Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Miryem’s father is a moneylender, and he’s hopeless at it. When Miryem’s mother falls ill and it looks like the family won’t survive the winter, Miryem examines her father’s account books and marches to the homes of the neighbors who have borrowed money with no intention of returning it. On that day, she becomes the moneylender in her village. She finds she’s very good at it, too, and at trading the goods that she sometimes gets as payment. In fact, after a particularly successful transaction, she jokes about turning silver into gold... and something hears her. When a purse of elvish silver appears, Miryem must find a way to change it to gold — but if she does, what will happen then?

Oh, so good. This book hit all the right notes with me. Intricate plot, great characters, delicious writing, with fairy-tale connections and an Eastern European flavor. Probably my favorite book so far this year. If you like fantasy, get this book and read it!

Also, that last line? Perfection.

(Reviewed from a copy  borrowed through my library system.)

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows

A madcap riff on Jane Eyre, involving a ghost hunting society and the Brontë siblings as characters in the story. If you're a Jane Eyre purist, you won't enjoy this, but if you approach it as a completely different story that borrows some character and place names, it's a fun romp. I listened to the audiobook, and it was mostly good, but there were a couple of places where I felt the narrator emphasized the wrong word in the sentence, which hindered comprehension. Still, overall, enjoyable.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Noteworthy by Riley Redgate

Despite her full-ride scholarship to a prestigious fine-arts high school, Jordan is not getting cast in any productions. Between her height, her Chinese-American features, and her Alto 2 vocal range, there just aren't parts suitable for her. Maybe her parents are right, and she should move back home.  Then, she sees the audition notice: the school's most prestigious a cappella group, the Sharpshooters, has one open slot.  Jordan decides to take her shot, but there's just one problem: the Sharpshooters is an all-male ensemble. Can Jordan pass as a guy and make it into the group?  What will happen when she's found out?

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Great character development, great details about music and singing, great discussion of masculinity and femininity.  I would have liked to see a little more of Jordan when she wasn't in disguise; I felt like that had to be a larger portion of her life than the book showed -- but all in all, really fun.  If you like realistic YA, and especially if you have an interest in a cappella, give this one a try!

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus -- A nerd, a jock, a homecoming princess, and a juvenile delinquent walk into detention. Their fifth companion is Simon, sole proprietor of the school's notorious gossip app. Fifteen minutes later, Simon is dead. The circumstances are suspicious: all of the students were busted by a strict teacher for having phones in their bag -- but the phones he confiscated weren't theirs. Simon died of anaphylactic shock due to his peanut allergy, and the emergency EpiPens were missing from the nurse's office. And a post is queued up on Simon's app that reveals the darkest secrets of the other four students in the room. Was one of them willing to kill to keep that information from being revealed?

I found this mystery tightly plotted, with great characters and a compelling mystery. I felt like the bit after the climax dragged ever so slightly, but up until then the pacing was great. The four different audiobook narrators did a great job, and the shift from one voice to another may have helped keep my attention strong. Four is a good number of different perspectives for this sort of book, especially since the author did a good job of sharing out information between the four. If you like YA mysteries, this is a strong one.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea by Lynne Rae Perkins

Jooles, Alix, and their parents go on vacation at the beach.

Did this book even have a plot? Not really. An average family goes on a beach vacation, they do inexpensive touristy things, they go home. I can see child readers who don’t mind a simple plot but want characters they can empathize with enjoying this book, especially if those readers are dreaming of a beach vacation. But I kept waiting for some sort of driving plot line, and there just isn’t one here. Pleasant enough, but meandering.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Charlie is determined that the weekend of her older sister’s wedding is going to be perfect — but it seems that everything that can possibly go wrong, is going wrong.

This was a fun read, though I would not recommend it to anyone who might be involved in planning or participating in a wedding in the near future! I never completely connected with the characters, but that might just be me. (I also found the string of disasters more anxiety-inducing than entertaining, but I’m pretty sure that’s just me.) If you like light, realistic YA (and aren’t planning a wedding any time soon!), you might want to take a look at this one.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

When Zelie was a child, magic went away. Then came the Raid, when the soldiers killed all of the adult magic users, including Zelie’s mother. Children like Zelie, who had not yet come into their powers, were allowed to live, albeit as second-class citizens, since they would now never develop magic powers. But what if there was a way to bring magic back?

There’s so much good stuff going on in this book. The world building is terrific, unlike anything you’ve read. The magic system is strong, though less unique (elemental magic), and the characters are well-written and distinctive. I felt like the quest dragged on in a few places, and at one point I thought the characters made a poor decision that was out of the normal for them. There’s also one character, Inan, who does a lot of flip-flopping even though he isn’t written as weak or indecisive. However, on the whole, I enjoyed this very much. Recommended to readers of fantasy.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

At the beginning of her freshman year of college, Penny meets Sam through a mutual acquaintance. Perhaps things would have ended there, except that a few days later she helps Sam through a severe panic attack -- something that she, herself, has experienced. They exchange phone numbers and jokingly agree to be each other's "emergency contact." Their relationship develops entirely through text messages for several weeks -- but can it survive the various circumstances each faces in real life?

These characters are really endearing. I think Rainbow Rowell said it best when she blurbed it -- you just want to send them a care package! The plot meanders a little, and I got a little irritated with Penny's treatment of her mother. I also found the ending a little abrupt, albeit satisfying, though one plot point never got wrapped up in a satisfying way. If you're into realistic YA books, this one is worth checking out.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey

Lady Imogene Chively is kind of dreading the upcoming house party, to be honest: her lone suitor from her recent London season is coming, and though he is a pleasant young man and a good match, her shy personality means entertaining any company can be a bit of a chore. Fortunately, her bubbly friend Emily will also be on hand. Ernest Steeple, the aforementioned suitor, does arrive, as does his brother Ben. Over the course of that house party and the ones that follow, Imogene slowly realizes that she is not in love with Ernest — but she may be falling in love with Ben! Worse, a chain of seemingly accidental misfortunes have befallen Ben. Is someone trying to get him out of the way?

I found this Regency romance thoroughly enjoyable. The pacing was a bit leisurely, but the characters were so nicely drawn and the plot so interesting that I didn’t mind taking my time with it. I listened to the audiobook, which only added to my enjoyment. Recommended to Regency fans, and I’ll be seeking out more books by this author.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

Livy doesn’t remember anything from the last time she visited her grandmother in Australia — especially the weird green creature (chicken? zombie?) waiting for her in the bedroom closet. His name is Bob, and they were best friends when she was five. But what kind of creature is Bob, and where does he belong?

Ahh, this was so sweet! I loved the characters, especially Bob. Readers of middle-grade fantasy will enjoy this book.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Twinkle Mehra wants to be a filmmaker, but her ventures thus far have been limited. When Sahil Roy, aspiring film critic, suggests that she direct a film for her school's Midsummer festival, she agrees: not only will this give her a chance to develop her art, but maybe it will bring her closer to Sahil's crush-worthy twin brother Neil. As they work on the project together, Twinkle can't deny that she has feelings for Sahil -- but Neil could be her ticket into the popular clique at school, and that's a dream she's not quite ready to give up -- especially since she's been getting secret admirer emails from someone who signs his name "N." When Twinkle starts power-tripping and her world begins to fall apart as a result, will she be able to pick up the pieces and learn from her mistakes?

I enjoyed this book even more than When Dimple Met Rishi. Sahil is adorkably sweet and almost too perfect. Twinkle goes through a slightly over-the-top bout of self-centered nastiness in the middle of the book, but pulls out of it in a way that redeemed the character for me. If you like lighthearted realistic YA books, I'd recommend this one.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

The Trials of Apollo: The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

Apollo, forced by Zeus' wrath to survive as a mortal teenager, is not having a great time. His quest to find the five missing Oracles is proving more difficult than he could have expected. Not only is he feeling the lack of his godly powers, but he's also dealing with the confusing emotional connections he's making in the mortal world. Now, he and his friends are facing down their biggest challenge yet: a sadistic emperor, an angry Titan, a reincarnated sorceress, and a portion of the Labyrinth corrupted with polluted flames that are slowly turning the western landscape into a wasteland. Some friends are on hand to help, but the costs will be high.

A friend asked me if this was just more of Riordan's usual monster-fighting shtick, but I didn't get that more-of-the-same feel from this book. He's doing some interesting stuff here with Apollo's character development. I mean, there are definitely still monsters and snark, but I'm not bored with this series yet. (Also, I was right about the identity of the third emperor.) Fans will read this, of course -- and if Riordan lost you somewhere along the way, you might pick up the first in this series and see if he can win you back.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Penderwicks at Last by Jeanne Birdsall

Lydia, youngest of the Penderwick siblings, is eleven years old, and terribly excited: for a special family event, the whole Penderwick family will be revisiting Arundel, a place that Lydia finds as magical and mystical as Camelot or Narnia. All her life, she's heard the family stories about the summer vacation where her four older sisters met Jeffrey and his awful mother, Mrs. Tifton. Now, she will actually see Arundel with her own eyes. What adventures await?

This is the last Penderwick book, which is bittersweet indeed -- but the story itself is as light and airy as the first, full of delightful new characters to love as well as appearances by many old favorites. It's a fitting end to the series, wrapping it all up in the same place it started. I was satisfied with the way the relationships among the older characters resolved, though I imagine that some readers will quibble. If you have read and loved the other books in this series, you will not want to miss this one.

(Reviewed from my personally purchased copy.)

Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli

It’s spring of senior year. Everybody is talking about prom, and college, and Leah is feeling just a little out of step with her friends. Sure, she’s going to college, but she’s going to state school where she got a scholarship, rather than taking her pick of private schools up and down the east coast. As for prom, well, who knows? But the biggest issue is the secret she’s never told any of them, not even her best friend Simon...

I spent this whole book hating Leah, then loving her, then hating her, then loving her again. And laughing, because Albertalli’s writing is simply hilarious, even in the midst of the record-breaking amounts of drama Leah and her friends were generating.

Since this book is a proper sequel to Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, I highly recommend reading that book first (and not just watching the movie; honestly, and you call yourself a book lover?). A few of the characters from The Upside of Unrequited get mentioned, but not so much that you will feel like you’re missing anything if you skipped that one (though I do not recommend that course of action). This is such a fun book!

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

Mona, Rush, Randy, and Oliver Melendy live in New York City with their father and a housekeeper. The city is full of sights to see and great experiences, especially for children who dream of becoming dancers, actors, and musicians, but it’s also a bit expensive when you only get an allowance of fifty cents a week. One rainy Saturday, Randy gets the idea of pooling their resources: each Saturday, one of the four will get all of the allowances, resulting in a sum that, in the 1940s, is enough for a ticket to the opera or ballet, and various other adventures besides. Along the way, they also discover that the most enjoyable experiences are sometimes serendipitous (and free), and they make many new friends on their adventures.

This was lovely! I don’t know how I missed these charming stories until now. I ran across a mention of them in comparison to The Penderwicks, which is certainly apt. I’d also recommend them to fans of E. Nesbit, Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family, and Noel Streatfeild. I wish I could go back and recommend them to my childhood self!

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Bume

Margaret has just moved to a new town and is about to start sixth grade. She’s very concerned about when she will start developing a figure, as are her new-found friends. Though her parents have raised her without religion, she has always carried on private conversations with God. She decides to make religion a project for the year, but she doesn’t feel an immediate connection with any of the experiences she tries. How will the project turn out? And will she ever start her period?

I came across a mention of this book in another book I was reading, and realized that I hadn’t read it since my own adolescence. It stands up well to the test of time, since so much of it is about Margaret’s emotional life and the big questions she has about religion and growing up. I feel that this book deserves its classic status.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Nine-year-old Vera is excited about attending Russian camp. She’s always felt a little out of place among her friends, and hopes that a few weeks around other people of Russian heritage will help. Plus, she’s heard some great camp stories: bonfires and s’mores, hiking, ghost stories, swimming in the lake... Unfortunately, nobody told her about the bugs, and let’s not even talk about the latrines! Plus, she ends up in a tent with two mean older girls. One thing’s for sure: Vera’s not prepared for this experience!

Loosely based on Brosgol’s own childhood summer camping experience, this is a delightful read. Brosgol highlights both the fun parts of summer camp and the miserable ones, so whether you love camping or abhor it, you’ll be able to empathize! Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys this type of graphic novel.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

It’s winter break, and Marin is alone in her college dorm. Alone, because her only relative, Gramps, died a few weeks before the semester began. On the day he died, Marin discovered something that made her question everything about her life with Gramps. Now, her best friend Mabel is on her way to visit, and Marin will finally face the events of the past summer: what happened with Mabel, what she learned about Gramps, and why she reacted the way she did on that terrible night.

This is a spare but deeply emotional read. It circles from the present to the past and back, drawing the reader gently but inexorably into Marin’s story. Though not heavy on plot, it’s a compelling read. It deals with heavy issues in a way that is ultimately comforting. If this description appeals to you, you will probably love this book. I think it’s the sort of story that will stay with me for a long time.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

All Summer Long by Hope Larson

When Bina’s best friend Austin goes away to soccer camp, she strikes up a friendship with his older sister Charlie, sort of. Or is Charlie just using Bina because there’s nobody else around? And why is Austin not answering her texts?

This is an awesome feel-good story, which is unusual for this sort of adolescent angst storyline. To some, it might seem that it wraps up too neatly, but I think it will be super reassuring to kids going through the sorts of issues Bina is facing. Recommended to fans of graphic novels like Awkward, Drama, and Roller Girl.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Aventurine is a headstrong young dragon who doesn't understand why she should have to stay in the family cave for another 30 years waiting for her scales and wings to grow strong. When she sneaks out one day in search of a little adventure, she gets more than she bargained for: a food mage gives her a cup of hot chocolate that turns her into a human girl. Being a human makes her feel both frightened and angry, but on the other hand, she has discovered her passion: chocolate! Since she feels that she can't go back to her family in her new condition, she makes her way to a human city, and seeks out a chocolate house where she can learn more about her new obsession. Of course, it's not as easy as all that -- and what will happen when her family discovers that she is missing?

Guaranteed to make you crave chocolate in all its forms, this book is much more about chocolate than about dragons, though of course they do play a key role, and I'm guessing that they will feature more prominently in the sequel. This book wraps up the story without major cliffhangers, but there's definitely more to be discovered in Aventurine's world. Recommended to readers of middle grade fantasy.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

While showing off for some school friends (well, frenemies), Aru lights a lamp that releases an evil being and sets in motion the end of the world. Fortunately/unfortunately, Aru is one of five reincarnated heroes from Indian mythology. She, along with one of her heroic sisters and a sassy pigeon (don’t ask) must find their weapons and stop the Sleeper before he brings about the end of time. Oh, and they’ve only got nine days.

So, the idea here is that Riordan tackled some mythologies more familiar to Western culture (Graeco-Roman, Egyptian, Norse) in his humorous and fast-paced style, but is now bringing in #ownvoices authors to give similar treatment to myths from other parts of the world. In this case, it worked reasonably well, except that it felt like another author trying to write like Riordan — it felt branded, rather than a unique expression. As such, it also seemed just a little less funny, a little less sharp, than Riordan’s own books. I think kids will enjoy this series, and it’s great to see lesser-known stories sharing Riordan’s considerable spotlight. I’ll probably read on and see what happens to Aru when the other Pandavas show up. Recommended to those who have enjoyed Riordan’s many books and are looking for something similar.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

Starfish by Akemi Dawn Bowman

Kiko longs for a mother’s unconditional love and support: a mother who is interested in her life, encourages her in her art, and believes what she says about that bad thing that happened several years back. Unfortunately, that’s not the kind of mother Kiko has. Just as the situation at home is deteriorating, an old friend walks back into Kiko’s life — one who may serve as a catalyst for change in many ways.

Appropriately, for a book that is so much about artistic expression, the emotion of this book is the best part. Readers who enjoy realistic YA books about people from difficult circumstances growing and finding their place in the world are the perfect audience for this story.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

American Panda by Gloria Chao

It’s Mei’s first semester at MIT, and her parents are still trying to run her life. They want her to study hard, get good grades, get into med school, and marry a Taiwanese doctor (preferably a friend of the family). Problem is, Mei is germaphobic and doesn’t want to be a doctor — and she kind of has a crush on a boy who doesn’t meet her parents’ specifications.

I went into this thinking it would be a lighthearted romantic comedy, but found it more serious and less funny than expected. Mei’s romance does have some cute moments (though I’m a little bothered that she fell in love with practically the first guy she saw), but the story is much less about the romance, and much more about Mei’s relationship with her parents, and whether she can meet their expectations. It’s a good story, just not, you know, frothy. So, recommended — not as a romance, but as an examination of parental expectations and cultural norms.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Greta is training to be a blacksmith like her mother, but she discovers a new interest when she rescues a strange creature which she later learns is a tea dragon. These adorable but high-maintenance little beasts produce leaves and flowers that can be brewed into magical tea.

This brief graphic novel is short on plot, but makes up for it with lush illustrations, fascinating and diverse characters, and, of course, tea dragons — the cutest things ever! I want one.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman

Tess screwed up, big time. With her future in ruins, her family has given her two choices: stay with her twin sister and brother-in-law and eventually become governess to their children, or enter a convent. Fortunately, as a wise person Tess has yet to meet will say, there are never just two choices. The day before she must make her decision, Tess sets out on the road. As she travels, Tess will find adventure enough even for her restless heart.

I devoured this book in two days. Great plot, great characters, great pacing. I wasn’t sure how I would do with Tess, who isn’t very sympathetic early on, but even when I didn’t like her, I was invested in the story — and she gets some excellent character development as the story progresses.

While I think you will enjoy the book more if you’ve read the Seraphina duology, this book does stand on its own (though the setting is the same, and events of the previous two books are referenced). Either way, I recommend it!

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)