Book Mail: More than 30 new and forthcoming middle grade and YA titles!

I’m writing this post a few days ahead of the potentially apocalyptic snowstorm that Minnesota should be getting today as you read this. I keep seeing meteorologists tweeting about some places maybe getting up to two feet of snow, so hey, maybe I will get snowed into my house for days and days, not have to go in to work, and just read ALL my book mail! Because somehow the snowstorm will also bend time so it has like 300 hours in a day, or something? That’s what I’d need to make a dent in my TBR piles.

It’s been a good month for book mail. So many new things! Get out your own TBR lists.

All descriptions from the publishers.

Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover (ISBN-13: 9780063255036 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: 01/17/2023, Ages 13-17)

Fans of Emma Lord, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and Alex Light will love this clever, charming, and poignant debut novel with a masterful slow-burn romance at its core about a girl who must decide whether to pursue her dreams or preserve her relationships, including a budding romance with her ex-best friend, when an app she created goes viral.

Ro Devereux can predict your future. Or, at least, the app she built for her senior project can.

Working with her neighbor, a retired behavioral scientist, Ro created an app called MASH, designed around the classic game Mansion Apartment Shack House, that can predict a person’s future with 93% accuracy. The app will even match users with their soulmates. Though it was only supposed to be a class project, MASH quickly takes off and gains the attention of tech investors.

Ro’s dream is to work in Silicon Valley, and she’ll do anything to prove to her new backing company—and the world—that the app works. So it’s a huge shock when the app says her soulmate is Miller, her childhood best friend with whom she had a friendship-destroying fight three years ago.

Now thrust into a fake dating scenario, Ro and Miller must address the years of pain between them if either of them will have any chance of achieving their dreams. And as the app takes on a life of its own, Ro sees that it’s affecting people in ways she never expected—and if she can’t regain control, it might take her and everything she believes in down with it.

When You Wish Upon a Lantern by Gloria Chao (ISBN-13: 9780593464359 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 02/14/2023, Ages 12-17)

Acclaimed author Gloria Chao creates real-world magic in this luminous romance about teens who devote themselves to granting other people’s wishes but are too afraid to let themselves have their own hearts’ desires—each other.

Liya and Kai had been best friends since they were little kids, but all that changed when a humiliating incident sparked The Biggest Misunderstanding of All Time—and they haven’t spoken since.

Then Liya discovers her family’s wishing lantern store is struggling, and she decides to resume a tradition she had with her beloved late grandmother: secretly fulfilling the wishes people write on the lanterns they send into the sky. It may boost sales and save the store, but she can’t do it alone . . . and Kai is the only one who cares enough to help.

While working on their covert missions, Liya and Kai rekindle their friendship—and maybe more. But when their feuding families and changing futures threaten to tear them apart again, can they find a way to make their own wishes come true?

Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger (PAPERBACK ISBN-13: 9780593377956 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 02/14/2023 Series: Hide and Geek #1, Ages 8-12)

Four friends know that being a geek is a superpower — and they’re about to prove it as they solve a puzzlemaker’s last clue and uncover a long lost treasure!

The GEEKs:
Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin have been best friends for as long as they can remember. So when their archnemesis points out that their initials make them literally GEEKs, they decide to go with it.

The problem:
The GEEKs’ hometown of Elmwood was once the headquarters of the famous toymaker Maxine Van Houten. Her popular puzzle sphere, the Bamboozler, put the town on the map. But Maxine passed away long ago. Now the toy factory is shutting down, and Elena’s mom and Kevin’s dad are losing their jobs. They might have to move—and that would mean splitting up the GEEKs!

The quest:
Maxine left one final puzzle, a treasure hunt that could save the town and keep the friends together. But only those who know and love Elmwood best will be able to solve it. GEEKs to the rescue!

The Treasure Test (Hide and Geek #2) by T. P. Jagger (ISBN-13: 9780593377970 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 02/14/2023 Series: Hide and Geek #2, Ages 8-12)

Four best friends have the chance to find the ultimate treasure! But someone wants to take down the GEEKS. . . . An exciting new book in the puzzle-filled, action-packed Hide and GEEK series!

The GEEKs:
After a wild treasure hunt that almost got Gina, Edgar, Elena, and Kevin killed in a secret vault hidden in an abandoned amusement park, the GEEKs thought life would go back to normal. They’d saved their town from ruin and secured their friendship forever, right? Man, were they wrong. The only thing that returned to normal was middle school lunch.

THE PROBLEM:
A company wants to reopen the abandoned amusement park, Bamboozleland, and it’s just what the town needs! But a blogger from the next town over starts spreading vicious rumors that the treasure was fake and the GEEKs are a bunch of frauds.

THE TEST:
The GEEKs are determined to prove their puzzle-solving prowess, and what better way than another treasure hunt? A local bigwig sets up a new set of clues for them to follow, and this time the hunt will be documented. The GEEKs have already saved their friendship. Now they must prove that they are true treasure hunters!

It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap (ISBN-13: 9781631636943 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 02/21/2023, Ages 10-14)

Thirteen-year-old Julia would much rather work with horses at the rescue barn than worry about things like dating and makeup. But when her BFF meets a boy at camp, Julia’s determined not to get left behind. After a makeover from her older sister, she posts a picture of herself online and gets a comment from Tyler—a seemingly nice kid who lives across town. As they DM more and more, Julia’s sure that Tyler understands her in a way her family never has. Even better, their relationship earns her tons of attention at school.

Then Julia finds out Tyler’s true plan, and her world is turned upside down. She fiercely guards her secret, but could her silence allow her friends to fall into the same trap?

The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa (ISBN-13: 9780593378014 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 02/28/2023, Ages 12-17)

El Diablo is in the details in this Latinx pirate fantasy starring a transmasculine nonbinary teen with a mission of revenge, redemption, and revolution.

On Mar León de la Rosa’s sixteenth birthday, el Diablo comes calling. Mar is a transmasculine nonbinary teen pirate hiding a magical ability to manipulate fire and ice. But their magic isn’t enough to reverse a wicked bargain made by their father, and now el Diablo has come to collect his payment: the soul of Mar’s father and the entire crew of their ship.

When Mar is miraculously rescued by the sole remaining pirate crew in the Caribbean, el Diablo returns to give them a choice: give up their soul to save their father by the harvest moon, or never see him again. The task is impossible—Mar refuses to make a bargain, and there’s no way their magic is a match for el Diablo. Then Mar finds the most unlikely allies: Bas, an infuriatingly arrogant and handsome pirate—and the captain’s son; and Dami, a gender-fluid demonio whose motives are never quite clear. For the first time in their life, Mar may have the courage to use their magic. It could be their only redemption—or it could mean certain death.

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent by Ann Jacobus (ISBN-13: 9781728423951 Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group Publication date: 03/07/2023, Ages 13+)

Eighteen-year-old Del is in a healthier place than she was a year and a half ago: She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. Her own suicide attempt is in the past, and living in San Francisco with her beloved aunt has helped her see a future for herself.

But when Aunt Fran is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Del’s equilibrium is shattered. She’s dedicated herself to saving every life she can, but she can’t save Fran. All she can do is help care for her aunt and try to prepare herself for the inevitable—while also dealing with a crush, her looming first semester at college, and her shifts at the crisis line.

After Aunt Fran asks for her help with a mind-boggling final request, Del must confront her own demons and rethink everything she thought she knew about life and death.

The Jump by Brittney Morris (ISBN-13: 9781665903981 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 03/07/2023, Ages 12-18)

From the acclaimed author of SLAY and The Cost of Knowing comes an action-driven, high-octane novel about a group of working-class teens in Seattle who join a dangerous scavenger hunt with a prize that can save their families and community.

Influence is power. Power creates change. And change is exactly what Team Jericho needs.

Jax, Yas, Spider, and Han are the four cornerstones of Team Jericho, the best scavenger hunting team in all of Seattle. Each has their own specialty: Jax, the puzzler; Yas, the parkourist; Spider, the hacker; and Han, the cartographer. But now with an oil refinery being built right in their backyard, each also has their own problems. Their families are at risk of losing their jobs, their communities, and their homes.

So when The Order, a mysterious vigilante organization, hijacks the scavenger hunting forum and concocts a puzzle of its own, promising a reward of influence, Team Jericho sees it as the chance of a lifetime. If they win this game, they could change their families’ fates and save the city they love so much. But with an opposing team hot on their heels, it’s going to take more than street smarts to outwit their rivals.

Link and Hud: Heroes by a Hair by Jarrett Pumphrey, Jerome Pumphrey (ISBN-13: 9781324016090 Publisher: Norton Young Readers Publication date: 03/07/2023 Series: Link and Hud, Ages 9-12)

Meet Link and Hud—brothers causing chaos in the first of a new middle grade series from real-life brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

Lincoln and Hudson Dupré are brothers with what grown-ups call “active imaginations.” Link and Hud hunt for yetis in the Himalayas and battle orcs on epic quests. Unfortunately, their imaginary adventures wreak havoc in their real world. Dr. and Mrs. Dupré have tried every babysitter in the neighborhood and are at their wits’ end.

Enter Ms. Joyce. Strict and old-fashioned, she proves to be a formidable adversary. The boys don’t like her or her rules and decide she’s got to go. Through a series of escalating events—told as high-action comic panel sequences—the brothers conspire to undermine Ms. Joyce and get her fired. When they go so big that even Ms. Joyce can’t fix it, suddenly she’s out. Finally, success! Or is it?

With warm and authentic humor, Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey have blended prose and graphic novel-style illustrations to craft a unique and subversive new series full of brotherly mischief and mayhem.

Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself by Monica Edinger, Lesley Younge (ISBN-13: 9781728464077 Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group Publication date: 03/07/2023, Ages 11+)

Millions of Africans were enslaved during the transatlantic slave trade, but few recorded their personal experiences. Olaudah Equiano’s The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is perhaps the most well known of the autobiographies that exist. Using this narrative as a primary source text, authors Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge share Equiano’s life story in “found verse,” supplemented with annotations to give readers historical context. This poetic approach provides interesting analysis and synthesis, helping readers to better understand the original text. Follow Equiano from his life in Africa as a child to his enslavement at a young age, his travels across the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, his liberation, and his life as a free man.

I Will Find You Again by Sarah Lyu (ISBN-13: 9781534465152 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 03/14/2023, Ages 14-18)

All the Bright Places meets Ace of Spades in this smart, twisty teen thriller about a girl who can’t stop pushing herself to be the best—even after losing her best friend and the love of her life.

Welcome to Meadowlark, Long Island—expensive homes and good schools, ambition and loneliness. Meet Chase Ohara and Lia Vestiano: the driven overachiever and the impulsive wanderer, the future CEO and the free spirit. Best friends for years—weekend trips to Montauk, sleepovers on a yacht—and then, first love. True love.

But when Lia disappears, Chase’s life turns into a series of grim snapshots. Anger. Grief. Running. Pink pills in an Altoids tin. A cheating ring at school. Heartbreak and lies. A catastrophic secret.

And the shocking truth that will change everything about the way Chase sees Lia—and herself.

Aniana del Mar Jumps In by Jasminne Mendez (ISBN-13: 9780593531815 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/14/2023, Ages 8-12)

“Beautiful in its honesty and vulnerability, this is a powerful story about dreams and bodily agency that sings from the heart.”—Natalia Sylvester, award-winning author of Breathe and Count Back From Ten

A powerful and expertly told novel-in-verse by about a 12-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis by an award-winning poet.

Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like a dolphin belongs to the sea. But she and Papi keep her swim practices and meets hidden from Mami, who has never recovered from losing someone she loves to the water years ago. That is, until the day Ani’s stiffness and swollen joints mean she can no longer get out of bed, and Ani is forced to reveal just how important swimming is to her. Mami forbids her from returning to the water but Ani and her doctor believe that swimming along with medication will help Ani manage her disease. What follows is the journey of a girl who must grieve who she once was in order to rise like the tide and become the young woman she is meant to be. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a poignant story about chronic illness and disability, the secrets between mothers and daughters, the harm we do to the ones we love the most—and all the triumphs, big and small, that keep us afloat.

Clash of Fate and Fury by Rachel Menard (ISBN-13: 9781635830828 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 03/21/2023 Series: The Labors of Gen #2, Ages 14-18)

Seventeen-year-old Gen may have rescued her beloved father from prison, but she hasn’t saved him yet. If she fails her end of a bargain with the Olympian Empresses, they will send him right back to his cell. To keep the Empresses happy, Gen must bring them the legendary golden apples of Hesperides and the monstrous Cerberus. But both are rumored to be in the neighboring Elysium Empire, which has a long history of war with Olympia. Making matters worse, Gen’s former enemy and newly designated heir to the isle of Arcadia Castor invites herself on the journey, hoping a golden apple could end Arcadia’s reliance on Illumium for storm vials. And Castor’s twin brother, Gen’s StormMaker boyfriend Pollux, has been pulling away from Gen due to troubles stemming from her mind magic.

With Castor’s pirate-thief girlfriend and Pollux’s servant companion in tow, the unlikely team embarks on its voyage. But war is only an insult away in Elysium, and more than the Emperor has their eyes on Gen’s mission. The quest has caught the attention of one of Elysium’s Oracles, and trouble is sure to brew with Prophecy on the rise.

Zara’s Rules for Living Your Best Life by Hena Khan, Wastana Haikal (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781534497658 Publisher: Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Publication date: 03/21/2023 Series: Zara’s Rules #3, Ages 7-10)

From the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice and Amina’s Song comes the third book in the charming middle grade Zara’s Rules series following Zara as she tries to save her spring break!

It’s spring break and Zara and Naomi have big plans…until Zara finds out that Naomi’s parents are sending her to camp and Zara and Zayd are going to spend the week with their grandparents. Zara’s pretty sure it’s a rule that spring break is supposed to be full of fun and adventure—not doing chores for Naano and watching Nana Abu doze on the couch! But ever since Nana Abu retired, it seems all he wants to do is eat and sleep, and Zara’s worried their grandfather has lost his mojo.

Meanwhile, Naomi’s having a blast at her day camp. Since Zara can’t join her, can Zara find a way to bring the fun of camp to her grandparents’ home? With a little help from Zayd, Zara concocts a plan that just might save her vacation—and help her grandfather start living his best life.

Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Tom de Freston (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781454948681 Publisher: Union Square Kids Publication date: 03/28/2023, Ages 10-14)

A deeply moving story about one family’s fierce love and resilience, perfect for starting conversations about how it’s okay to not be okay.
 
Ten-year-old Julia loves the mysteries of the ocean, just like her scientist mother. Her family is spending the summer on a remote island where her mom is searching for the elusive Greenland shark, a creature that might be older than the trees, and so rare that it’s only been seen a few times.  
 
But the ocean is reluctant to give up its secrets, and Julia tries not to worry as her mother returns disappointed at the end of each day.  
 
Determined to prove that the shark is real, Julia sets off on a quest to find it herself, armed with a set of coordinates, a compass, and her trusty rain jacket.
 
She soon realizes that there are some journeys you shouldn’t go on alone. As Julia comes face to face with the dark and wondrous truths of the sea, she finds the strength to leave the shark in the depths and kick up towards the light.  
 
Through a unique blend of words and art, Julia and the Shark tells an unforgettable story full of dark depths and starry skies, courage and hope.

The Quiet and the Loud by Helena Fox (ISBN-13: 9780593354582 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/28/2023, Ages 14-17)

A heartbreaking, hopeful, and timely novel about holding too tight to family secrets, healing from trauma, and falling in love, from the award-winning author of How It Feels to Float

George’s life is loud. On the water, though, with everything hushed above and below, she is steady, silent. Then her estranged dad says he needs to talk, and George’s past begins to wake up, looping around her ankles, trying to drag her under.

But there’s no time to sink. George’s best friend, Tess, is about to become, officially, a teen mom, her friend Laz is in despair about the climate crisis, her gramps would literally misplace his teeth if not for her, and her moms fill the house with fuss and chatter. Before long, heat and smoke join the noise as dis­tant wildfires begin to burn.

George tries to stay steady. When her father tells her his news and the painful memo­ries roar back to life, George turns to Calliope, the girl who has just cartwheeled into her world and shot it through with colors. And it’s here George would stay—quiet and safe—if she could. But then Tess has her baby, and the earth burns hotter, and the past just will not stay put.

A novel about the contours of friendship, family, forgiveness, trauma, and love, and about our hopeless, hopeful world, Helena Fox’s gorgeous follow-up to How It Feels to Float explores the stories we suppress and the stories we speak—and the healing that comes when we voice the things we’ve kept quiet for so long.

Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef (ISBN-13: 9781665928502 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 04/04/2023, Ages 10-18)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them meets Neil Gaiman in this thrilling novel about an Iranian American girl who discovers that her father was secretly a veterinarian to magical creatures—and that she must take up his mantle, despite the many dangers.

Once was, once wasn’t.

So began the stories Marjan’s father told her as a little girl—fables like the story of the girl who sprung a unicorn from a hunter’s snare, or the nomad boy who rescued a baby shirdal. Tales of mythical beasts that filled her with curiosity and wonder.

But Marjan’s not a little girl anymore. In the wake of her father’s sudden death, she is trying to hold it all together: her schoolwork, friendships, and keeping her dad’s shoestring veterinary practice from going under. Then, one day, she receives a visitor who reveals something stunning: Marjan’s father was no ordinary veterinarian. The creatures out of the stories he told her were real—and he traveled the world to care for them. And now that he’s gone, she must take his place.

Marjan steps into a secret world hidden in plain sight, where magical creatures are bought and sold, treasured and trapped. She finds friends she never knew she needed—a charming British boy who grew up with a griffon, a runaway witch seeking magic and home—while trying to hide her double life from her old friends and classmates.

The deeper Marjan gets into treating these animals, the closer she comes to finding who killed her father—and to a shocking truth that will reawaken her sense of wonder and put humans and beasts in the gravest of danger.

Global: One fragile world. An epic fight for survival. by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781728257235 Publisher: Sourcebooks Publication date: 04/11/2023, Ages 10-14)

From New York Times bestselling author Eoin Colfer and the team behind the Artemis Fowl graphic novels and bestselling, acclaimed graphic novel Illegal comes a compelling and timely story that follows two courageous children as they face the effects of climate change.

Time is running out for Sami and Yuki.

Sami and his grandfather live in a village along the Indian Ocean. They earn their living by fishing. But the ocean is rising and each day they bring back fewer and fewer fish.

Yuki lives in the far north of Canada where warming temperature are melting the ice. Polar bears have less food to hunt and are wandering into town looking for something to eat. Yuki is determined to do something to help the bears.

Queer Power!: Icons, Activists & Game Changers from Across the Rainbow by Dom&Ink (ISBN-13: 9780593521359 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/18/2023, Ages 12+)

An inspiring, expansive anthology that celebrates some of the LGBTQIA+ community’s trailblazers, champions, and icons from across the rainbow.

In a follow-up to Free to Be Me, DOM&INK returns with a collection of essays that highlight modern-day LGBTQIA+ pioneers who have changed the world — from well-known public figures and allies to up-and-comers you’ll wish you’d heard of earlier.

Covering topics including coming out, gender, mental health, and activism, this book is packed full of empowering quotes, inspiring life lessons, and helpful advice that will encourage you to embrace your story and find your power.

The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickelson (ISBN-13: 9781728475356 Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group, Publication date: 05/02/2023, Ages 12+)

It’s been six months since Sarah’s mom died. Three months since her dad fell apart. Sarah has left her fine arts boarding school to take care of her dad and her little brother, and now she’s trying to hold everything together at home while adjusting to the local public high school.

With her dad’s drinking and spending getting out of control, Sarah struggles to make sure that the bills are paid, that her brother is fed and safe, that her dad’s grief won’t crush them all. She has no time for art, unless she’s cranking out a piece to sell online for some grocery money. And she definitely doesn’t have the time or the emotional energy to find out if her sweet, handsome classmate, David Garza, could be more than a friend.

But then a school project prompts Sarah to delve into her mom’s Mexican and Guatemalan roots. As she learns more about this side of her heritage, Sarah starts to understand her mom better—and starts to face her own grief. When she stumbles upon a long-buried piece of history that mattered deeply to her mom, Sarah realizes she can’t carry her pain silently anymore. She has to speak up, and she can’t do it alone.

DeadEndia: The Watcher’s Test by Hamish Steele (ISBN-13: 9781454948957 Publisher: Union Square & Co. Publication date: 05/02/2023 Series: DeadEndia #1, Ages 14-18)

From the creator of Netflix original series Dead End: Paranormal Park comes the graphic novel series that started it all!

“DeadEndia is immediately appealing with its colorful art, unique setting, and funny jokes, but I especially loved the complicated emotional arcs of the characters and the weird, spooky magic underlying everything!”
—Molly Knox Ostertag, creator of The Witch Boy
 
“Heart-warming, heartbreaking, heart-pounding, and heartfelt!”
—Marika McCoola, The New York Times bestselling author of Baba Yaga’s Assistant

Barney Guttman’s life has been turned upside down. His family is struggling to fully embrace his trans identity, but thanks to his best friend Norma, he’s just landed a job at Phoenix Parks, a Dollywood-esque amusement park inspired by the long life and career of mysteriously youthful actress and singer Pauline Phoenix. Soon, Barney and his dog, Pugsley, secretly move into the haunted house attraction. Little does Barney know, the house contains a portal to the demonic planes of Hell. When Courtney, Barney’s devilish new roommate, invites a demon king to Earth through the portal, they offer Barney and Norma as flesh vessels for the king, but in a strange twist, Pugsley is possessed instead! It’s a race through the park to save Pugsley—and the world—from the demon king’s reign of terror that leaves Pugsley with strange and magical side effects. With all of this chaos going on, Barney is also discovering he has crush on park employee, Logan, so he must face his biggest fear of all… talking to someone he likes.

Follow the lives of this diverse group of friends in this hilarious and moving graphic novel series, complete with talking pugs, vengeful ghosts, and first love.

Part workplace comedy, part supernatural horror adventure, with a splash of LGBTQ+ romance, The Watcher’s Test is perfect for fans of author Hamish Steele’s TV series Dead End: Paranormal Park who are in search of more adventures, for graphic novel lovers who want more diversity in their reads, or simply as an introduction to the zany, creative, and laugh-out-loud funny world of DeadEndia.

Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War by Talia Aikens-Nuñez (ISBN-13: 9781728479149 Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group Publication date: 05/02/2023, Ages 11+)

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Borinqueneers, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army.

Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.

But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army?

In this telling of one of the forgotten stories of the Korean War, author Talia Aikens-Nuñez guides us through the history of the Borinqueneers and the challenges they faced leading up to what was the largest court martial in the entire war. Rediscover the bravery of the men of the 65th through Aikens-Nuñez’s thorough writing and the soldiers’ firsthand accounts of the Korean War.

Don’t Ask If I’m Okay by Jessica Kara (ISBN-13: 9781645677659 Publisher: Page Street Publishing Publication date: 05/16/2023, Ages 14-17)

Heartfelt and bittersweet, this coming-of age story explores the tender space of healing where grief meets love

A year ago, Gage survived a car accident that killed his best friend, Hunter. Without the person who always brought out the best in him, Gage doesn’t know who he is. He likes working as a fry cook and loves his small-town friends and family, but they weren’t in the wreck and he can’t tell them how much he’s still hurting. He just wants to forget all his pain and move on.

So when his stepdad shows him a dream job opening in one of his idol’s restaurants, Gage knows this is his chance to convince everyone and himself that he’s fine. To try to push past his grief once and for all, Gage applies for the job, asks out a crush, and volunteers to host a memorial for Hunter.

But the more Gage tries to ignore his grief, the more volatile it becomes.

When his temper finally turns on the people he loves, Gage must decide what real strength is—holding in his grief until it destroys him, or asking for help and revealing his broken heart for all to see.

No Perfect Places by Steven Salvatore (ISBN-13: 9781547611072 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 05/30/2023, Ages 12-17)

From lauded author Steven Salvatore comes a moving YA novel about twins whose incarcerated father dies and leaves behind a life-changing secret, perfect for fans of I’ll Give You the Sun and Euphoria.

When their father went to prison last year for embezzlement, twins Alex and Olly Brucke lost everything: their house, their college funds, most of their friends, and even their mother, who’s so focused on making ends meet that she’s never around anymore. The only thing they can count on lately is each other.

But after their father dies unexpectedly in prison, the twins start to fracture. Alex is spiraling, skipping classes to spend all of her time drunk or high. And Olly is struggling with a secret his dad ordered him to keep: they have a secret half-brother named Tyler.

When Tyler shows up in their lakeside town for the summer, hoping to get to know his siblings, Olly hides the truth from Alex. But as Alex and Tyler start to form a friendship, the lies become harder to juggle. If they can’t confront their father’s past and fix their relationship, Olly and Alex each risk losing two siblings forever.

No Perfect Places is a thought-provoking novel about grief, family secrets, and figuring out how to belong against the odds.

The Alchemy of Moonlight by David Ferraro (ISBN-13: 9781645679721 Publisher: Page Street Publishing Publication date: 05/30/2023, Ages 14-17)

When Emile’s aunt declares he must marry or be disowned for being gay—he runs away to hide as a servant in Count Montoni’s mansion. In their service, Emile tends to the family who all suffer a strange affliction on the full moon. And after overhearing suspicious family arguments, he finds a body on the estate, drawing the attention of a handsome doctor as well as the count’s charismatic nephew, Henri.

Before Emile can sort out his affections or unravel the growing Montoni family mystery, his identity is revealed and his aunt comes to collect him.

When she arrives, Count Montoni forces everyone to depart to the remote Udolpho Castle—where there are no witnesses and no chance for escape. There, Emile realizes that he will have to risk his life to find the love he deserves—and survive the Montoni family.

The Garden of Second Chances by Mona Alvarado Frazier (ISBN-13: 9781684632046 Publisher: SparkPress Publication date: 06/06/2023, Ages 13-18)

Juana, a seventeen-year-old mother, is sentenced to prison for murdering her husband. She claims she’s innocent—but no one believes her, including the prison staff and a gang leader in her block who torments her.

Juana’s troubles aren’t confined to prison, however—she’s undocumented, and her husband’s bereaved family is now threatening to take her baby from her forever. Feeling hemmed in on all sides and desperate to stay out of trouble, Juana creates her own refuge in the prison yard: a garden she created. As she digs in the soil, nurturing the plants, she remembers her courageous, long-deceased mother, who she knows would never give in or give up. Juana’s only hope for saving herself and her baby is to prove her innocence—but how?

Ride or Die by Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu (ISBN-13: 9781641294201 Publisher: Soho Press, Incorporated Publication date: 06/06/2023, Ages 14-17)

Gail-Agnes Musikavanhu’s adrenaline-packed joyride of a debut is an ode to Gen Z and chaotic teens—perfect for fans of Grace D. Li, Ebony Ladelle, and Baby Driver.

Best friends Loli Crawford and Ryan Pope have earned their nickname, the “Bonnie and Clyde of Woolridge High.” From illegal snack swapping in kindergarten to reckless car surfing in high school, they have been causing trouble in their uptight California town forever. But everyone knows that the mischief starts with Loli; when it comes to chasing thrills, drama, and adventure, no one is on her level.

At least until Loli throws the wildest party Woolridge High has ever seen and meets X, a strange, unidentified boy in the coat closet, who challenges her to a game she can’t refuse—one that promises to put her love of danger to the ultimate test.

Loli and X begin an anonymous correspondence, exchanging increasingly risky missions. Loli’s fun has always been free and easy, but things spin out of control as she attempts to one-up X’s every move. As Loli risks losing everything—including her oldest friend—she’ll face the most dangerous thing of all: falling for someone she shouldn’t.

The Love Report by BeKa, Maya (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781662640407 Publisher: Astra Publishing House Publication date: 06/13/2023, Ages 10-13)

BFFs Grace and Lola try to unravel the mystery of romance with a plan to observe, study, and analyze the ways of love at their middle school in the first book in this addictive graphic novel series.

BFFs Grace and Lola talk about everything related to romance—and have lots of questions: What about the mysterious allure of the popular girl at school? And the rebellious goth with the reputation? And boys. They don’t quite understand what makes some school romances soar to legendary heights, while other flirtations fizzle. Lola has an idea—they’ll observe, study, and analyze all the couples at their Junior High—and compile their findings as The Love Report. Surprises await them, and force them to learn to see beyond appearances in this fast-paced series opener. They’ll also discover secrets between themselves.

Best Vacation Ever by Jessica Cunsolo (ISBN-13: 9781990259968 Publisher: Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group Publication date: 06/20/2023, Ages 14-15)

Two best friends, five hot guys, one dream vacation. What could possibly go wrong?

Lori is beautiful, smart, and athletic. The one thing she can’t do is speak up for herself: she can’t stand up to a creepy guy at the gym, she can’t speak to her crush, and she certainly can’t tell her parents that she wants to take a year off to backpack around Europe rather than follow family tradition and go to med school. When her best friend, Faye, invites her on an all expenses paid, weeklong trip to a sunny destination with Faye’s brother, Adam, and four of his friends, she jumps at the chance to leave all her problems behind.

Faye is Lori’s opposite in a lot of ways—maybe that’s why they’re such good friends. In fact, the only problem in Faye’s life is that her brother hates her, and she’s hooking-up with his best friend, Kellan, behind his back. She can’t let Adam find out. as that’ll only make their relationship worse. At the same time, she doesn’t want a hook-up; she wants a real relationship with Kellan. This vacation is her chance to figure out if he’s in this for real or not.

When Faye hatches a scheme designed to make Kellan jealous, she drags everyone else into her drama—including Lori and her gym crush, who just happens to be on this trip too! Soon everyone is fighting with everyone else and relationships are being ripped apart as secrets are revealed. Going on the Best Vacation Ever may turn out to be the Worst Decision Ever.

This delightful, stand-alone novel from YA superstar Jessica Cunsolo deals with romance and friendship, but it’s also about learning to stand-up for yourself and be who you want to be.

How Not to Date a Pop Star by Jada Trainor (ISBN-13: 9781990259869 Publisher: Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group Publication date: 07/11/2023, Ages 13+)

Aaliyah Preston and Tyler Moore were best friends growing up. Tyler played and wrote music, and Aaliyah brought that music to life through dance. They were convinced their lives would change forever after entering a TV talent show, but when Aliyah’s mom ended up in hospital, Tyler had to go alone–and won. Suddenly, he was thrust into the spotlight while she was left behind in their small, seaside town.

Several years later, Tyler is the hottest pop star on the planet, and Aaliyah has her heart set on following in her mom’s footsteps and attending the Boston Conservatory to study dance. However, her future becomes hazy when Tyler suddenly comes back home, and wants to make up for all the years they lost–and even plan a future that includes the two of them together.

While Tyler may have a lavish lifestyle and fans all the world over, he isn’t happy. What he really wants is a chance at a normal life, and he wants Aaliyah to be part of that life. However, family drama, including long buried secrets about both of their fathers, threaten any plans for their futures. But like the best pop songs, when the music and the lyrics come together everything works in perfect harmony. Tyler and Aaliyah will need to write a new duet without giving up on their dreams.

All Alone with You by Amelia Diane Coombs (ISBN-13: 9781534493575 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 07/25/2023, Ages 14-18)

HBO Max’s Hacks gets a romantic twist in the vein of Jenn Bennett in this swoon-worthy novel about a standoffish teen girl whose loner status gets challenged by a dynamic elderly woman and a perpetually cheerful boy.

Eloise Deane is the worst and doesn’t care who knows it. She’s grumpy, prefers to be alone, and is just slogging through senior year with one goal: get accepted to USC and move to California. So when her guidance counselor drops the bombshell that to score a scholarship she’ll desperately need, her applications require volunteer hours, Eloise is up for the challenge. Until she’s paired with LifeCare, a volunteer agency that offers social support to lonely seniors through phone calls and visits. Basically, it’s a total nightmare for Eloise’s anxiety.

Eloise realizes she’s made a huge mistake—especially when she’s paired with Austin, the fellow volunteer who’s the sunshine to her cloudy day. But as Eloise and Austin work together to keep Marianne Landis—the mysterious former frontwoman of the 1970s band the Laundromats—company, something strange happens. She actually…likes Marianne and Austin? Eloise isn’t sure what to do with that, especially when her feelings toward Austin begin to blur into more-than-friends territory.

And when ex-girlfriends, long-buried wounds, and insecurities reappear, Eloise will have a choice to make: go all in with Marianne and Austin or get out before she gets hurt.

Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood (ISBN-13: 9781250894427 Publisher: Flatiron Books Publication date: 08/08/2023, Ages 13-18)

From the award-winning author of It Sounded Better in My Head comes a deliciously entertaining enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy about two high school nemeses who end up sharing a house together their first year of college

Eighteen-year-old Brooke is the kind of friend who not only remembers everyone’s birthdays, but also organizes the group present, pays for it, and politely chases others for their share. She’s the helper, the doer, the maker-of spreadsheets. She’s the responsible one who always follows the rules—and she plans to keep it that way during her first year of college.

Her student housing only has one rule: “no unnecessary drama.” Which means no fights, tension, or romance between roommates. When one of them turns out to be Jesse, her high-school nemesis, Brooke is determined she can handle it. They’ll simply silently endure living together and stay out of each other’s way. But it turns out Jesse isn’t so easy to ignore.

With Unnecessary Drama, Nina Kenwood perfectly captures the experience of leaving home for the first time, dealing with the unexpected complications of life, and somehow finding exactly what you need.

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