A perfect summer read: if a spine-chilling and hilarious YA mystery set at a summer camp is your thing!

After solving the cold case of the century at Ellingham Academy (told in the Truly Devious trilogy), Stevie Bell heads to Sunny Pines, formerly known as Camp Wonder Falls. Four teenage friends, counselors at the camp, were brutally murdered (slasher-movie style) in the woods there in 1978, which feels like both ancient history and recent memory in this small town where residents tend to linger. With a little help from her friends — precious, hilarious, writer-blocked Nate and organized, arts-and-crafty, truth-telling Janelle — Stevie tries to work the case while not ticking off the camp director, further traumatizing or taking advantage of the community, or falling victim to classic horror movie tropes.

If you loved the Truly Devious trilogy, you'll definitely want to read this standalone spin-off. If you want a summertime adventure with Stevie Bell and her friends (yes, David makes the cut in a fairly redemptive visit), you can enjoy this one without reading the previous three.

Topics, tropes and themes (beware spoilers): murder, death, personal and community grief, small town life, community narratives, summer camp, historical oppression of LGBTQ people, media/police/investigative responsibilities, corruption, tech-bro culture, war crimes, anxiety, friends, relationships, classic whodunit monologue

Content notes: slasher-style murder in the woods, death (motorcycle accident, hit-and-run bicycle accident, lakeside accident, off-screen drowning), gun violence, near drowning, broken arm, hospital scene, underage marijuana use, managed anxiety, off-screen historical oppression of LGBTQ people, off-screen sex

My thanks to HarperCollins' Katherine Tegen Books for a digital ARC!

A cozy, heartwarming book about a village library fighting to stay open, a woman struggling with years' of grief, and a community of people, each more than they appear, coming together to offer support for the library and each other. Also: a voracious reader hates every book she reads, an old school chum may want to get chummy, an ill-tempered cat is ill-tempered, and a wheel of brie takes down three (they deserve it). Perfect for fans of The Authenticity Project!

Brimming with library love and book references, The Last Chance Library follows June Jones, Chalcot's assistant librarian, as the cocoon of safety she's been living in since her mom's death is threatened by an impending vote to close area libraries. An eccentric group of library patrons refuse to let their beloved village library close without a fight. Which is fine with June, except she can't help them. She just can't. She isn't a strong and vibrant leader like her mom — she can't even bear to lead story time at the library — and her hands are tied in other ways as well. But perhaps she could secretly help by investigating what may be troubling motives behind the closure? WWMD? What would Matilda do?

With a touch of mystery, a touch of romance, and an endearing cast of characters, this is a sweet story with flashes of creativity and humor that make it easily forgiven for its ultimate predictability.

Topics, tropes and themes: community, community resources, libraries, books, reading, grief, social safety net, corporate and community development, corruption, depression, self image, family, friends
Content notes: death of a parent, death of a friend, cancer, family estrangement, alcoholism, squatting/houselessness, fear of public speaking, anxiety attacks, social awkwardness, snobbish bullying and unkindness

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for a digital ARC.

What a trip! It's been quite a while since I've read or watched anything X-Men related and this was a great reentry, reminding me how much fun these characters can be.

A young adult mutant is coming into her powers. A vaguely French and very arrogant super-soldier/thief is coming to grips with loss of power and identity. Sentient tech is continuing to evolve. And they're all converging at the Xavier Institute in this adventurous and touching heist story with themes of second chances, found families, self-discovery, and the choices that define us.

Both fast-paced and thoughtful, this is well-written superhero fun.

Topics, tropes and themes: loss, change, second chances, grief and mourning, found family and friendship, identity, self-discovery, self-acceptance, cloning, nanotech, sentience, LGBTQ, art heist, psychometry, telepathy, culture, communication
Content notes: death of a parent, fantasy violence and healing

My thanks to NetGalley and Aconyte for a digital ARC.