Book Mail: Soccer, vampires, a magic bracelet, an interdimensional school, and more!

Here’s the downside to wearing a mask everywhere I go and, generally speaking, not really get sick much anymore (at least in comparison to the pre-masking days, where my mostly ornamental immune system eagerly accept every germ every child brought to school): I miss out on sick days where I’m forced to do nothing but stay in bed for days and read. Of course, I will happily accept better overall health, but I wouldn’t mind a day where I could justify just reading. It would help my TBR. And it would make my now constantly chilly chiweenies happy. Even though they’ve been out of TX and OK a few years, they don’t really seem to appreciate the MN climate.

As always, a big thank you to the publishers who keep me in book mail. I do my best to read a lot of it, but at least can share it with you all here and pass all the books along, at some point, to find new homes and new readers.

Descriptions of books from the publishers.

The Secret of the Kelimutu Volcano: The Rise of Golden Garuda by Hamsa Buvaraghan, Riya Sanjay, Eesha Sanjay (ISBN-13: 9781637559383 Publisher: Mascot Kids Publication date: 03/05/2024, Ages 8-12)

As a cursed child, Aisha lived in constant fear of the Kelimutu volcano. A prophecy foretold a devastating eruption when she turned ten years old. In the hope of saving her town, Aisha and her sister, Liya, embark on a dangerous journey up the slopes of Kelimutu. When a precious possession is stolen from home, Aisha gets pulled into a perilous quest. Can the sisters unravel the mystery before time runs out?

This multicultural fantasy book is set in rural Indonesia, in a town named Moni at the foot of the Kelimutu volcano on the island of Flores.

History Smashers: Salem Witch Trials by Kate Messner, Falynn Koch (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593705285 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 08/13/2024 Series: History Smashers Series #9, Ages 8-12)

Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about the Salem Witch Trials in the hit History Smashers nonfiction series. Perfect for fans of the I Survived books and Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales.

In 1692, a few paranoid Puritans accused their neighbors of being witches sending the town flying off the (broomstick) handle. Before it was all over, dozens of women in Salem, Massachusetts were executed—burned at the stake. RIGHT?

WRONG! There was some serious witch worry, but no one in the United States was put on a pyre (though the truth isn’t much better). And women weren’t the only ones caught in crossfire…maybe don’t read this one aloud to your dog.

What really happened? The truth is historians aren’t totally sure. But it is certain that religious beliefs, a changing world, and a few super nosy neighbors collided to spell disaster for one New England town. No joke!

From award-winning author Kate Messner comes the acclaimed nonfiction series that demolishes everything you thought you knew about history. And bust more puzzles of the past in History Smashers: Christopher Columbus and the Taino People, The Mayflower, and The Underground Railroad among others!

The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Méndez (ISBN-13: 9781643753980 Publisher: Workman Publishing Company Publication date: 09/17/2024, Ages 9-13)

A powerful story about family, fútbol, and playing like a girl, perfect for fans of Front Desk, The Academy, and, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret from the award-winning author of Furia.

At thirteen years old, Valeria “Magic” Salomón is already the best soccer player her town has ever seen. She has talent in spades and an abuelo whose tough-love coaching and lessons about “strength and honor” have made her the star of the Overlords, the top boys’ team in the state. 

But everything changes at the State Cup semi-final when Valeria gets her first period while Wearing. White. Shorts. After her team is unexpectedly eliminated, she goes from their secret weapon to their scapegoat. Soon, she doesn’t have a team at all anymore. She’s not sure she has a relationship with her grandfather either.  

Valeria’s a fighter, however. And with the help of her grandmother and support of her cheerleader BFF, she finds herself on a girls’ team for the first time. But the Amazons aren’t exactly excited to have her there. After all, Valeria’s spent years ignoring their existence. With the next tournament looming on the horizon, Valeria has a month to figure out her place on her new team and learn how to play like a girl. 

The award-winning author of Furia returns to the world of  “the beautiful game” in this uplifting, heartfelt novel about family, self-confidence, and the power of second chances. 

The Graveyard Club: Revenge Game by R. L. Stine (ISBN-13: 9798892150330 Publisher: BOOM! Box Publication date: 09/17/2024, Ages 12-18)

Definitive horror master R.L. Stine introduces a new cast of devilish teens in a brand new graphic novella!

Parker West is a senior at Grave’s End High, in the sleepy town of Grave’s End, a town surrounded by cemeteries. A place where swarms of bats fill the sky every night, and kids play hide-and-seek amongst tombstones. But none of that feels odd to the locals— Grave’s End is as sleepy and dead as they come. A lonely hill on the edge of the town in the graveyard becomes the local hangout spot for Parker and his group of friends. They goof off, plan schemes, and form a secret club… the Graveyard Club. Members have to be daring and unafraid to wreak a relatively harmless amount of havoc in the name of fun. But one night, after getting into an argument with a local cop, the kids find themselves in a prank war. But what starts off as mostly harmless practical jokes and tricks escalates into attacks that might put these kids in real, life-threatening danger if they won’t back down first… and Parker’s never been one to give up without a fight. Beloved author R.L. Stine (Goosebumps, Fear Street, Stuff of Nightmares), who put a nostalgic sense of dread in our hearts as children, returns with a brand new original graphic novella–a coming of age horror story for generations new and old.

Pick the Lock by A. S. King (ISBN-13: 9780593353974 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 09/24/2024, Ages 14-17)

From Michael L. Printz Award winner A.S. King, a weird and insightful new novel about a girl intent on picking the lock of her toxic family.

Jane Vandermaker-Cook would like her mother back. As Jane’s mother tours the world to support the family, Jane lives and goes to school in a Victorian mansion with her younger brother and their mendacious father who confines Jane’s mother to a system of pneumatic tubes whenever she’s at home. And then there’s weirdly ever-present Aunt Finch, Milorad the gardener, and his rat, Brutus. For Jane, this all seems normal until she suddenly gains access to the files for a lifetime of security-camera videos—her lifetime.

A.S. King’s latest surrealist masterpiece follows Jane’s bizarre and brilliant journey to reconnect with her mother by breaking out of her shell and composing a punk opera.

Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste (ISBN-13: 9781643753812 Publisher: Workman Publishing Company Publication date: 10/01/2024 Series: Boy 2.0 #1, Ages 10-14)

An action-packed superhero story from New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste

Win “Coal” Keegan has just landed in his latest foster home, with a big, noisy, slightly nosy family named the McKays. They seem eager to welcome Coal, but he’s wary of trusting them. So, he doesn’t tell them that he went for a walk with chalk in his pocket to cover a nearby street with his art. He doesn’t tell them that a neighbor found Coal drawing, pulled a gun on him, and fired it. He doesn’t tell them the police chased him. And he definitely doesn’t tell them that when everything went down, Coal somehow turned invisible. 
 

 But he did. 

Now he has to figure out how. Is he a superhero? Some kind of mutant? A science experiment? Is that why he has no family of his own? As Coal searches for answers and slowly learns to control his invisibility, he turns to the McKay kids and friends both new and old for help. But they soon discover they’re not the only ones looking for a Black boy with superpowers, and the situation is far stranger—and more dangerous—than they ever could have expected. 

The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew by Kalynn Bayron (ISBN-13: 9781547611607 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 10/08/2024 Series: Vanquishers Series, Ages 8-11)

In the heart-stopping conclusion to the Vanquishers series by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron, it is time for the final stand against the undead.

San Antonio is on lockdown, taken over by the new hive. No one can deny that the undead are back now, but the Vanquishers found out the hard way: when they learned that an old friend is behind the latest string of attacks.

As the Squad hide out at an abandoned combat training facility, honing their vampire-butt-kicking skills, they begin to suspect that they’re not alone. And when a vial of Dracula’s blood—able to give unrivaled power to the vampire that consumes it—is stolen from the bunker, the Vanquishers race to recover it before it falls into the wrong hands.

The Vanquishers have always been Boog’s family, the ones she trusts the most. But what does it mean when a former Vanquisher, one of her heroes, is now hunting the enemy?

Lucy, Uncensored by Mel Hammond, Teghan Hammond (ISBN-13: 9780593814055 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 10/08/2024, Ages 14-18)

A road trip through gender identity, self-expression, and the thorny process of figuring out where you fit after high school as an out-and-proud transgender teen.

Lucy imagines college as more than a chance to party with other drama nerds and be roommates with her best friend Callie. College will be her fresh start. For the first time, she’ll be able to introduce herself as Lucy to people she hasn’t gone to school with since kindergarten. Plus, she happens to live an hour away from one of the most prestigious theater programs in the country. She’s always dreamed of going to Central, but when she finally has a chance to visit, it’s not what she imagined.

While Lucy and Callie are on their campus tour, two kids from their high school make the typical transphobic comments Lucy’s gotten used to in her small town. She starts to worry that her dream school might end up being High School 2.0. What if she belongs somewhere else? Somewhere that she can truly have a fresh start?

When Lucy finds a beautiful school with a great theater program on a list of the most LGBTQ+ friendly colleges, it seems like fate—except that the school is hundreds of miles away. And there’s something unexpected about it: it’s a women’s college. As far as she can tell, they’ve never admitted a trans woman. Will they let Lucy in? There’s only one way to find out: road trip!

Ain’t It Funny by Margaret Gurevich (ISBN-13: 9780593659434 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 10/15/2024, Ages 9-12)

For fans of Stand Up, Yumi Chung! and The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl comes an honest and heartfelt novel about a girl who’s determined not to let her growing anxiety and OCD hold her back from using stand-up comedy to bring her parents back together.

Eleven-year-old Maya’s life is bit of a mess. Her dad just moved out to pursue his stand-up comedy dreams, her mom seems more preoccupied with running the family’s Russian deli than getting Dad back, and Maya’s anxiety and germ worries have only been heightening. Her grandma always tells her “slozi goryu ne pomozhet”—tears won’t help sorrow—but right now it’s hard to be strong.

So when her teacher Ms. Banta announces the sixth-grade talent show, Maya sees an opportunity. If she can perform stand-up comedy in the show, she can prove to her mom and dad that comedy has a place in all their lives and try to bring them together again. But conquering her fears amidst her family falling apart and a growing hot-hot-hot feeling inside is easier said than done…

In this authentic novel full of both humor and heartbreak, Margaret Gurevich crafts a story about comedy, fractured family, and learning how strength comes in many forms.

Halfway There: A Graphic Memoir of Self-Discovery by Christine Mari (ISBN-13: 9780316416726 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication date: 10/15/2024, Ages 13-18)

A poignant young adult graphic memoir that follows one teen’s year abroad in Japan, as she seeks to reconcile both sides of her biracial identity.

Christine has always felt she is just half: Half American, half Japanese. As a biracial Japanese American who was born in Tokyo but raised in the US, she knows all too well what it’s like to be a part of two different worlds but never feeling as though you belong to either.

Now on the brink of adulthood, Christine decides it’s time to return to the place she once called home. So she sets forth on a year abroad in Tokyo, believing that this is where she truly belongs. After years of feeling like an outsider, now she will finally be complete. 

Except…Tokyo isn’t the answer she thought it would be. Instead of fitting in, Christine finds herself a fish out of water, as being half of two cultures isolates her in ways she’d never imagined. All she can do is try to stay afloat for the rest of the year—still figuring out who she is, what she wants in life, and whether she’ll ever truly be more than halfway there. 

Author-illustrator Christine Mari explores what it means to lose and find yourself in this moving narrative of belonging and home. 

The Best Friend Bracelet by Nicole D. Collier (ISBN-13: 9780063326163 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 10/15/2024, Ages 8-12)

A tender, funny story about making—and keeping—friends, perfect for fans of Sarah Mlynowski.

At Hurston Middle School, best friendship is a big deal. And Zariah Brown makes the best best friendship bracelets in town. Business is booming; Zariah can hardly keep up with orders. 

The problem is, Zariah doesn’t have a best friend of her own. As the entire seventh grade gears up for their big Pajama Jam weekend, it seems as if everyone else is paired up except her. 

So Zariah pours her heart and soul into making the ultimate friendship bracelet, using a set of beads gifted to her by a mysterious woman. But the bracelet turns out to be a tiny bit . . . magical. In fact, anyone who puts it on instantly becomes Zariah’s best friend. Now all she has to do is find the perfect best friend and get the bracelet on them. Easy, right? 

It turns out finding the ideal friend isn’t so simple, and things quickly spin out of control. Will Zariah ever find her true BFF, or is she destined to be alone forever? 

I Was Told There Would Be Romance by Marie Arnold (ISBN-13: 9780316568005 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Publication date: 10/15/2024, Ages 12-18)

For fans of Never Have I Ever and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before comes a hilarious and heartfelt novel about a young Haitian girl navigating high school, friendship, and crushes.

Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with simple desires. She’d like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She’d love a boyfriend. And she’s desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school year: Imani Park’s birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.

So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite—but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what’s so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she’s destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it’ll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it’s not like Fancy’s parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti…right?

The Shape of Lost Things by Sarah Everett (ISBN-13: 9780063256613 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 10/22/2024, Ages 8-12)

From the award-winning author of The Probability of Everything, which has been called “one of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever)” (Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club) and “Powerful” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), comes a heartfelt exploration of family and change as twelve-year-old Skye reunites with her older brother, Finn, after he spent four years on the run with their father. 

Skye Nickson’s world changed forever when her dad went on the run with her brother, Finn. It’s been four years without Finn’s jokes, four years without her father’s old soul music, and four years of Skye filling in as Rent-a-Finn on his MIA birthdays for their mom. Finn’s birthday is always difficult, but at least Skye has her best friends, Reece and Jax, to lean on, even if Reece has started acting too cool for them.

But this year is different because after Finn’s birthday, they get a call that he’s finally been found. Tall, quiet, and secretive, this Finn is nothing like the brother she grew up with. He keeps taking late-night phone calls and losing his new expensive gifts, and he doesn’t seem to remember any of their inside jokes or secrets.

As Skye tries to make sense of it all through the lens of her old Polaroid camera, she starts to wonder: Could this Finn be someone else entirely? And if everyone else has changed, does it mean that Skye has to change too?

The Ultimate Book of Would You Rather Questions: 1001 Family-Friendly Challenges for Kids, Teens and Adults by Kimberly McLeod (ISBN-13: 9798890031112 Publisher: Page Street Publishing Publication date: 10/22/2024, Ages 8-11)

Spark Imagination and Conversation with 1,001 Wild, Silly & Thought-Provoking Decisions

Get ready for hours of fun pondering impossible choices with this ultimate collection of knee-slapping, exciting and thought-provoking questions. There are no wrong answers, so you can debate mind-boggling scenarios all day long. With handy categories like Eww, Make Believe, Animals, Food and more, you can stick to a section everyone enjoys or skip around to mix it up. These 1,001 epic questions are the perfect break from devices that allows you to learn more about your family and friends—especially on car rides, during long waits, at the dinner table and more!

Like a Curse by Elle McNicoll (ISBN-13: 9780593649527 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 10/22/2024 Series: Like a Charm, Ages 8-12)

The fight to save the human and magical worlds is ON…but witch (in-training) Ramya isn’t much help unless she can learn her new powers—and fast. It’s a race to the finish in the stunning conclusion to the Like a Charm duology from the award-winning author of A Kind of Spark.

Ramya thought discovering she was a witch would make life easier. But mastering her powers isn’t going as smoothly as she thought. And while she is stuck in Loch Ness stumbling through spells, the wicked siren Portia is gaining control over the human and hidden worlds in the city.

Time is running out, but the more Ramya presses, the more her family insists she isn’t ready for the fight. Then an old friend is kidnapped, and Ramya can’t wait any longer. Armed with a lot of bravery, a little magic, and a few new friends, Ramya hopes it is enough to take down Portia and the sirens forever—before everything she loves is lost forever.

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen (ISBN-13: 9780063266599 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 10/29/2024, Ages 10-12)

The bestselling author-illustrator of Garlic and the Vampire, Bree Paulsen, brings her fantastical storytelling and warm, sparkling artwork to this story that celebrates the bond between sisters.

In a city powered by magic and still recovering from a bloody war, Ada is concerned about her younger sister Safi’s developing powers. She understands that Safi could learn how to control her magic under the apprenticeship of a king’s magician. But with the memories of war still fresh, Ada is conflicted by this prospect—despite her knowing that she can’t keep Safi safely at home with the threat of deadly, power-thieving liches prowling the kingdom. 

When a traveling group of magicians comes to the city to perform, they immediately recognize Safi’s talents and offer to take her on as an apprentice. Safi is thrilled about her new adventure—even if that means leaving behind Ada and their sickly father. And Ada is right to worry about her sister, for there may be monsters hiding behind friendly faces…

Lonely Places by Kate Anderson (ISBN-13: 9781635831016 Publisher: Flux/North Star Editions Publication date: 10/29/2024, Ages 14-18)

After a traumatic experience steals her younger sister Guthrie’s voice, sixteen-year-old Chase and her family move to an isolated fire lookout in Pando, a grove of Aspen tree clones connected by a massive underground root system. The lookout is supposed to give the family stability after years spent traveling the country in a converted school bus, but all Chase wants is to go back to the hometown they fled eight years ago.

When Chase gets a job at a nearby summer camp, she learns that something happened at the lookout, something no one wants to talk about. Chase isn’t entirely surprised: Pando is a place where odd things happen, like birds singing on a loop or bones sprouting out of the ground like wildflowers. Worse? Pando is changing Guthrie, and Chase doesn’t know how to stop it or even if she should.

Despite her resolve to protect Guthrie, Chase becomes increasingly distracted by Wilder, the lifeguard at camp who offers her a taste of normalcy and a new perspective on her skoolie family. But more time with Wilder means less time with Guthrie, and the mysterious force in the forest draws Guthrie deeper into its darkness—until she’s nowhere to be found. Chase must face her own childhood trauma and find her way into a strange and sinister world to rescue her sister before Guthrie is lost to the lonely places forever.

All My Bests by Britnee Meiser (ISBN-13: 9781665948227 Publisher: Aladdin Publication date: 11/12/2024, Ages 10+)

In the tradition of Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, this smart and emotional romance told through playlists and memories follows two young teens struggling to hold onto each other as their friendship changes.

Starting high school brings big changes for Immie and Jack, who’ve been everything to each other ever since Jack crashed his skateboard into Immie’s yard when they were seven years old. All of a sudden, a game-winning goal catapults Jack into star status with the soccer team, and Immie is meeting new girl friends whose questions are making her wonder about the identity of her father for the first time in her life.

And amidst all of this, they’re both realizing their feelings for each other might run deeper than they thought. Can their friendship—and the promise of something more—weather the storm that is growing up?

The Love Interest by Helen Comerford (ISBN-13: 9781547614790 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 11/12/2024, Ages 12-17)

In this swoony and electric YA rom-com that offers a satirical take on superhero conventions, a teenage girl finds herself reluctantly fake-dating a superhero.

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Ray has just been saved by the world’s newest superhero, Blaze. And, in the eyes of the public, that means one thing: Jenna has been cast as the Love Interest.

Jenna has no interest in being a helpless love interest, kidnapped by villains whenever they want Blaze’s attention. In fact, she disapproves of the whole hero industrial complex on principle. But then an association of villains offers her a chance to find new information about her mom, who has been missing for ten years. All she has to do is get close enough to Blaze to spy on him.

The more time Jenna spends with Blaze, though, the harder it gets to lie to him. And the more she uncovers about the Hero’s Association, the more she realizes that her town is in danger-and she might be the only one who can save it.

When Mimi Went Missing by Suja Sukumar (ISBN-13: 9781641295369 Publisher: Soho Press, Incorporated Publication date: 11/19/2024, Ages 14-17)

The splintered relationship between two Indian American cousins is at the center of this dark, twisty YA mystery—perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson, Karen McManus, and Angeline Boulley.

Shy, nerdy Tanvi has always thought of her perfect cousin Mimi as her sister. Not only did Mimi’s family raise Tanvi after the tragic death of her parents, fierce Mimi has always protected Tanvi at school. At least until Mimi fell under the spell of their flawless, rich classmate, Beth . . . Tanvi’s biggest bully. Fearing another terrible year, Tanvi decides to take a desperate, preemptive strike—and captures an incriminating photo of Mimi and Beth at a party. When Tanvi wakes up the next day with a bump on her head, scratches on her leg, and no memory of what caused her injuries, Mimi is gone.

Tanvi begins to fill the gaps in her memory and question Mimi’s friends and enemies, hoping to bring her cousin home. But when new evidence comes to light, the search for Mimi takes a dark turn as the cops announce that they are now hunting a murderer. Could Tanvi be the killer?

To save her family, Tanvi must revisit the worst night of her life and the darkest parts of her past to discover if she’s capable of murder—and the truth of what happened to Mimi.

Kaya of the Ocean by Gloria L. Huang (ISBN-13: 9780823457885 Publisher: Holiday House Publication date: 01/07/2025, Ages 8-12)

Anxious thirteen-year-old Kaya has always been afraid of everything—but when she learns she is the descendant of a Chinese water goddess, she’ll have to master herself to master her powers!

On the surface, thirteen-year-old Kaya leads a charmed life. She lives in beautiful, beachy Lihiwai. She has ride-or-die best friends. She’s ultrasmart and killing it at school. She even works with a super-cute boy at her parents’ restaurant.

But she also has anxiety—serious anxiety, the kind that makes you scratch and pick—and she’s always had bad luck around the ocean. It’s hard to enjoy Hawaiian beaches when you’ve almost drowned more than once.

But as stranger and stranger things happen to Kaya around the sea, she realizes that—wanted or not—she has a special connection to it. Waves rise when she’s angry. Surf smooths when she’s calm. Fish come when she calls them. And when she learns the truth about her family and her divine ancestor, Mazu, she knows that she will need to connect with her most difficult emotions ASAP—or her potent powers may become dangerous to the people she loves.

Kaya of the Ocean is an exciting, fresh, and beautiful middle-grade fantasy about embracing who you really are. This heartfelt adventure of sun, surf, and sand touches on mental health, the immigrant experience, and the complexities of growing up.

Build a Girlfriend by Elba Luz (ISBN-13: 9781665942515 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 01/14/2025, Ages 14-18)

A teen deep-dives into her dating history to uncover her mistakes, become the perfect girlfriend, and get revenge on the wrong guy so she can ride into the sunset with the right one in this debut rom-com.

To the surprise of no one, Amelia Hernandez is once again single. It’s her family curse at work; whether it’s by heartbreak, scandal, or even accidental death, every romantic relationship that a Hernandez woman has will meet its demise eventually. And that may be fine with Amelia’s sisters, mom, and aunts, but definitely not with Amelia.

So, convinced that she is the problem, Amelia decides to embark on an “Ex Retrospective:” tracking down her exes, finding out where she went wrong, and using that information to finally become un-break-up-able for whenever her next relationship comes along. Because Amelia is determined to be free of the family curse…and her family.

However, when Amelia is unwillingly reunited with Leon, the ex to end all exes, she can’t resist having a little revenge on the side, too. After all, what better way to test out her new persona of perfect girlfriend traits than on the boy who broke her heart?

But old loves die hard, and as Amelia’s feelings grow more complicated, she suspects that she may be in for more than she bargained for.

The Doomsday Vault by Thomas Wheeler (ISBN-13: 9781534488458 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 01/28/2025 Series: Everwhen School of Time Travel (and Other Odd Sciences), Ages 8-12)

From the screenwriter of Academy Award­–nominated Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish comes an inventive middle grade adventure about an interdimensional school for time travelers perfect for fans of the Spy School and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series.

When Bertie Wells accidentally creates a black hole in his bedroom in the year 1878, it’s the very last thing he expects—except maybe the grown-up who steps out. Darla Marconi dresses and speaks like no one Bertie has met and comes with an offer: Bertie is invited to attend the College of Space Machines, Multiverses, and Other Odd Sciences (COSMOS for short, because no one would go to a school called COSMMOOS).

He is skeptical to say the least but, not having anything better to do, Bertie agrees. His day only gets weirder from there as he’s transported to 2022 for his first semester of school. Thankfully, he’s not alone—144 years in the future, math whiz Zoe Fuentes just accepted the same invitation, and 550 years in the past, Amelia da Vinci (yes, that da Vinci) has also decided to attend.

The three team up and work together to survive the year, including weathering a time paradox, solving the case of a disappearing dean, and uncovering the truth behind a shady intergalactic secret society. At least time is on their side!

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King by Harry Trevaldwyn (ISBN-13: 9781250381309 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 01/28/2025, Ages 12-18)

Heartstopper meets Derry Girls in this wonderfully hilarious rom-com about finding your first love when your personality might be too big for the world around you.

Patch Simmons has decided that this is the year he will get a boyfriend, so it’s goodbye to his French pen-pal Jean-Pierre and hello to the world!

Unfortunately, the only other “out” boys in his school year are dating each other, so finding a boyfriend isn’t going to be easy… Until fate finally intervenes and two new mysterious boys join drama club: Peter, who’s just moved from New York (very chic) and his best friend, Sam.

Patch is confident that one of them (although either of them will do!) will be his first boyfriend. So armed with his single mum’s outdated self-help books, his over-supportive best friend Jean and an alarming level of self-confidence, Patch is confident that this mission will be a complete success. Whether or not they actually like boys or him is a problem for later.

The Romantic Tragedies of a Drama King is a heartfelt, laugh-out-loud comedy from rising star Harry Trevaldwyn, a story about boldly being yourself, going for what you want, but never losing sight of who truly has your back.

The Last Great Heir by Carina Finn (ISBN-13: 9781728298337 Publisher: Sourcebooks Publication date: 01/28/2025 Series: Feast and Famine #1, Ages 10-13)

The female heirs of two opposing families must duel for guardianship of the land in this stunning fantasy adventure debut!

Merriment Feast’s life is one constant party, complete with dazzling gowns and delicious pastries. Well, except for her aunt’s physically grueling training. Merri believes it’s her responsibility to protect her family’s traditions and the power they’ve held for generations.

Rue Famine knows that only Feasts benefit from Feast rule. As the heir of House Famine, she spends her days studying potion-making in an enormous, dusty library and learning how to use her magic to help others.

Custom dictates that the heirs of Feast and Famine must duel on their thirteenth birthday. Only one family can rule the land of Fauret, and Merri and Rue have been raised as rivals.

But as the contest draws near and dangers escalate, their true enemy may be a shared one…

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman (ISBN-13: 9781534432758 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 02/04/2025, Ages 12-18)

From New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman comes a young adult thriller about a world where happiness is contagious but the risks of catching it may be just as dangerous as the cure.

A deadly and unprecedented virus is spreading. But those who survive it experience long-term effects no one has ever seen before: utter contentment. Soon after infection, people find the stress, depression, greed, and other negative feelings that used to weigh them down are gone.

More and more people begin to revel in the mass unburdening. But not everyone. People in power—who depend on malcontents and prey on the insecure to sell their products, and convince others they need more, new, faster, better everything—know this new state of being is bad for business. Surely, without anger or jealousy as motivators, productivity will grind to a halt and the world will be thrown into chaos. Campaigns start up to convince people that being eternally happy is dangerous. The race to find a vaccine begins. Meanwhile, a growing movement of Recoverees plan ways to spread the virus as fast as they can, in the name of saving the world.

It’s nearly impossible to determine the truth when everyone with a platform is pushing their agenda. Three teens from very different backgrounds who’ve had their lives upended in very different ways find themselves at the center of a power play that could change humanity forever.

The Six — Young Readers Edition: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush with Rebecca Stefoff (ISBN-13: 9781534497047 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers Publication date: 02/11/2025, Ages 8-12)

The extraordinary true story of America’s first female astronauts hailed as “suspenseful, meticulously observed, enlightening” by Margot Lee Shetterly, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures, now adapted for young readers.

Sally Ride may have been the first US woman in space, but did you know there were five other incredible American women who helped blaze the trail for female astronauts by her side?

When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots—a group women were also aggressively barred from—had the right stuff. But as the 1980s dawned so did new thinking, and six elite women scientists—Sally Ride, Judith Resnik, Anna Lee Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon—set out to prove they had exactly the right stuff to become the first US women astronauts.

In The Six Young Readers Edition, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows how these brilliant and courageous women fought to enter STEM fields they were discouraged from pursuing, endured claustrophobic—and often deeply sexist—media attention, underwent rigorous survival training, and prepared for years to take multi-million-dollar equipment into orbit.

Told with contributions from nearly all the living participants and now adapted for young readers, this book is an inspiring testament to their struggles, accomplishments, and sacrifices and how they built the tools that made the space program run. It’s a legacy that lives on to inspire young people today.

The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah (ISBN-13: 9781250884497 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 02/25/2025, Ages 13-18)

In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter…if she doesn’t fall in love with her first.

When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had.

Friends will become foes.

New alliances will form.

The Queen with the blood red lips will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.

If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine—because the wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses yearn to set them free.

Say a Little Prayer by Jenna Voris (ISBN-13: 9780593692745 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/04/2025, Ages 12+)

Saved! meets Casey McQuiston in this wry, heartfelt tale of a teen who’s taking her church camp by storm—one deadly sin at a time.

Riley quietly left church a year ago when she realized there was no place for a bi girl in her congregation. But it wasn’t until the pastor shunned her older sister for getting an abortion that she really wanted to burn it all down.

It’s just her luck, then, that she’s sent to the principal’s office for slapping a girl talking smack about her sister—and in order to avoid suspension, she has to spend spring break at church camp. The only saving grace is that she’ll be there with her best friend, Julia. Even if Julia’s dad is the pastor. And he’s in charge of camp. But Riley won’t let a technicality like “repenting” get in the way of her true mission. Instead of spending the week embracing the seven heavenly virtues, she decides to commit all seven deadly sins. If she can show the other campers that sometimes being a little bad is for the greater good, she could start a righteous revolution! What could possibly go wrong? Aside from falling for the pastor’s daughter . . .

How to Survive a Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans (ISBN-13: 9781547616312 Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Publication date: 03/11/2025, Ages 14-17)

You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight meets Scream in this YA slasher that turns classic horror tropes on their heads.

Few people can say they faced the infamous Satterville Wolf Man and lived. But CJ Smith can.

She doesn’t talk about that, though.

CJ has survived the horror movie that is her life by following one rule: blend in and stay out of it. But that’s hard to do when your trauma gets turned into a bestselling book series. The Slasherville books are a true crime phenomenon, documenting the Wolf Man massacres that changed CJ’s life forever. CJ hates everything about the books and their fans, but at this point she’s just grateful there aren’t any more murders to write about.

Until one day when an unpublished Slasherville book shows up on her doorstep predicting new Wolf Man killings. CJ is sure it’s a bad prank. But then the events in the book start coming true, and when CJ breaks her one rule, the Final Girl-the person who, according to the book, was supposed to stop the Wolf Man-ends up dead. Suddenly, blending in and staying out of it is not an option, and CJ will have to use everything she knows about the rules of horror to make it out alive.

Hangry Hearts by Jennifer Chen (ISBN-13: 9781250865687 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 03/18/2025, Ages 12-18)

Love, family, and food collide in this sparkling Romeo and Juliet-inspired romance.

Julie Wu and Randall Hur used to be best friends. Now they only see each other on Saturdays at the Pasadena Farmers Market where their once close families are long-standing rivals.

When Julie and Randall are paired with ultra-rich London Kim for a community-service school project, they are forced to work together for the first time in years. It quickly becomes obvious that London has a major crush on Julie. But Julie can’t stop thinking about Randall. And Randall can’t stop thinking about how London is thinking about Julie. Soon, prompted by a little jealousy and years of missing each other, school project meetings turn into pseudo dates at their favorite Taiwanese breakfast shop and then secret kisses at the beach—far from the watchful eyes of their families.

Just as they’re finally feeling brave enough to tell their grandmas, the two matriarchs rehash their old fight and Julie and Randall get caught in the middle and Julie’s brother finds out they are dating. Their families are heartbroken.

But it’s the Year of the Dragon, an auspicious time to resolve disagreements and start anew, and Randall isn’t going down without fighting for what—and who—they love. Could the Lunar New Year provide not only a second chance for Randall and Julie, but for their families as well?

Jennifer Chen’s Hangry Hearts is a funny, big-hearted romance about friendship, family, and first love—and being brave enough to have it all.

The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie (ISBN-13: 9781250873026 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 03/25/2025 Series: The Forest Grimm duology #2, Ages 13-18)

“A luminous fairytale, sharp as teeth and full of heart.” —Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows

In this spellbinding sequel to Kathryn Purdie’s bestselling dark fairytale, Clara and Axel must return to the forest—and its monsters—if they have any hope of finally breaking the curse on their village.

Emerging from the shadows of the Forest Grimm, Clara and Axel return to their village, the one place they can be safe behind the forest’s border. But when the trees themselves begin luring villagers into the forest, it becomes clear that the darkness they battled was merely a whisper of the true horror lurking there.

Burdened by unsettling visions and bound by a love as perilous as the cursed woods that call to them, Clara and Axel must once again enter the forest to unearth the sinister secret at its heart. As they fight murderous woodsmen wielding riddles sharp as blades, spectral maidens who threaten to drag them into an eternal dance, and phantoms able to use the very essence of the forest against them, Clara and Axel realize the stakes are higher than ever. If they can’t break the curse once and for all, they may not have a home to return to…

Where Shadows Meet by Patrice Caldwell (ISBN-13: 9781250815347 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 04/01/2025, Ages 13-18)

The dark and thrillingly romantic debut vampire fantasy that questions what it truly means to sacrifice for love.

You have no idea what I’ve done for love. Just as you have no idea what you may one day do.

Once long ago, a girl named Favre sacrificed her wings for love. Thana, the young goddess she so willingly gave them up for, sacrificed that same love for power. But everything has a cost.

Favre never got over the loss of her wings. And Thana’s choices led to a life of eternal night, and later, their destruction. Favre has bided her time ever since, waiting for the chance to resurrect the girl she loves who turned her into the creature she hates.

Now, a thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of a vampire nation, must travel to Nekros, the island of the dead, when her best friend is captured during an attack on her nation’s capital. But nothing is as it seems. The closer she gets to her goal, the more she risks awakening an ancient evil and destroying everything she holds dear.

Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

Give Up the Night by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast (ISBN-13: 9781250865182 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 04/01/2025 Series: Moonstruck #2, Ages 13-18)

New York Times bestsellers P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast return with Give Up the Night, the astonishing conclusion to their Moonstruck duology set in a dark and magickal world filled with incredible danger and irresistible romance.

Since becoming Moonstruck on her eighteenth birthday, Wren Nightingale has found herself thrust into a world filled with deception, danger, and murder. Uncovering that their magick was fractured and limited when the original Moonstruck ritual was broken by Selene, Wren is determined to find a way to restore it. But the Elementals are split into two factions—some want the ritual completed and their freedom—and others are so terrified of change that they’re willing to end Wren before she can reach the center of the island where the ritual Selene ruined can be completed.

Between his overbearing father’s arrival, Rottingham delegating him more and more responsibility, and Celeste taking a special interest in him, Lee Young has been struggling to find his own path. As much as Lee wants to take his place in the Moonstruck hierarchy, he knows something’s not right at the Academia de la Luna. He thinks if he can talk some sense into Wren and get her to return to the Academia, that everything will turn out alright.

As Wren and Lee both battle for what they believe is right, they’ll have to uncover who their true allies are…and if they’re even on the same side of this magickal fight.

Pride or Die: A Novel by CL Montblanc (ISBN-13: 9781250340474 Publisher: St. Martin’s Publishing Group Publication date: 04/15/2025, Ages 13-18)

In this delightful dark comedy debut, when the members of an LGBTQ+ club find themselves accidentally framed for attempted murder, it’s up to them to clear their names before it’s too late.

It’s kind of hard to graduate high school when you’re the prime suspect in an attempted murder.

Seventeen-year-old Eleanora Finkel just wants to finish her senior year and get the hell out of Texas. But when her club meeting inconveniently coincides with an attack on the school’s head cheerleader, she and her friends find themselves in the hot seat.

In order to clear their names and ensure the survival of their club for future queer teens, they’ll have to track down the real culprit themselves. But Eleanora is far from a professional detective; she’s riddled with anxiety, annoyingly attracted to the case’s cute victim, and her trusty crochet hook feels insufficient for fighting off a murderer. Can this ragtag group of unlikely sleuths find their way out of an entire freaking murder mystery before one of them is next?

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