There are plenty of content warnings for this one, but I’d like to specifically mention a CW for fatphobia. I wasn’t expecting it, and there are incidents a solid 4-6 times (at one point I had to start skimming to the end). This is also one of the most concerning depictions of health professionals I’ve ever seen, and I really hope teens reading this understand that there are actually decent rehabilitation centers and don’t get scared off from seeking help because of this book. The problems with the Center are not made nearly clear enough.

What I Loved:

While there are many things to love about THE LOST GIRL, my personal favorite is how Ursu captures the frustration of being a kid in an 'adult' world. There are so many times Iris and Lark try to talk to the adults in their lives (parents, teachers, etc.) and are quickly dismissed just because they are children. There were moments when I was practically shaking the book in anger because no one was taking them seriously. Young readers will find much to relate to in Iris and Lark, and I strongly recommend adults read this one too to remember what it was like at their age.

I also enjoyed how Iris and Lark have to learn to set boundaries with each other. As twins, they have done the majority of life activities together, and when that gets shaken, they have to face some problems in their relationship. It shows that no matter how much you love someone, you have to give them room to grow and make mistakes, even when you think you know what's best for them.

What Left Me Wanting More:

While I love the characters, the plot moves a bit slowly for my taste. The thread of magic throughout the novel also went from light to suddenly heavy at the very end, and I thought the build up could have been more progressive. However, I think readers who like more character-focused middle grade books won't mind either concern.

Final Verdict:

While I found the plot sometimes lacking, THE LOST GIRL is ultimately a fierce novel that explores the frustration of not being respected just because you're a kid, the importance of setting boundaries, and the power of sisterly love.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/23720-the-lost-girl

After reading Justina Ireland's YA, Dread Nation, which has a solid amount of scare, I was ecstatic to pick up her latest MG, Scream Site. There has been a micro-trend of horror MG lately, and this is absolutely up my alley.

Sabrina Sebastian dreams of being an investigative reporter and knows the right internship can help her become one. While she struggles to pick just the right story for her application, her best friend suggests she write about the Scream Site disappearances. Scream Site is a place people can post homemade scary videos, and the best, most successful videos could mean serious attention for the videographer and actors. When Sabrina looks through some of the most popular videos, she notices a few specific ones that seem just a little too real...and when the stars of those videos aren't heard from for days, eventually including her sister, she knows something dark is afoot.

While the biggest twists of the plot weren't as surprising as they could have been, the atmosphere makes this book a quick and exciting read. Even when I had strong guesses about what would happen next, the writing and characters, especially Sabrina, had me fully invested. Though Sabrina (understandably) scares easily, she is nonetheless brave and dedicated to finding her sister, making her easily relatable. I loved the depiction of her and Faith's relationship beyond the Scream Site as well. They used to be close, but they have drifted apart, and Sabrina doesn't quite understand why. I enjoyed their development immensely.

All in all, Scream Site is a fun thriller with heaps of heart.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfiction/23785-scream-site

Tiffany D. Jackson has knocked it out of the park yet again with LET ME HEAR A RHYME. When Steph is murdered, Jasmine,Steph's younger sister, and Quadir and Jarrell, Steph's best friends, are left in grief, not knowing what to do. Then, they decide to do the impossible: make Steph a legendary music artist with the tracks he left behind, all while making sure no one knows the artist behind the music is actually dead. As Steph's (known to everyone else as "The Architect") music grows in popularity, the three friends have to keep working harder and harder to keep his secret...and keep their own.

While all of Jackson's novels are unique, readers of ALLEGEDLY and MONDAY'S NOT COMING will recognize her gift for weaving layered mysteries with complex, engaging characters. Jasmine was my favorite this time around, but Quadir and Jarrell also have excellent story lines and development. The chapters switch between the three of them with an occasional flashback to Steph. Voice is one of Jackson's many strengths, and before long, I didn't need the name in the chapter title to tell whose perspective I was following.

One worry I sometimes have with YA books set in the 80s or 90s is the nostalgia factor. Sometimes, stories set in either decade feel more of a nostalgic journey for the author rather than a setting with a clear purpose. In this case, with its firm roots in a specific cultural movement, LET ME HEAR A RHYME could not be set in any other timeline and is intentional in every aspect of the setting. It is clearly written for a teen audience that did not grow up in the 90s and offers an excellent cultural representation of black teenhood in the 90s R&B era in Brooklyn. Many teens will find Jasmine's frustration over racism and sexism just as familiar in their own worlds now.

Ever since ALLEGEDLY, Jackson has been on my auto-buy authors list, and LET ME HEAR A RHYME proves once more how skilled her craft is.

Originally posted at YABC: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/23745-let-me-hear-a-rhyme