Witchlings is truly superb middle grades fantasy. The world creation was easy to jump into but detailed and grew as the book went on. I fell in love with our main character, Seven, a young witchling waiting to be placed in a coven. 

Unfortunately Seven is not selected for a coven and becomes a “spare,” so get magic will be forever limited. Unsatisfied with this future, Seven decides to request the impossible task. It has only been requested three times in the last 500 years. Along with two other spares, Seven begins a journey to defeat the Nightbeast. 

This book is absolutely wonderful, I hope this series well continue. If you are looking for a substitute for HP and she who shall not be named, this might be it. There is a big emphasis on equality and defying gender roles and such positive messaging in this book, it will make parents and kids happy. 

After reading A Single Thread, I decided to try another book by Tracy Chevalier. At the Edge of the Orchard is a moving story and an excellent audiobook read by a full cast. 

This story begins with a tumultuous marriage and we hear the perspective of the husband and the wife. They move to the swamp of Ohio from the Northeast and as part of their land ownership requirements, they work tirelessly to grow fruit trees. The husband is obsessed with apples and particularly interested in a specific varietal his family has grown for generations. The saga of their marriage is only the beginning of this story; the later half of the book focuses on one of their sons and his experiences avoiding and making a family after growing up in such a violent home. 

The relationships in the second half of this book are touching and beautiful. I really didn’t see where this book was going for a bit, but I loved the journey. If you like a multigenerational novel and a story of adult children who face the impact of past trauma and build something better, this is one to try. 

The Chandler Legacies focuses on five teenagers at a boarding school in Connecticut in 1999. Ramin, Freddy, Amanda, Sarah, and Beth each have secrets at a school that is both full of secrets and where it is impossible to keep things under wraps. These four students have little in common until they are all picked for an exclusive writing club led by a revered teacher, The Circle. Together they explore their own secrets and the toxic school culture, battling their desires to protect themselves and to change the school for future generations. 

I thought the alternating perspectives were mostly very well done. Occasionally I thought one of the perspectives was hard to connect with emotionally compared to the others. Overall, this book was exceptional. It is an honest examination of what happens when we sweep danger and misbehavior under the rug. The author’s note made me love the story even more; it comes from genuine experiences and I hope it will be widely read. 

Do you want to have fun and have a super fast read? Do you have a young kid who will enjoy animal shenanigans? If any or all of these apply, give this series a try. 

This is a really emotional story about two young women who fall in love after traumatic pasts. While I did enjoy it, I had trouble feeling connected to the characters and much preferred the other book I have read by Nina LaCour, We Are Okay. 

I felt that this novel started strong, and then the middle was far too meandering. I did love the conclusion. I am sure that the hype around this book played into my experience; this falls into the underwhelmed category for me. 

Elle is our narrator through this
multigenerational saga. Last night she slept with her lifelong best friend, while her husband was with the rest of the families at dinner. Now we are learning about her family's past interspersed with details about how the present day is progressing. The book tells a
huge story of their complicated pasts and the pivotal story of the 24 hours following the affair.

I fell in love with these complicated, messy characters. I was initially confused by the many character names, and the constant changing of husbands and wives. Once the character list became more steady, I had no complaints at all. This book is a heartbreaker with a strong sense of setting.

Since this is not a new release, I won't spend more time recapping the plot. If you are up for a deeply emotional story of a woman feeling
torn in so many directions with lots of past trauma, this is one to pick up. It is a beautifully written debut.

Please check content warnings before deciding to read. 

Tomorrow ×3 is a wonderful, expansive and nonlinear story of two best friends, Sam and
Sadie. They meet as teens in a children's hospital. Unfortunately there is a falling out, but their lives continue to cross paths. In fact
they often end up working together on video games. I'm sure you've seen lots of posts about
this book and other people have said this, but you definitely don't have to love video games to fall in love with this story. However, if you are a child of the 80s or 90s, the video game nostalgia here is so good.

I loved the expansiveness of this story, the richness of each character. The way we were slowly shown the painful pasts, the way Zevin wove the characters back together after time apart, it was all gorgeous but also genuine. It
always felt true to the messiness of life and the flaws we all carry.
I simply loved it, and I hope you will read it if you like an emotional, layered, nonlinear story about the connections that define our lives.

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson was a moving, tense story of a teenage girl, Enchanted, who becomes ensnared with an older man who is a celebrity. His celebrity and a bit of charm lure Enchanted in as she desires a singing career. 

Soon the relationship goes from chaste and sweet (in her eyes) to manipulating and abusive. Much of the narrative focuses on the twisted relationship, but there is an element of mystery as well. 

This book will not leave you feeling happy and cheerful, but it is an important story about believing women and about avoiding toxic relationships. The mystery woven throughout and twisty ending were satisfying and helped break up the overwhelming feelings I got from the often intense dynamics between characters. 

I think this a very thoughtful and engaging novel, bringing to light important issues while still providing an entertaining experience. 

You Can’t Be Serious was an enjoyable celebrity memoir. Kal Penn begins with a few stories from childhood and then moves on to his early career and struggles landing roles when he was often put into a stereotyped box with limited roles. Next, Penn details how he got involved in the 2008 campaign for Obama. The remainder of the book is a detailed description of how he worked in the White House and what he accomplished during that time. 

Kal Penn doesn’t delve into super personal issues in this memoir, but he does share some of himself in a genuine way. It is clear as someone who has done work around personal boundaries that he has set boundaries for what he is willing to share with the public. If you are looking for a tell all, this is not it. However if you are interested in what it is to be a celebrity that decides to enter public service, this is a fascinating book. 

¡¡Manu!! was a random library checkout for me and I’m so glad I picked it up. Manu is a girl who has been raised by nuns at a school for magic. Manu is unpredictable and funny, and her magic is so powerful it surprises her often. Her best friend, Josephina often has to endure the judgment of the other girls for their friendship. 

The story centers around what happens when one of the girls loses their magic, including turning to black magic and involving a demon! The art style is an absolute delight as the story moves towards resolution. 

This is a refreshing and fun twist on a typical coming of age story. I flew through it and I think you might too.