Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble

Meriano, Anna. A Dash of Trouble. Walden Pond Press, 2018.

Leonora's family owns a bakery, and leading up to Dia de los Muertos, they are extremely busy getting ready for the holiday. Leo is the youngest of five sisters, and she can't understand why she is sent to school instead of being allowed to stay home and help prepare for the event. When she sneaks out of school and returns to the bakery, she discovers that she is part of a long line of brujas, kitchen witches who can bake magic into their food. But her mother still thinks she's too young to begin learning magic, so Leo studies on her own, with disastrously hilarious results.

If you have watched and enjoyed the show Just Add Magic, this is the perfect series for you. Leo learns the consequences of trying things without proper instruction/experience, and as she adds more spells to undo the results of previous spells, things compile and become even more complicated. This is an adorable and precious story with lots of Spanish language and Latinx culture added to the mix. Recommended.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

The Pros of Cons

Cherry, Alison. The Pros of Cons. Point, 2018.

Phoebe is a drummer and is really looking forward to this year's percussion conference and competition with her high school percussion group. Vanessa is excited about WTFcon, because she's attending as a fanfic writer and gets to meet her girlfriend IRL for the first time. Callie assists her father in his taxidermy business, and she agreed to go to the taxidermy convention with him in the hopes of having some father-daughter bonding time. These three conventions are happening at the same convention center, and the protagonists meet and get up to all sorts of hijinks and shenanigans.

This book is unbelievably hilarious. I started reading for the queer content, but they had me hooked when the Snape impersonator ran through the building in grey undies, twirling his robe above his head and screaming about putting a dark mark on Orlando. Each of the main characters has her own personal drama to deal with, and they end up becoming friends and helping each other (and a little pageant queen named Beige, but I don't want to spoil things for you). The characters are fun and relatable, the humor is splashed across every page, and once again I have found a book that my spouse and I each read in one sitting because it's just that good. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: some language; discussion of sexual encounters; one main character is drunk at one point (she's possibly old enough to drink, but that isn't made clear)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Queens of Geek, Ship It, Tash Hearts Tolstoy

The House in Poplar Wood

Ormsbee, K.E. The House in Poplar Wood. Chronicle Books, 2018.

Lee and his mother live in one half of their house and together serve Memory. Felix and his father live in the other half of the house and together serve Death. Felix has no memories of his mother, while Lee has never met his father. The twins can interact outside of the house, but when they turn sixteen they, too, will be apprenticed to Death and Memory for the rest of their lives. But both are looking for a way to break the contract.

This is a delightfully spooky and eerie book, perfect for this time of year. The world the twins inhabit is similar to ours, but the differences, including the service to Death, Memory, and Passion, are well thought-out and explained throughout the story. The characters are well-rounded and likeable, so the choice for multiple narrators doesn't hold the typical problem of lack of distinct voices. There is plenty of humor and some intense action sequences, and the plot twists will keep readers turning pages to find out what happens. This book would make an excellent middle school read aloud at this time of year. Recommended.

Recommended for: tween
Red Flags: some intense action; one character dies off page
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Scythe; The Darkest Part of the Forest; Hold Me Closer, Necromancer

Peter & Ernesto: The Lost Sloths

Annable, Graham. Peter & Ernesto: The Lost Sloths. First Second, 2019.

Peter, Ernesto, and their friends lose their tree home in a hurricane, so they set out to find the perfect new tree.

This is an adorable graphic novel with simple text and plenty of humorous adventure, perfect for middle grade readers.

Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Wild Weather, Storms, Meteorology, and Climate.

Reed, M.K. Science Comics: Wild Weather: Storms, Meteorology, and Climate. First Second, 2019.

This nonfiction graphic novel presents information about climate change and meteorology, wrapped in the story of a meteorologist who is explaining climate change to his fellow newscasters. The information is presented in a very readable and interesting way, and the illustrations are an integral part of the overall story. The colorful illustrations will draw the eye of tween readers and may spark an interest in science and meteorology. Recommended.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Bob

Mass, Wendy. Bob. Feiwel and Friends, 2018.

Livy and her family visit her grandmother in Australia, and Livy finds a surprise in her closet. A small green creature wearing a chicken costume has been waiting for her since she left, but Livy can't remember anything about him. Together, Livy and Bob try to unravel the mystery of why he lived in her closet and waited for her return.

This is a sweet story with an adorable cast of characters. The brown tones in the illustrations match the focus on the Australian drought in this story, and the magical elements feature heavily throughout. The action and mystery throughout the story will keep readers turning pages until they reach the very satisfying ending. Recommended.

Recommended for: middle grade, fans of Ghibli movies
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

T. Rex Generations

Rechlin, Ted. T. Rex Generations. Rextooth Studios, 2018.

This follow up novel is a continuation of the story of Cobalt, a tyrannosaurus rex, who in this book raises a family. Although the names of the specific dinosaurs are obviously fictional, the facts about dinosaurs incorporated into the story are true. This is a fantastic way to introduce graphic novels to children who are interested in dinosaurs. The bright, colorful illustrations match the story well, and the text is easily readable and accessible to many readers. Recommended.

Recommended for: middle grade
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

The Girl with the Dragon Heart

Burgis, Stephanie. The Girl with the Dragon Heart. Bloomsbury, 2018.

Silke is trying to make the chocolate shop famous by telling the tales of how she and Aventurine (a dragon who has taken the form of a human girl but who can switch back to being a dragon at will) saved the day. Now the royal family want to use Silke as a spy! Will she be able to get them the information they need without revealing her secret (or Aventurine's)?

This is a perfect adventure story for middle grade and tween readers, particularly for those who are fans of Inkheart and similar fantasy adventure tales. There are enough details about the world Silke lives in to delight the hearts of fantasy fans, while the action will keep adventurous readers turning pages. This story would make a great read aloud for an upper elementary classroom.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Hephaistos: God of Fire

O'Connor, George. Hephaistos: God of Fire. First Second, 2019.

This eleventh installment in George O'Connor's Olympians series focuses on Hephaistos, with a side plot surrounding the story of Prometheus. Full-color illustrations draw the eye to the page, and the action-filled plot will have readers turning pages to discover what happens next. The end matter includes information about various titans and gods and other information regarding particular panels throughout the story.

The Olympians graphic novels are very easy to read and fairly short, but they provide an appropriate amount of backstory about each of the various gods and goddesses. I always make sure my library has one copy of each of the titles in this series as it circulates well. It is popular with fans of the Percy Jackson series but also with kids who simply enjoy mythology. I like that this title can tie in to the nonfiction section of the library as well and may lead kids to read books outside of their normal comfort zone. Recommended

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: "mild fantasy peril;" Hephaistos and Dionysus have a drinking party at one point and Hephaistos gets fairly drunk
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

The Transparency Tonic

Cole, Frank. The Transparency Tonic. Shadow Mountain, 2019.

Gordy is continuing his education as a dram at B.R.E.W., aided by his friends Max and Adilene. His family has moved into a new house, and there is a new principal at Gordy's school as well. The principal's daughter is a dram like Gordy, but Gordy thinks there's something odd about her and her family. Meanwhile, Gordy's grandfather, who has been exiled in a cave in the frozen north, has escaped and is pursuing means to make his escape permanent. Gordy may be the only potion master with the skills to stop his grandfather, but will he be able to make it in time?

This is a delightful adventure tale that fits right in with the first book in this series. The antics of Max will keep kids laughing, and the trio are reminiscent of Harry, Ron, and Hermione with their penchant for getting in trouble and the adventures they find themselves in. The action sequences carry this story and will have readers turning pages to find out what happens next. Give to fans of the Harry Potter series, the many Rick Riordan series, or the Iron Trial.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: some intense action and mild fantasy peril
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Bloom

Panetta, Kevin. Bloom. First Second, 2019.

Ari has just finished high school and is excited to move to the big city with his band and pursue his love of music, but his family is insisting that he stay home and help run the bakery in the hopes that they will not have to close it down. Ari finds Hector to replace him at the bakery. Hector is in culinary school and loves to bake, and Ari finds himself drawn to Hector. But what about the band and Ari's musical pursuits?

This is a lovely graphic novel love story that is perfect for teens still searching for their place in the world. Ari isn't sure what he wants to do with himself, but he is definitely sure he doesn't want to bake. Maybe. Probably. The blue palette used for the panels is appropriate for the wistful tone of most of the story and helps to keep the focus on the characters and their relationship. Ari's love for Hector is beautiful, especially considering that it happens organically in the tale and that this isn't a coming out story, but rather a love story where the two main characters are male. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

The Whispers

Howard, Greg. The Whispers. G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR, 2019.

Riley believes in the old tales of the Whispers, forest creatures who can grant wishes if you bring them tribute. He also thinks they know what happened to his mama and how he can take care of what he refers to as his "other problem," aka his crush on an older boy. But he's having difficulty convincing anyone else that the Whispers are real.

This is a whimsical story of a boy who still believes in miracles and fairy creatures, but who is also struggling with a family with a missing member and who hasn't yet come out to anyone and is relentlessly teased. This mashup of contemporary fiction and fantasy makes for a few awkwardly written transitions between the two, and Riley's inner monologue doesn't always read true for a junior high student. Nonetheless, the fantasy element will draw readers in, particularly those who have enjoyed fairy tales in the past.

Recommended for: tweens
Red Flags: some homophobic commentary from Riley's classmates
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Edelweiss for the purpose of review.

Kiss Number 8

Venable, Colleen AF. Kiss Number 8. First Second, 2019.

Amanda's first seven experiences with kissing haven't sold her on it being a wonderful idea, but her friends seem obsessed with it, and she is determined to find out what's so exciting about it. Her eighth kiss involves another girl and sets in motion the possibility that maybe she likes girls and not boys and maybe that's why kissing hasn't worked for her so far. Her family is holding back some secrets as well, and Amanda is determined to get to the bottom of that just as she is set on hiding her newfound crush from her family.

This is a fairly typical coming-out style story, with appropriate characterization for Amanda's teenage friends. LGBTQ+ representation is very important in all aspects of literature, including graphic novels, so I would readily purchase this book for my library's shelves, although I am not certain that it would circulate well.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: language, underage drug and alcohol use
Overall Rating: 3/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Toxic

Kang, Lydia. Toxic. Entangled Teen, 2018.

Hana has been hidden on a bioship her entire life. She is not allowed to leave her room, which her mother arranged to have hidden even from the ship's map. No one really knows she's there. But her ship is dying, and when a crew comes aboard to observe the slow death of the ship, Hana decides she wants to live.

This is a good book for fans of Across the Universe or other epic science fiction stories that focus more on the characters and their relationships than on the exploration or science aspects. It would also be easy to recommend this book to teens who enjoy John Green's stories, because these may have a different setting, but the plot is still quite similar.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Crush

Chmakova, Svetlana. Crush. JY, 2018.

Following up where Awkward and Brave left off, Crush follows Jorge, a quiet guy who is known as the sheriff in school because he uses his size to help others. He has a crush on a friend but doesn't know how to tell her. Will he be able to ask her out to the school dance? And how will his other friends react?

There's a lot to like in this continuation of the series: tons of diversity in the student body and staff at the school, good life lessons, plenty of teen drama. The brightly colored illustrations match the overall happy and hopeful tone of the story. This book is sure to be popular with graphic novel fans. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens and tweens
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Five Feet Apart

Lippincott, Rachael. Five Feet Apart. Simon Schuster BYR, 2018.

Stella is in the hospital hoping for a lung transplant that will extend her lifespan, which has been shortened by her cystic fibrosis. She is creating an app for people with chronic conditions, to help them manage their medications and other treatments. Will, on the other hand, is fed up with treatments, hospitals, and the way his mom brings him from location to location to try every new experimental treatment in the hope that someone will cure him. As they both have CF, they are never supposed to be closer than six feet apart. Stella's organization clashes with Will's rule-breaking until they discover they are perfect for each other.

If you enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars or other books about teens with life-threatening illnesses, this is the perfect book for you. Stella's and Will's personality clashes are hilariously entertaining as the reader gets to watch each of them frustrate and be frustrated by the other one. The storyline is a pretty typical one for this type of story: boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love but can't be together, boy and girl make unwise choices because LOVE, etc. etc.

This book wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, but I can definitely see it being popular with teens in the library, especially as the movie is slated to come out at the same time as the book. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: some language
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Everything, Everything; The Fault in Our Stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Gone Rogue

Meyer, Marissa. Gone Rogue. Feiwel & Friends, 2018.

Iko is trying to find Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a gang of genetically engineered wolf hybrids who are demanding that Queen Linh Cinder restore them to their pre-engineered state. They are threatening war if their demands are not heard. Meanwhile, Linh Cinder has decided to abdicate the throne and turn the ruling of Luna over to a leader who will be voted into office. Things come to a head when Cinder visits Earth and the wolf hybrids make their demands in a more public manner.

This is a fantastic graphic novel that falls right in line with the previous installment and ties in nicely with the Lunar Chronicles novel series. It is possible to read this book and enjoy it without having read the Lunar Chronicles, but it's even better if one has read that series and knows the back stories of each of the characters. The steel-toned pages are perfect for this science fiction tale, and there are plenty of perfect subplots (Iko being judged for being an android, for example) that are easily interwoven into the overarching plot. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: violence
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Spill Zone by Scott Westerfeld, The Sand Warrior by Mark Siegel, Plutona by Jeff Lemire

Girl Made of Stars

TW: discussions of rape and childhood sexual assault

Blake, Ashley Herring. Girl Made of Stars. HMH BYR, 2018.

Mara and Owen are twins, and Mara is also close friends with Hannah, Owen's girlfriend. So when Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara isn't sure what to do. She doesn't know whom to believe and isn't sure how to react, and it's bringing up memories she had tried to quash.

As a childhood assault survivor, I nearly didn't read this book, not because I didn't think it would be well-written or well handled, but because I wasn't sure if it would be triggering. Mara was assaulted at the end of eighth grade by one of her teachers, and she doesn't tell anyone about it, and then her brother is accused of rape and her family is all rallying around him and her school is rallying around him and no one is standing up for Hannah, and Mara ends up in a sort of tailspin. This is a good book, and a realistic book, in that Owen is never actually brought to trial or formally charged or given any sort of punishment for what he did, and in fact his family doesn't really acknowledge that he did anything wrong.

I am glad for this book's discussion of rape that occurs within a relationship and how difficult it can be for the survivor to be believed since they already had a sexual relationship with the rapist, how it becomes a "he said, she said" situation, etc. etc. I am glad for the Speak-esque plot for Mara, who finally finds the courage to tell others what happened to her. This is a good book, and a necessary book, and the story was handled with the delicateness appropriate for the topic. For survivors, the flashback scenes are in italics, so it would be easy enough to skip over them if you'd like. The assault scene is fairly descriptive and frightening as is appropriate for an eighth grader being assaulted by an adult man.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: descriptions of assault, discussion of rape, slut-shaming,
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Speak, All the Rage, Learning to Breathe

The Confectioner's Guild

Luana, Claire. The Confectioner's Guild. Live Edge Publishing, 2018.

Wren is an orphan who has been working in a bakery since the baker discovered her using a leftover piping bag to decorate a snowbank. She prefers her job over a life in the streets, until one day when a guild member whisks her away from her bakery and informs her that her bakery skills are actually imbuing her treats with magic and that she must be trained. Immediately after learning this, the head of her guild dies and Wren is accused of his murder. Now she has one month to find the actual murderer and clear her name.

This description made this book sound like it was right up my alley. I love fantasy stories and mysteries, and having recently read Changeling, thought this would be a great read-alike. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. This book reads like a story for children or tweens, but multiple uses of the word "ass," as well as sexual encounters, make this a book for teens. Further, the main character spends most of her time ogling one of her fellow bakers, so there are long descriptions of his hair, his abs, what he looks like without a shirt, how sad she is when he puts a shirt on, etc. etc. And he's not the only character she pines after. All of this is to say that this book is best categorized as a teen romance novel, which is perfectly fine, but it is not a tween book nor a fantasy nor really a mystery at all, and readers looking for those things will be disappointed. I would recommend this book to fans of romance novels but not to those who prefer fantasy or mystery without a romantic subplot.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: multiple uses of the word "ass," underage alcohol consumption (although as this is a fantasy, I don't know that it's illegal per se), off-page sex
Overall Rating: 2/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

Changeling

Harper, Molly. Changeling. INscribe Digital, 2018.

Cassandra Reed is a new student at Miss Castwells, a finishing school and magic school for young ladies of high society. Before she came to Miss Castwells, though, she was Sarah, a non-magical snipe who was fated to serve her benefactors for the rest of her life. Because she has magic, though, Sarah has become Cassandra and must learn quickly to act and speak as a person of high parentage. She soon finds, though, that things are much more complicated than they seem.

It is very rare for me to begin reading a book and then discover that I like it so much I want to slow down so I can savor the story. This is one of those books. Cassandra has to navigate the social game of teen girls, which is complicated enough, but is also hiding the secret of her true family. Also, she's trying to learn magic. And she's become a Translator, a rare person chosen by an ancient tome to be one who can translate the text so that the information can benefit society, so now she's even more in the public eye than ever. This story was filled with court intrigue, magic, villains, love letters, action scenes, a jealous older sister - it's got a little bit of everything a person could want in a story. I'm glad to see that it's only the first in the series, because I am excited to read the second one when it comes out. Recommended.

Recommended for: teens
Red Flags: minor fantasy violence (a zombie-like creature chases a character, etc.)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Read-Alikes: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley for the purpose of review.