*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This book will have readers up until all hours of the night desperate to learn what happened to Rachel Price. 

Bel has grown up being the child of Rachel Price, the wife and mother who went missing 16 years ago. And now, at age 18, Bel is filming a documentary at her father's wishes to recount what life has been like since the disappearance. Bel feels that her life has settled into "normal" until one day, the unthinkable happens. Rachel Price reappears. With this reappearance comes chaos, lies, and blurred lines. Bel must decide who she can trust, which stories she can believe, and what she must do to get back to the normal life she craves so deeply. 

Holly Jackson does it again with another riveting and gripping YA novel that makes readers feel like they are a part of the mystery. I felt like I was reading the behind-the-scenes of a real true-crime mystery. There was drama, twists, turns, surprises, and jaw-dropping secrets.

Though parts of this story were predictable, I felt like I was still able to enjoy it because of the way I experienced it through Bel's perspective. Her emotions jumped off the page and allowed the reader to be fully immersed in what was happening. 

One flaw I would say this book holds is that it is long. Some scenes could have been a tad shorter and could have allowed this book to be less than the current almost 450 pages. Am I mad that I read almost 450 pages? No, not at all. I just think that it could have still been successful a bit shorter. 

I will 100% be recommending this book. 

Set in a near-future world, Vali and her brother are trying to find sanctuary in a nation run by a xenophobic government. While I do wish a bit more happened throughout this book, it is still a read that I would recommend to folks looking for a survival story with a dystopian government, Latinx leads, and a powerful message. 

Timely, this book is full of tragedy, emotion, and determination. Mendoza and Sher have created a powerful novel that will make readers question if they are reading science-fiction/dystopian or realistic fiction.

A unique magical fantasy that takes readers on a grueling adventure from a magic school, through the mountains, and back again. The character dynamics, though sometimes quirky, felt intentional to the plot and brought more than just a name to the page. 

The ending *insert shooked face* I will be likely to pick up book two shortly after its release. 

I really, really wanted to enjoy this book. The initial chapters started really strong and pulled me in by showing Paige waking up to find that her body is in survival mode, her family is dead, and there seems to be no one left alive but her and the neighbor's dog. 

After the initial scenes, however, things started to fall flat. I was eager to learn more about this flu-like pandemic that seemed to wipe out almost the entire population on Earth

and I was frustrated to learn that it was aliens who unleashed the disease on humans in an effort to take over Earth.

The romance took off much faster than I would expect in an end-of-the-world situation. The social commentary felt a bit forced. The characters didn't seem to really grow much after the first half of the book. 

The dog seemed cute!

This is definitely a summer YA thriller. It was full of drama, mystery, action-packed chases, and twists

though I have to say I am kind of over the twist of a "supernatural" "ancient spirit" being the killer without ample setup. I feel like every YA horror I have read this year with the exception of one has led me to the, "Oh look, an ancient evil spirit." I honestly was having a really nice time reading this book until the last, say 3/4 ish of the book when they discover that it is some evil spirit released from the bowels of the earth that is hunting them.

I do want to say that I appreciate the anxiety representation in this book. It felt authentic and took time to show readers that anxiety isn't always rational but the person impacted doesn't have control over that. I also appreciate the ways in which the author allowed Claire to reevaluate her friendships and explore what a healthy, supportive relationship looks like for her. 

What a lovely graphic memoir that shares a piece of the immigrant experience, explores cultural identities, and shares the power and magic of food. 

The artwork of this book beautifully supports the storytelling, and I love that each chapter is based around a specific food that sparks strong, impactful memories.  

A fine historical romance read with a local setting. I enjoyed the cast of characters, and, although it took me a little bit to sort out who was who with the audiobook, I did like the multiple POVs at each chapter change. It was fun to bounce between the four main characters and glimpse different aspects of their lives as the overarching plot moved forward. This was a fun and unique way to take a brief dive into a piece of African-American history that we don't often learn about. 

I appreciated the note at the end of the audiobook that shared more about the inspiration for this story. 

This is an important, impactful read. AND this is a heavy read. I would recommend this title for older YA readers. 

The Blood Years is another historical fiction novel that looks at a lesser-known piece of history from World War II in Romania as Elana K. Arnold shares the story of a family fighting to survive that is based on her grandmother's childhood. This book thoughtfully shows readers what life was like before the war and during the multiple invasions of Romania during WWII and the damaging waves that rocked the city of Czernowitz and the families within. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the Audiobook in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

A Tempest of Tea...What a fun journey!

I have just recently begun exploring fantasy worlds more, and I have to say, fantasy heist novels are some of the best! I couldn't help but fall in love with the unique, outcast crew that comes together to help save the self-made kingdom of Spindrift. The fantasy world was built in an understandable way that was exciting to read about and easy to imagine. 

I was truly fascinated by the tearoom-by-day-bloodhouse-by-night. I haven't read too many stories with vampires, but I feel like Hafsah Faizal incorporated them into this fantasy novel with ease, intention, and supernatural grace.

Each of the characters is unique and brings purpose to the plot and overall story. I adore the found family relationship between Arthie and Gin. Flick's spunk was fun and added a good dash of spice (as in seasoning) to the story. Laith is mysterious and has a kitten. And Mateo is full of surprises. I am eager to see where book two will lead this motley crew. 

I also really enjoyed listening to the author's discussion at the end!

This book will absolutely be a hit with readers who enjoy a dash of supernatural as well as those who are obsessed with Six of Crows and looking for another highly skilled outcast crew to attempt a heist on the highest of highs in their society. 

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This is a fun, adventurous yet cozy fantasy about a baker and bard who set off on a journey to find rare ingredients for a special bakery order. The Baker & the Bard gives the same vibes and energy as The Tea Dragon Society series and really any of K. O'Neill's work. It's beautifully queer and heartwarming. The illustrations are delicate with a soft color palette and rounded edges. 

A small wish I have for this book is that I wish the plot would have dove a bit deeper into our character's adventure. Having such a simplistic plot made it feel like it was jumping around at times, and I just really wanted to spend more time with the characters and their friends. 

This title definitely reads younger and would be suitable for middle school readers.