her prophetic powers for good. So, despite her grandmother's warn-ings, she saves him--and immediately sees another vision of him dying. And another. 

Apparently death is set on its quarry, but Celia isn't going to let this happen--particularly as she gets to know Jeffery better, and might even begin to feel some-thing for him. But as her seventh-grade year dissolves into fortune-telling chaos, and Celia learns more about her power, she must decide whether she can keep outwitting death forever--or if some things simply can't be changed. 

The Problem with Prophecies is a clever, magical, and ultimately bittersweet tale of friendship, growing up, and family. I loved the Cleary family's gifts and the stories Celia's grandmother tells about their ancestors, which are both hilarious and clever (the excerpted page from 'the Cleary Family Guide Book' on the back cover may be one of my favorite book jacket accents) and always firmly secured in the modern day. Scott Reintgen (who also wrote the fantastic middle-grade Talespinners series) deftly creates a tale both lightly humorous and moving; I can't wait to see what he writes next! I recommend The Problem with Prophecies ​to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy fantasy grounded in the real world. 

​By Ella

Everyone believes that Quinton Peters is dead, but his younger sister, Amari, has never been convinced. He just disappeared--she's sure he's out there somewhere. So when she discovers a suitcase from Quinton with her name on it--and an invitation inside from somewhere called the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs--she's certain that whatever it means, it holds the key to discovering what really happened to Quinton. 

But the Bureau, an organization which keeps magic and the magical world hidden from everyone else, isn't exactly handing out information about the disappearance of one its top agents--even if Amari is his sister. It quickly becomes clear that if Amari is going to learn what really happened to Quinton, she's going to have to compete for a spot in the Bureau against far more experienced candidates--not all of whom think Amari deserves a place here at all. 

Amari must forge some unlikely friendships and uncover the plans of one of the most dangerous magicians of all time if she wants to find a place at the Bureau, and learn what really happened to Quinton. But doing so may destroy her tentative acceptance in the Bureau--and keep her from seeing the most perilous deception of all. 

I've heard so much about Amari and the Night Brothers​, and I'm so glad I finally read it--it not only lived up to my high expectations, but exceeded them. Many of Amari's story elements are familiar, but Alston's strong characters and absorbing world-building make them feel utterly new, creating an exciting page-turner that left me wishing I already had book two. I utterly loved this world--full of small, quirky details and stunning descriptions, I was completely engrossed in the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Its flaws and prejudices made it deeper and layered, and helped it feel far more realistic than an idealistically perfect society. Amari's determination and love for Quinton truly drive this story, and I'm glad I'll be able to enjoy more books about her--and the supporting cast (particularly Elsie and Dylan), who are equally awesome! This story had more than one twist that truly surprised me, and I loved how the mystery of what really happened to Quinton unfolds. I highly recommend Amari and the Night Brothers to readers ages ten and up who love fantasy books full of clever plotting and strong characters. 

By Ella

Jake has just gotten used to being the first openly gay kid at his middle school, though he only recently told his parents. There just never seemed to be a good time, no matter how accepting he knew they'd be. 

But ​Jake's dad is the type to...overcompensate. And when Jake comes home from school, he discovers a pride flag in front of their house he's pretty sure could be seen from an airplane. 

Not everyone's pleased--but there's a lot of support, too. And Jake begins to wonder: what if he can throw the first pride parade in his small Ohio town? 

With the help of his best friend and the mayor's son, Jake might just convince his hometown to celebrate who he really is--and, in the process, figure out what pride really means. 

Small Town Pride ​is a sweet story about friendship, identity, and being yourself. I liked Jake and his friends' efforts to start a pride parade and their enthusiasm; their determination was palpable throughout. The fact that this was set in a small town was also awesome--instead of setting it in a city, the backdrop of a place where everyone knows each other and not much has changed for a long time both made Jake's struggles more realistic, and made it more fun to read about. I recommend Small Town Pride to readers ages nine and up. 

By Ella

"On a warm April morning, a week after the terrible day on which Grand-mère Sylvie died, Sylvie walked away from her home...She did not look back and she did not cry. She did not deserve tears. 

​She had made a terrible mistake."

                                     - from Healer and Witch 

Sylvie's Grand-mère has always had a strange, unaccountable gift for healing, able to save lives when Sylvie's mother cannot. But Sylvie has never seen this ability--or even the stranger power she herself has inherited--as witchcraft, or even as dangerous. Not until, in the wake of Grand-mère Sylvie's death, she seeks to heal her mother's grief, and instead steals her memories of Grand-mère Sylvie--and of Sylvie herself. 

​Sylvie is determined to find someone to teach her how to properly use her gift so that she might return her mother's memories. With Martin, the farrier's son, by her side, Sylvie sets off into the world beyond her tiny, rural hometown. But sixteenth-century France is a dangerous place for a girl with odd powers, full of questions and inquisitors and those who would use her gift to their own ends. Sylvie must decide what life she is willing to lead--and who, in all the world, she can trust to show her her way. 

Healer and Witch is an exquisitely written, beautiful historical fantasy novel that weaves many disparate threads into a single, stunning storyline. Although I initially picked up this book for its lovely cover, Werlin's writing pulled me in instantly:  simple and unadorned, it perfectly evokes the time and Sylvie's character as a girl who is far from naive, but nonetheless is largely ignorant of the world. Sylvie's journey toward understanding, self-discovery, and in a way independence in a land that would rather stifle, confine, and condemn her for her abilities and simply for being a woman weaves the heart of this book, giving the story an emotional depth and complexity that truly make it shine. The setting also feels particularly well-imagined, including the characters who Sylvie meets along her way. Overall, I highly recommend Healer and Witch ​to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who like historical fantasy or enjoyed the depth and writing style of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy. 

By guest reviewer Jo March

​​No one new every comes to Fawn Creek, Louisiana. The same thirteen kids have been in the same class all the way through seventh grade. Twelve, now that the infamous Renni Dean has left. And now another change is on the horizon: Orchid Mason, the new girl.

Soon, everyone in school is talking about Orchid. Orchid wears a flower in her hair. Orchid has lived in New York, Paris, and Venice, places the kids from Fawn Creek could only dream of. Orchid goes to the woods every day after school. No one knows where she lives.

Nothing every changes in Fawn Creek. Will Orchid be the thing that breaks that spell?

This is definitely one of the books I'll remember reading this year. Erin Entrada Kelly paints a true picture of the humid, leafy Louisiana town, and creates a lovably flawed and complex cast of characters. This book is about a single event that will change their lives forever; and its ending is so sweet and ambiguous that you'll feel that whatever happens to the characters next, it will be something that they make for themselves. Definitely recommend to anyone ages 9-14 (and older!).

By Ella

Alliana has been raised in her stepmother's inn, relegated to menial chores. For years after her father's death, she was able to keep dreaming of fairy tales with the support of Grand-mother Mari, whose tapestries and stories showed Alliana a world beyond their tiny village. But now a year has passed since Grandmother Mari's death, and the only magic left in Alliana's life is the baby nightdragon she discovers she can talk to. She knows better than to think her stepmother will let her attend the Farmlands Ball, her only chance of escaping her small hometown and to be enrolled in the Royal Academy.

​But everything changes when she meets Nela, a young witch who needs her help. For the first time since Grandmother Mari's death, Alliana has a chance to reach the future she's always dreamed of--but if her stepmother finds out, it could doom her to a life trapped at the inn.

Will Alliana be trapped beneath her stepmother's power forever? Or can she still find her own happily ever after?

Alliana, Girl of Dragons is a prequel/companion book to the Eva Evergreen duology (Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch and Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch)​​, and if you liked Eva Evergreen, you'll definitely like Alliana too--they share a magical, whimsical world, strong writing, and brilliant characters. I particularly enjoyed how Abe reshapes the Cinderella fairy tale into a story that fits perfectly with the Eva Evergreen books, including several prominent overlapping characters. Once again, the small details of the worldbuilding make the setting come alive, and I felt fully engrossed in Alliana's adventure. I recommend Alliana, Girl of Dragons ​to readers ages ten and up.

By Ella

​Ever since second grade, twelve-year-old Lilla and her best friends, Vivi and Knox, all wish on dandelions at the end of the school year--and whoever blows the hardest gets to declare a summer challenge for the others. Vivi and Knox are the only ones who are really competing, of course; where Vivi is determined and Knox is funny, Lilla is just quiet. She'd rather say nothing and make everyone happy than risk throwing herself out there. 

But when Vivi declares it the Summer of Brave, that's exactly what she wants Lilla to do. And this summer, there's a lot not to be brave about. 

There's her parents' divorce, of course, where they're intent on what they think is best for her rather than asking her what she really wants. And she can't help but lie about the prestigious high school they're already intent on getting her admitted to, because how can she tell them she doesn't want to go when they're so proud of her qualifying for an application? And then there's a catcalling college student who's a supervisor at her summer volunteer job, whose harassment everyone dismisses as no big deal. 

Lilla's sure that talking about these things will just make her life more difficult. But maybe telling the truth is what she needs most. 

Unflinching, realistic, and beautiful, Summer of Brave manages to say so much in a relatively short book, and I loved every word of it. Navigating friendships, feminism, academic pressure, divorce, girls in STEM, and so much more is tied together into a quiet, brave story which gains its power from both when Lilla speaks up and when she feels she must remain silent. Many books about being brave seem to present it from a single angle, which includes becoming constantly, effortlessly confident, but this book doesn't--Lilla remains quiet and shy while still becoming brave, a powerful and too-rare nuance which was part of why I loved her character so much. I also loved how Lilla feels the seemingly conflicting pressures to be 'girly' and smart/groundbreaking, and her struggle with what everyone seems to think is the 'right' way to be a girl. This story never feels preachy or contrived; instead, it paints a realistic portrait of the many layers of Lilla's life with compelling honesty. In addition to Lilla, the supporting characters, especially Vivi, Knox and Lilla's parents, were very realistic, and even when I didn't agree with them, I understood where they were coming from. I highly recommend Summer of Brave ​to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy thoughtful realistic fiction. ​

By Lina

​When thirteen-year-old Ava is surfing with her best friend Phoenix, nothing else matters. She can forget it all---her mother making her volunteer at the hospital she works at to gain experience in a career she doesn't want, the bullies at the beach who think a teenage Persian American doesn't belong on their shore, her father's mailed birthday present coming unsurprisingly late again, the nagging, neverending feeling that she doesn't belong. It all fades away, replaced by sparkling waves and the one person who makes her feel at home, who she can count on to trade mixtapes and surfing tips with, and who encourages her love of singing. Laughing with her friends on the beach, singing, Rumi's poems--they remind her that she, too, has a place in this world. 

When Phoenix's lymphoma resurfaces, Ava must draw on every bit of resilience and hope within her to help him fight for survival. It feels like everything is falling apart--but as she and Phoenix have always reminded each other, surfboards ready, poised for the next wave: if you don't take the drop, you miss the ride. 

Eloquent, heart-wrenching, and tender, Wave is a standout for several reasons. Firstly, Ava is a believable, multilayered protagonist; despite differing ages, decades, and interests, her insecurities and victories ring piercingly true to me as she grapples with the tension between her own vision for her life and future and those which others push her toward. The characters are deftly drawn and distinct, and the relationships between them truly make Wave shine; the connection Ava develops with an elderly, poetry-loving patient is particularly touching, while her bond with Phoenix centers and grounds the story---just as it does Ava herself. I've never surfed (personally, I think it sounds terrifying!), but Farid's exquisite free verse turns the ocean into a friend, a sparkling world so beautiful that I found myself rereading passages again and again, and feeling the sea to be a home, just as it is to Ava. And the story's moving, lyrical exploration of grief and healing mark it as a modern Bridge to Terabithia, one perfect for book groups and discussions. In a word: gorgeous. I would highly recommend Wave to readers ages eleven and up.

​By Ella

Scarlett McCain might go by a different name for every bank she robs, but it's no accident that whether Jane Oakley, Jenny Blackwood, or some other name entirely is plastered across the papers, the red-haired outlaw never ends up behind bars. Whether she's sneaking in under the cover of dark or walking brazenly into the bank manager's office in broad daylight, Scarlett always has a plan, and she's quick enough on her feet that if that doesn't work out, well, she'll just think up a new one. Sure, it's not always easy, but challenges make life more interesting, and everyone besides Scarlett is too afraid of the Wilds that surround the handful of Surviving Towns that she never gets pursued very far.

That is, not until now, when she picks up an optimistic, oblivious boy named Albert Browne from the ruins of a bus crash. Scarlett isn't one for sentimentality--she's survived this long by working alone and moving fast--but she grudgingly agrees to guide Albert to the nearest town.

But what she expected to just be a brief few days before heading out on her next job turn into much more when they're pursued deep into the Wilds after her latest job, and not by the usual unmotivated pack of guards and dogs that she'd expect from the bank she'd robbed. No, these are hardcore, trained hunters who are more than a match even for Scarlett's wit and inginuity. And as they race to outrun their pursuers and the things they aren't telling each other, Scarlett begins to ask herself: what if they aren't looking for her, after all? What if, instead, they're looking for...Albert?

Set in a futuristic, fractured version of modern Britain, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is an action-packed, remarkable, and funny story which I absolutely loved. If the opening sentences aren't enough to pull you in, the first chapter surely will; Jonathan Stroud (also the author of the excellent fantasy novel The Amulet of Samarkand, among others) makes Scarlett so improbably relatable and funny, and her narrative so perfectly poised and unique, that I found this book quite simply irresistible. Scarlett and Albert are in many ways polar opposites--Scarlett alert, driven, and sarcastic, and Albert dreamy, hopeful, and oblivious--and so they bounce off each other in a way which feels gratifying and authentic in every possible way, in addition to being absolutely hilarious. When written down, neither of their personalities seem so revolutionary, but the way Stroud pulls them off is, and at no point did my interest lag with them driving the story. The mix of clever twists, action, adventure, and the unusual details of the settings together make the story move quickly and completely absorb the reader, and it's carried wonderfully throughout the book. I highly recommend The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne to readers ages ten and up looking for an awesome and brilliant adventure story.

By Ella

The Arcanum Training Institute is the school for young Marvellers--magic-users from around the world whose power is encompassed in one of the five Paragons, or orders of magic. For centuries, Conjurers have been excluded from the Marveller world, their magic criticized and alienated. But now, Arcanum has opened its doors to Conjurers--and eleven-year-old Ella Durand will be the first to attend. 

Ella has long dreamed of attending Arcanum, and the school itself is all she's ever imagined--full of moving towers, odd enchantments, and delicious food. Even though not everyone is thrilled about Ella's presence at Arcanum, she slowly begins to find her place. But the school--and the Marveller world--has its own secrets, and when a dangerous criminal escapes from a Conjurer prison, it's up to Ella to clear both her name, and that of all Conjurers. 

The Marvellers is a layered, lovely fantasy novel full of strong characters and evocative worldbuilding. I particularly loved Ella and her two friends, Brigit and Jason, a trio who I'm thrilled to spend more time with later in the series! The whole book both embodies and puts a new twist on the classic magic school trope; even with the Marveller world's prejudice towards Conjurers, Arcanum feels like a place anyone could be part of. At the same time, the school has its own mysteries and hard-kept secrets, and its many layers cement it as a spectacular setting--one that is open and welcoming, but remains deeply and believably flawed. I highly recommend The Marvellers to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy magic schools, clever plots, and engrossing worldbuilding. 

By Lina

Xiomara. 1. One who is ready for war. 2. The name her mother gives her when she bursts into the world fighting so hard she has the whole barrio praying for her to survive labor. She'll swear she thought it was a saint's name. Always take her daughter to the church she lives for, tell her constantly to listen, be good, build her a cloister of accusations and arguments and punishments. Her daughter will question the church, question the men who run it, question her mother's stinging authority. And she will never be enough. Instead, she will become a fifteen-year-old girl catcalled for her curves, known for her fists and ferocity, hiding her vulnerability, hiding her exhaustion, because no one, no one else is ever going to protect her from a world that thinks it owns her. 

X. What Xiomara's secret more-than-friend from bio class calls her, warming her every time he says it, a sweet secret warmth laced with the fear of what will happen when Mami finds out and this relationship, dream, hidden grasp for freedom shatters into a million painful shards.

The Poet X. A dream. An impossibility. An escape. A girl scribbling frustrations and fears and fragments of ideas of who she really is and who she wants to be on the pages of a battered notebook when her mother isn't looking. A girl on a stage, speaking the words she hides at school, chokes down at home. A girl taking up space and speaking her truth--and loved for it. 

I absolutely adored The Poet X, a spare, piercing, perfectly balanced exploration of family, friendship, growing up and learning to live your truth when the whole world seems intent on holding you down. I'm constantly amazed by the depth that can be attained in free verse through so few words; Acevedo, a decorated slam poet, does so with ease. The characters are multilayered and deftly complex, and the family dynamics are especially well-executed, a tangle of anger and bitterness and silence made both heartwrenching and authentic by the threads of painful, complicated love embedded within it. Xiomara's voice is authentic and vibrant, and it's a true joy to watch her learn to love herself and take up the space she so wholeheartedly deserves as the story progresses. I would highly recommend The Poet X to readers ages thirteen and up, especially for discussion or book clubs. 

By Ella

Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris is the sequel to Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, and the second installment in the Theodosia series. 

[Look out--there are spoilers for the first book!]

After saving England from the sinister actions of the Serpents of Chaos, trouble has died down for Theodosia Throckmorton, daughter of the head curator of a London archaeology museum. Clearly, though, some peaceful time to catalog artifacts and remove some nasty lingering curses is too much to hope for, because after uncovering an artifact she is fairly certain is the legendary Staff of Osiris--imbued with the power to raise the dead--in the museum's basement, a small platoon of mummies appear in the foyer. The police are convinced her father stole them, but Theodosia believes they were summoned by the Staff of Osiris--and that the Serpents of Chaos are well aware of the mummies' unusual behavior. 

Determined to clear her family name, outwit the Serpents of Chaos, and avoid her grandmother's latest succession of prospective governesses, Theodosia sets out to solve this latest mystery before the Serpents of Chaos succeed in their latest plan--and use the Staff of Osiris for something far more sinister than moving the dead. 

Once more, Theodosia Throckmorton does not disappoint. Somewhat like a fantasy version of Flavia de Luce, she manages to be witty, sharp, and indisputably an eleven-year-old in the best possible way, making this series constantly surprising, unexpected, and brilliantly clever. Combining fantasy, mystery, historical fiction, and ancient Egyptian archaeology, Theodosia has a bit of everything, and it's all pulled off brilliantly well. I highly recommend Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris and the Theodosia series to readers ages ten and up who enjoy mysteries and fantasy novels. 

By Ella

At the Black Moon Ceremony each year, every twelve-year-old Witchling in the Twelve Towns is chosen for a Coven. Seven Salazar has dreamed her entire life of being placed in Hyacinth House alongside her best friend, Poppy, where they would race toads together and learn new magic and never again have to deal with her relentless bully, Valley Pepperhorn. Only all Seven's plans don't work out, because at the Black Moon Ceremony, she isn't chosen for Hyacinth House--or any other coven. Seven, Valley, and a Witchling named Thorn are left as Spares, covenless and magicless, the worst possible fate. 

Determined not to lose her future so easily, Seven invokes the Impossible Task. If she and her fellow Spares succeed and fell a monstrous Nightbeast, they'll keep their magic and be sealed as a proper coven. If not? They'll be turned into toads. 

Seven is less than thrilled to be forced to work with Valley, but she doesn't have much of a choice if she wants to complete the Impossible Task. Especially since as she, Valley, and Thorn learn more about the Nightbeast and try to track it down, they discover that another witch is hiding it. And maybe some even more dangerous secrets, too...

Witchlings is a light, funny, and fast-paced fantasy novel that could appeal to fans of the quirkiness and strong characters of The Last Fallen Star, Strangeworlds Travel Agency, and Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch. Ortega's characters are spot-on, full of personality and layered relationships that make them feel both developed and extremely real. Seven, Thorn, and Valley stick out in particular--the ways they connect and bounce off each other make them fun to read about and utterly relatable. I also love the world of Witchlings, which is full of interesting and unique details that together create a setting that seems to extend well past the boundaries of the story. I recommend Witchlings to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy quest fantasy with a fresh twist.  

​By Ella

Every magical school needs a good beastkeeper--and Inglenook School of Magic is no exception. Twelve-year-old Autumn Malog's family has cared for Inglenook's beasts for generations, and she's grown up looking after dragons protecting their well-cared-for gardens and striking up a friendship with the boggart, one of Inglenook's most mysterious and temperamental creatures. But ever since her twin brother, Winter, went missing last year, everything has been different. Everyone else believes he's dead, devoured long ago by the ferocious Hollow Dragon, but Autumn has never been convinced. She's certain he's alive somewhere, and she's spent every moment since trying to figure out what really happened to him. And she's sure she saw him in one of Inglenook's mirrors...

Autumn doesn't have any real clues, though--not until Cai Morrigan, the Inglenook student prophecized to defeat the Hollow Dragon, agrees to help her find Winter. But nothing is as it seems, and as Autumn and Cai follow a trail of clues leading from the Hollow Dragon's forest to within the walls of Inglenook School, they must also uncover its far deeper secrets before it is too late--for Winter, and for all of them. 

The School Between Winter and Fairyland is a fast-paced fantasy novel that puts a new twist on the classic tale of the Chosen One. The worldbuilding is excellent, full of small details--like the gardening dragons--that make the setting unique and interesting. I particularly liked the different creatures that Autumn's family cares for, which are all drawn from various mythology but with a new spin on their characteristics and personalities. The characters are also excellent, particularly Cai--I've read a lot of stories with Chosen Ones, but Fawcett's twist on this trope is different in the best possible way! I recommend The School Between Winter and Fairyland to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy books about magic schools. 

​By Ella

Zoe Washington is sure her twelfth birthday will be her favorite so far. After all, she's gotten a party at a local bakery, and since Zoe loves baking--she dreams of being a contestant on Kids Bake Challenge!--it's just about the best thing she could have hoped for. But then she gets a letter from her birth dad, Marcus, in the mail. 

Marcus has been in prison for years. Zoe has never heard from him before, let alone met him. But he sounds nice. Caring. And he says he didn't even commit the crime he's in prison for. 

Zoe doesn't think such a thing is possible, and she doesn't have anyone she can really ask, not when her mom would be furious if she knew she was writing to Marcus. So she tries to focus instead on a bakery internship, avoiding her ex-best friend...and hiding her letters to Marcus from her mom. Because she can't stop writing to him, not when she might be able to figure out if Marcus is really innocent. 

And if he is--can she help clear his name? 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington is a thoughtful and realistic story. The plotline of incarceration feels nuanced and developed, not shying away from it but also never leaving solid middle-grade territory or feeling preachy. Zoe is much more than the protagonists in some middle-grade novels, created solely to illustrate a theme or issue; she has her own preferences, interests, and personality, and feels as though she has a whole life outside of the pages of this book, which I really appreciated. I recommend From the Desk of Zoe Washington to readers ages ten and up looking for an realistic, well-written, and compelling story.