The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman (Adult Historical Mystery Thriller Review)

 I won a copy of this historical mystery thriller from the publisher via Goodreads. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook
by Marie Ellen Wiseman
Published by Kensington Books
on August 30, 2023
Genre: Adult, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 355 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis:
Fact, fiction, and urban legend blend in this haunting story about a young woman mistakenly imprisoned at Willowbrook State School, the real-life institution later shuttered for its horrendous abuses. 

Sage Winters always knew her sister was a little different even though they were identical twins. They loved the same things and shared a deep understanding, but Rosemary--awake to every emotion, easily moved to joy or tears--seemed to need more protection from the world. 

Six years after Rosemary's death from pneumonia, Sage, now sixteen, still misses her deeply. Their mother perished in a car crash, and Sage's stepfather, Alan, resents being burdened by a responsibility he never wanted. Yet despite living as near strangers in their Staten Island apartment, Sage is stunned to discover that Alan has kept a shocking secret: Rosemary didn't die. She was committed to Willowbrook State School and has lingered there until just a few days ago, when she went missing. 

Sage knows little about Willowbrook. It's always been a place shrouded in rumor and mystery. A place local parents threaten to send misbehaving kids. Wish no idea what to expect, Sage secretly sets out for Willowbrook, determined to find Rosemary. What she learns, once she steps through its doors and is mistakenly believed to be her sister, will change her life in ways never could have imagined...



My Thoughts:

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook is a historical thriller starring Sage Winters, a sixteen-year-old girl who thought her twin sister had died of pneumonia six years before. Having also lost her mom in a car crash, Sage lives with her not-so-friendly stepdad, Alan, in his Staten Island apartment. When she overhears a phone call about her twin missing from Willowbrook, a state-run mental institution, Sage runs off to join the search and finds herself mistaken for her very alive twin and is committed to one of the worst places a girl could find herself. 

The author based this story off of the very real state-run institution for mentally and physically disabled youth which was eventually exposed in the 1970s for severe neglect, overcrowding, abuse, unethical practices, and medical experiments. It was eventually shut down a decade later. 

This novel really captures the horror of what it was like to be a patient at Willowbrook but also has a thrilling plot that horror/thriller lovers would enjoy. It had me on the edge of my seat, tense, and disturbed the entire read. 

Additional thoughts: 
I'm not sure how I feel about the cover. When I first saw it, I definitely thought of historical fiction and nothing more, and then promptly set it aside for preferred genres at the time. I'm beating myself up about it a bit now.
 On the other hand, I think this book ultimately blew me away because I really wasn't expecting it to go so dark and disturbing! 

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The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges (Adult Contemporary Mystery Book Review)

 I won an ecopy of this book from the publisher via Goodreads. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone
by Audrey Burges
Published by Berkley
on January 24, 2023
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 352 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:
A woman learns to expand the boundaries of her small world and let love inside it in this sparkling and unforgettable novel by Audrey Burges. 

From her attic in the Arizona mountains, thirty-four-year-old Myra Malone blogs about a dollhouse mansion that captivates thousands of readers worldwide. Myra's stories have created legions of fans who breathlessly await every blog post, trade photographs of Mansion-modeled rooms, and swap theories about the enigmatic and reclusive author. Myra herself is tethered to the Mansion by mysteries she can't understand--and rooms that appear and disappear overnight, music that plays in its corridors. 

Across the country, Alex Rakes, the scion of a custom furniture business encounters two Mansion fans trying to recreate a room. The pair show him the Minuscule Mansion, and Alex is shocked to recognize a reflection of his own life mirrored back to him in minute scale. The room is his own bedroom, and the Mansion is his family home, handed down from the grandmother who disappeared mysteriously when Alex was a child. Searching for answers, Alex begins corresponding with Myra. Together, the two unwind the lonely paths of their twin worlds--big and small--and trace the stories that entwine them, setting the stage for a meeting rooted in loss, but defined by love. 


My Thoughts:

Myra Malone has spent her life creating miniatures for the minuscule mansion that she inherited from her step-grandmother who taught her to sew and care for the mansion and its' miniatures since she was a little girl. 
As an adult, Myra stays cooped up inside creating blog posts about the mansion that captivate readers all over the world, which is how Alex Rakes, who inherited a custom furniture business, steps in and helps unravel a mystery that Myra has waited for her entire adult life to find the details of. 

The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is a lovely story that is perfect for loves of miniatures and doll houses (in a non-spooky way). Myra's miniature mansion is her entire world, filled with memories of her childhood and years of dedication. The story is filled with these memories and the history of the mansion while also unraveling a major mystery about the mansion and Myra's life and loved ones. 

There's a somewhat whimsical aspect to the story, and possibly a little magical realism, but it's also a mysterious tale about family secrets. 

There's also a little bit of romance but it's toward the end and is very light and subtle. Perfect for clean readers. 

Many thanks to Goodreads and Berkley for the chance to read The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone by Audrey Burges! 

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All American Boys by Jason Reynolds (Young Adult Realistic Fiction Book Review)

 

All American Boys
by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely
Published by Athenium
on September 29, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction / Contemporary
Length: 316 pages
Ages: 12 & up
Grade Level: 7 - 9

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Literary Awards:

Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award (2016)
Coretta Scott King Book Award Nominee for Author Honor (2016)
Walter Dean Meyers Award (2016)
Keystone to Reading Book Award Nominee for High School (2017)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee (2017)
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Young Adults (2017)
Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2017)
Evergreen Teen Book Award Nominee (2018)
Lincoln Award Nominee (2018)
South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult (2018)


Synopsis:

Rashad is absent again today. 

That's the sidewalk graffiti that started it all...

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn't matter what Rashad said next--that it was an accident, that he wasn't stealing--the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent again... and again... stuck in a hospital room. Why? Because it looked like he was stealing. And he was a black kid in baggy clothes. So he must have been stealing. 

And that's how it started. 

And that's what Quinn, a white kid, saw. He saw his best friend's older brother beating the daylights out of a classmate. At first, Quinn doesn't tell a soul... He's not even sure he understands it. And does it matter? The whole thing was caught on camera, anyway. But when the school--and nation--start to divide on what happens, blame spreads like wildfire fed by ugly words like "racism" and "police brutality". Quinn realizes he's got to understand it, because, bystander or not, he's a part of history. He just has to figure out what side of history that will be. 

Rashad and Quinn--one black, one white, both American--face the unspeakable truth that racism and prejudice didn't die after the civil rights movement. There's a future at stake, a future where no one else will have to be absent because of police brutality. They just have to risk everything to change the world.

Cuz that's how it can end. 


MY THOUGHTS:

Teenage JROTC cadet Rashad finds himself brutally attacked by a police officer without probable cause and ends up in the hospital. In an alternate POV, classmate and football player, Quinn, witnesses the brutal attack. Unfortunately, the cop that beat Rashad is Quinn's stand-in father figure, his best friend's older brother, Paul. Quinn struggles with his involvement in the beating as well as his relationships with his best friend and their family.
Meanwhile, Rashad becomes a hashtag for repeatedly missing school while he heals in the hospital. 

This is a tough read, similar to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, with police brutality against an unarmed Black boy and its effect on the characters' lives at the forefront of the story. 

The chapters alternate between Rashad and Quinn's perspectives to give a well-rounded account of how the events affect the community and classmates. 

The subject matter is tough, but it ultimately has a very uplifting message of togetherness and reminds us all that we must do our part to speak up and stand against racism. 

Content warnings include language, drug use, police brutality, bullying, and more. 

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Hands by Torrey Maldonado (Middle Grade Realistic Fiction Book Review)

Hands
by Torrey Maldonado
Published by Nancy Paulsen Books
on January 24, 2023
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction / Contemporary
Length: 144 pages
Ages: 10 - 12 years
Grade Level: 5 - 6

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:
The author of What Lane? and Tight delivers a fast-paced read that packs a punch about a boy figuring out how to best use his hands--to build or to knock down. 

Trev would do anything to protect his mom and sisters, especially from his stepdad. But his stepdad's return stresses Trev--because when he left, he threatened Trev's mom. Rather than live scared, Trev takes matters into his own hands, literally. He starts learning to box to handle his stepdad. But everyone isn't a fan of his plan, because Trev's a talented artist, and his hands could actually help him build a better future. And they're letting him know. But their advice for some distant future feels useless in his current reality. Ultimately, Trev knows his future is in his own hands and he must choose how to use them. 


MY THOUGHTS: 

Trev takes matters into his own hands when he learns his stepfather will be getting out of jail soon. Faced with tough decisions and seemingly impossible situations. Trev takes it upon himself to step up and protect those he loves and cares for and learns what his hands are capable of. 

This is a fantastic realistic fiction for middle-grade readers about a young man determined to protect his family and friends, even if it means 'throwing hands'. 
Trev is a flawed but loveable MC that is growing up with both good and bad mentors in his life as well as rough situations that require a lot of bravery and character growth. 

There are a lot of inspirational and uplifting messages in this story that make it an absolutely amazing read and one I would recommend to all! 

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Loveless by Alice Oseman (Young Adult Contemporary Book Review)

Loveless
by Alice Oseman
Published by Scholastic Press
on July 9, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Length: 432 pages
Ages: 14 & up

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Literary Awards:

Buxtehuder Bulle Nominee for Shortlist (2022)
Audie Award Nominee for Young Adult (2023)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for YA Fiction (2022)


Synopsis:
For fans of Love, Simon and I Wish You All the Best, a funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of a girl who realizes that love can be found in many ways that don't involve sex or romance. 

This is the funny, honest, messy, completely relatable story of Georgia, who doesn't understand why she can't crush and kiss and make out like her friends do. She's surrounded by the narrative that dating + sex = love. It's not until she gets to college that she discovers the A range of the LGBTQIA+ spectrum--coming to understand herself as asexual/aromantic. Disrupting the narrative that she's been told since birth isn't easy--there are many mistakes along the way to inviting people into a newly found articulation of an always-known part of your identity. But Georgia's determined to get her life right, with the help of (and despite the major dram of) her friends. 


My Thoughts:

Georgia Warr has always loved the idea of romance. 
She's watched all the films, read the books, and always pictured herself following the same steps that society has laid before her. But then she realizes that she's far behind her peers, in many ways. So off to Uni she goes, determined to find that special someone to "fall in love with" and have her first kiss with, except that once there she finds the task more difficult than ever. 
While new and old friendships clash around her, Georgia tries to figure out who she is, or isn't, and comes away with a much clearer picture thanks to new friends on the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. 

Personally, I don't always love contemporary novels, especially in school/college settings, but Oseman has a way of drawing me in. Her stories are always lighthearted and inspiring (even when there's really tough subject matter) and I love that Oseman always seems to include plenty of mental health awareness in their novels. It's a really great balance that I believe is perfect for young readers. 

This novel in particular is a fantastic and informative look at the LGBTQIA+ spectrum and Aro-ace (aromantic asexuality) in general. 
There's also lesbian, bi, and pansexual rep in this novel! 

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Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of) by Kathleen Gros (Middle Grade Graphic Novel Retelling Review)

Anne:
An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of)
by Kathleen Gros
Published by Quill Tree Books
on October 25, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Retelling, LGBTQIA+
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3rd - 7th

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:

Inspired by Anne of Green Gables, this contemporary middle-grade graphic novel Anne follows feisty red-haired Anne, who finally finds the perfect foster family and confronts her perhaps more-than-platonic feelings for her new best friend Diana. 


My Thoughts:

A modern-day LGBTQIA+ retelling of Anne of Green Gables!


Anne, an orphaned twelve-year-old, has been mistakenly sent to the Cuthberts who live in an apartment building called the Avon-Lea. After a short trial, the Cuthberts decide to give Anne a chance to live with them and Anne tries her hardest to be the good girl that the Cuthberts expect her to be. 

This is a wonderful retelling of Anne of Green Gables, with fantastic illustrations perfect for the age group and a sapphic twist that isn't at all a far cry from the original. 

This is perfect for middle-grade readers and includes a lot of Anne's struggles with being the new kid at school, making new friends, dealing with bullies, and more. 

I especially loved Anne's choice of extracurricular activity (zine club!) and the added visual explanation at the end of how to make your own one-page folded zine. Very fun and inspiring for young artists! 

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What We Saw by Mary Downing Hahn (Middle Grade Thriller Book Review)

What We Saw
by Mary Downing Hahn
Published by HarperCollins
on January 1, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Thriller
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3rd to 7th

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Best Middle-Grade Novel (2022)

Synopsis:
A chilling murder mystery lies at the heart of this page-turning thriller about a missing teacher, small-town secrets, and turbulent tween friendships from the master of middle-grade horror, Mary Downing Hahn. 

When best friends Abbi and Skylar witness a clandestine meeting between a mysterious woman and someone in a dark van, they're thrilled. Finally, a mystery to spice up the summer! 

Who could these people be? Why are they meeting? Are they spies? Criminals? The two girls are determined to find out. But then a local woman goes missing and is found dead in the woods. And Abbi and Skylar realize that their detective work could hold the keys to solving her murder. 
Suddenly, sleuthing isn't so fun anymore. 

As tensions rise and their friendship frays, the girls find themselves in increasing danger and must choose between keeping a secret or exposing a life-altering truth. 


My Thoughts:

It's summer and Abbi and her best friend, Skylar, spend the hot days reading, swimming at the community pool, riding bicycles, and exploring beyond the limits of their small town. Then they find an abandoned treehouse platform in the woods and witness something (or things) that will change the trajectory of their summer and their lives. Determined to get to the bottom of the mysteries, Abbi and Skylar return to the 'scene of the crime' and find much more than they bargained for.

I've been reading Mary Downing Hahn since I was a kid. I loved her ghost stories and sometimes feel the urge to go back and reread them, mostly for nostalgia reasons, so when I saw that she had a middle-grade thriller out, I had to grab it and I'm glad I did. 

This is a suspenseful story about two girls who witness something in their small town that will change their lives forever. Thinking they are the only witnesses, they attempt to figure out whether or not to tell someone, who to tell, and what will happen if they do come forward.

What We Saw reminds me a lot of 'Stand By Me', the film adaptation of Stephen King's 'The Body', though that's a hard comparison as this is meant for juvenile readers but I got similar vibes from it with the tight-knit friendship between Abbi and Skylar and the content that is aimed at young teens dealing with or wanting to be more open to the 'real' world. 

Content warnings include bullying, drug use, poverty, adult relationships/affairs, divorce, child abandonment, murder, and more. 

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House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland (Young Adult Fantasy Horror Book Review)

House of Hollow
by Krystal Sutherland
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons
on April 6, 2021
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 12 - 17 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Bram Stoker Award Nominee for Young Adult Novel (2021)
ITW Thriller Award Nominee for Young Adult Novel (2022)
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2021)

Synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Iris Hollow has always been strange. Something happened to her and her two older sisters when they were children, something they can't quite remember but that left each of them with an identical half-moon scar at the base of their throats. 

Iris has spent most of her teenage years trying to avoid the weirdness that sticks to her like tar. But when her eldest sister, Grey, goes missing under suspicious circumstances, Iris learns just how weird her life can get: horned men start shadowing her, a corpse falls out of her sister's ceiling, and ugly, impossible memories start to twist their way to the forefront of her mind. 

As Iris retraces Grey's last known footsteps and follows the increasingly bizarre trail of breadcrumbs she left behind, it becomes apparent that the only way to save her sister is to decipher the mystery of what happened to them as children. 

The closer Iris gets to the truth, the closer she comes to the understanding that the answer is dark and dangerous--and that Grey has been keeping a terrible secret from her for years. 



My Thoughts:

Dark fantasy for young adult readers!

Iris Hollow is the youngest of three sisters. Her oldest sister, Grey, left to become a famous fashion designer, and the middle sister, Vivi, has gone off to play in a band. Iris is just trying to get through high school but her mysterious past, in which she and her older sisters were abducted, keeps coming back to haunt her. When Grey turns up missing, Iris is determined to find out what happened, but she uncovers a dark and twisted plot that has changed her life forever. 

Fantasy. Mystery. Horror. 
This story is DARK!

I loved the mystery that haunts Iris and her sisters.
What happened to them? Where did they go and how did they end up with matching scars?

The horror bits were REALLY dark. 
Content warning dark.
(Drug use, death, abduction, SA, blood, gore, and body horror).
I've mulled it over but I'm still having a hard time deciding if this is dark fantasy or horror but it has fairytale qualities that will greatly appeal to fantasy readers and is such a dark read that it may only appeal to horror readers.

I will admit that I almost DNF'd this though. 
I didn't love the social media bits, though they were only a small portion of the story. Once I got past them, the story moved on to darker things that kept my attention but I was reminded that even though we live in an age of technology, it is not exactly my cup of tea. 

If I had to compare this to anything, it would be Seanan McGuire's 'Wayward Children' series! 

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Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations 2) by BB Alston (Middle Grade Fantasy Book Review)

 

Amari and the Great Game
(Supernatural Investigations #2)
by B.B. Alston
Published by Balzer + Bray
on August 30, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery
Length: 400 pages
Ages: 10+ years
Grade level: 3 - 7th

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Literary Awards:
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade and Children's (2022)

Synopsis:
After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze. 

But between the fearsome new Head Minister's strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton's curse steadily worsening, Amari's plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She's got enough to worry about! 

But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers' successor and determine the future of magiciankind.

The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner's magical rewards is Quinton's last hope--so how can Amari refuse? 


My Thoughts:

Amari Peters has joined the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, a super secret organization where Amari must compete with peers and discover her own gifts as a naturally powerful magician. With new leadership and new challenges added to the old, Amari continues to navigate the supernatural world and middle-school life while also taking on a secret competition that will decide the fate of magiciankind forever. 

This is such a fantastic series so far! I'm absolutely loving it! 
There's plenty of magic, mythical creatures & beings, mystery, friends & enemy dynamics, duels and dastardly deeds committed in secret, and more! 

Amari deals with a lot of heavy choices and responsibilities in this sequel. Being a naturally powerful magician puts her in a precarious situation with her peers and others in the supernatural world. Likewise, her involvement in the secret but pivotal 'Great Game' puts a strain on her relationships, but despite all the hardships, Amari sticks to her strengths and truths and ends up on top. 

Check out my review of the first book in this series, 
Amari and the Night Brothers.

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The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean (Adult Fantasy Horror Novel Review)

The Book Eaters
by Sunyi Dean
Published by Tor Books
on August 2, 2022
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Horror
Length: 298 pages

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Out on the Yorkshire Moors lives a secret line of people for whom books are food, and who retain all of a book's content after eating it. To them, spy novels are a peppery snack, and romance novels are sweet and delicious. Eating a map can help them remember destinations, and children, when they misbehave, are forced to eat dry, musty pages from dictionaries. 

Devon is a part of The Family, an old and reclusive clan of book eaters. Her brothers grow up feasting on stories of valor and adventure, and Devon--like all other book-eater women--is raised on a carefully curated diet of fairytales and cautionary stories. 

But real life doesn't always come with happy endings, as Devon learns when her son is born with a rare and darker kind of hunger--not for books, but for human minds. 


My Thoughts:

Devon Fairweather lives a rare and secretive life as a book eater, able to consume literature and retain the knowledge within, like her ancestors before her. Being born a woman book eater in The Family is rare and Devon is raised to accept her place as a wife and mother, all of these decisions predetermined for her. Even rarer are the Mind Eaters--born of book eaters--who hunger for and consume human minds, and when Devon's own son exhibits this ravenous thirst, she must fight to protect him and herself from the world. 

This was my first finished read of 2023 and I really, really enjoyed it. 
There's a little bit of everything I love in here, from fantasy and fairytales to mystery, a little mayhem, and dark, mind-bending horror.

If I had to compare this to anything, it would be a mix-up of the Underworld films and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood with an extra bookish twist. 
The Underworld films because the book is a unique way of reimagining vampires, as divulged by the author in an interview (at the end of the audiobook, which I listened to as I read a physical copy of the book), and The Handmaid's Tale because the Family is a cult-like sect of book eaters that control the lives, marriages, and reproduction of their women-folk. 

The MC, Devon, is one of my new favorite female characters. There is a fierce strength and determination to her that only a mother who is attempting to protect her offspring could have but I also loved how introspective and reflective she was as a character, always tying her life to the fairytales and other stories she has devoured throughout life. I suppose, in this way, I felt I could relate to her. 

There is some lgbtqia+ rep in here, but mostly only mentioned in a conversation between the MC and a side character that is only mentioned once or twice. 

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys bookish literature, magical realism, or anything on the darker side.

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Bridge of Souls (Cassidy Blake #3) by Victoria Schwab (MG Paranormal Book Review)

 

Bridge of Souls
(Cassidy Blake #3)
by Victoria Schwab
Published by Scholastic Press
on March 2, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Paranormal, Ghost Story
Length: 304 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Where there are ghosts, Cassidy Blake follows... unless it's the other way around?

Cass thinks she might have this ghost-hunting thing down. After all, she and her ghost best friend, Jacob, have survived two haunted cities while traveling for her parents' TV show. 

But nothing can prepare Cass for New Orleans, which wears all of its hauntings on its sleeve. In a city of ghost tours and tombs, raucous music and all kinds of magic, Cass could get lost in all the colorful, grisly local legends. And the city's biggest surprise is a foe Cass never expected to face; a servant of Death itself. 

Cass takes on her most dangerous challenge yet...


My Thoughts:

I waited sooooo long for this! 
It was meant to come out in Oct of 2020 but was postponed til March 2021 and since it was my birthday present, I had to wait half a year for it to arrive. I didn't get a chance to read it that October so a lot of my enthusiasm waned. 
Bummer, yes, but it was still worth the read two years later. 

Cassidy Blake's best friend is a ghost named Jacob and her parents host a ghost-hunting television show that takes them all over the world to visit famously haunted locations. They've been to Edinburgh, Scotland and the catacombs of Paris, France and are set to film in New Orleans, Louisiana where hauntings and dark magic are abundant. 


I love the settings and history in this spooky middle-grade trilogy. New Orleans was a great finale choice, especially with the heinous history of Madame LaLaurie (though it is mostly just touched upon) and the added celebrations and hints of voodoo. It makes me want to visit even more! 

I won't give any more away but I really enjoyed this trilogy overall! This finale didn't have as much bang as the first two, but it had some suspense and spook and I liked how it ended!

City of Ghosts
Tunnel of Bones

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Disney's Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw (YA Fantasy Book Review)

Long Live the Pumpkin Queen
by Shea Ernshaw
Published by Disney Press
on August 2, 2022
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Retellings
Length: 315 pages
Recommended ages: 13 +

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Jack and Sally are "truly meant to be"... or are they?

Sally Skeleton is the official, newly-minted Pumpkin Queen after a whirlwind courtship with her true love, Jack, who Sally adores with every inch of her fabric seams---if only she could say the same for her new role as Queen of Halloween Town. Cast into the spotlight and tasked with all sorts of queenly duties, Sally can't help but wonder if all she's done is trade her captivity under Dr. Finkelstein for a different--albeit gilded--cage. But when Sally and Zero accidentally uncover a long-hidden doorway to an ancient real called Dream Town in the forest Hinterlands, she'll unknowingly set into motion a chain of sinister events that put her future as Pumpkin Queen, and the future of Halloween Town itself, into jeopardy. Can Sally discover what it means to be true to herself and save the town she's learned to call home, or will her future turn into her worst... well, nightmare. 


My Thoughts:

Jack and Sally have married and are in their honeymoon stage with plans to visit every holiday town together but the new role of Pumpkin Queen is quite overwhelming and Sally finds herself escaping deep into the forest of holidays where she discovers an ancient door that isn't anywhere near the usual holiday trees. Accidentally leaving this new door open, she chases Zero back to town where she finds her entire world fast asleep, unable to be woken. 
Sally must figure out what happened and how to save Jack and the holiday towns from a sinister villain! 

I grew up watching The Nightmare Before Christmas and always wished there was a continuation or more about Sally!
This young adult novel starts where the 1990's claymation film leaves off, with Jack and Sally falling in love. 

I loved how cute this was! It has a very spoopy sense of horror, with a little bit of suspense added in, but nothing really very scary. I'd say it's perfect for middle-grade readers, except perhaps the mention of the 'honeymoon phase', which may be why it's considered a young adult novel. 

If you grew up watching this iconic film, you'll love the nostalgia this brings and if you're of a younger generation, you'll love the modern twist on this 'old-fashioned' film! 

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Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee (Middle Grade Realistic Fiction Book Review)

 I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet
by Barbara Dee
Published by Aladdin
on September 27, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
Length: 302 pages
Ages: 9 - 13

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | BookDepository

Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Haven Jacobs can't stop thinking about the climate crisis. In fact, her anxiety about the state of the planet is starting to interfere with her schoolwork, her friendships, and even her sleep. She can't stop wondering why grownups aren't even trying to solve the earth's problem--and if there's anything meaningful that she, as a seventh grader, can contribute. 

When Haven's social studies teacher urges her to find a specific manageable way to make a difference to the planet, Haven focuses on the annual science class project at the local Belmont River, where her class will take samples of the water to analyze. Students have been doing the project for years, and her older brother tells her that his favorite part was studying and catching frogs. 

But when Haven and her classmates get to the river, there's no sign of frogs or other wildlife--but there is ample evidence of pollution. The only thing that's changed by the river is the opening of Gemba, the new factory where Haven's dad works. It doesn't take much investigation before Haven is convinced that Gemba is behind the slow pollution of the river. 

She's determined to expose Gemba and force them to clean up their act. But when it becomes clear that taking action might put her dad's job--and some friendships--in jeopardy, Haven must decide how far she's willing to go. 

My Thoughts:

Haven Jacobs can't stop thinking about climate change and how it affects our planet. After learning more about it she wants to help but feels as if there is nothing she can do against such a dark future. No one seems to take her worries seriously, but she is prompted to channel her eco-anxiety through doing small deeds. Haven gets her chance when a science project has her classmates collecting water samples at a local river that seems to have changed drastically since the local GEMBA factory opened.
Where have all the frogs gone? And what can one seventh-grader do about it?

Haven Jacobs navigates severe anxiety over a looming climate crisis as well as the complicated world of pre-teen friendships, bullies, and more in this absorbing middle-grade realistic-fiction read.

Barbara Dee has quickly become one of my favorite middle-grade authors!
Her novels all focus on tough topics that affect young people, their families, communities, and the world around them, and include ways to navigate those topics in helpful ways.
Eco-anxiety, and anxiety in general, is something that is increasingly affecting more children, teens, and adults than ever before and this wonderful novel helps put some of these worries into perspective and gives the reader reminders of how powerful small deeds can be. 


I would especially recommend this to readers who enjoyed Carl Hiaasen's middle-grade novels; Hoot, Chomp, and Flush! 

More titles I've enjoyed from this author:

Maybe He Just Likes You
My Life in the Fish Tank

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The Sisters of Luna Island by Stacy Hackney (Middle Grade Fantasy Book Review)

 I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

The Sisters of Luna Island
by Stacy Hackney
Published by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
on April 12, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magical Realism
Length: 336 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
Little Women gets a Nevermoor twist in this bewitching novel about a young girl tasked to break a centuries-old curse or risk losing her beloved sisters. 

Twelve-year-old Marigold Lafleur is the last of a long line or aromages: witches who blend scents into practical charms using aromagic. But ever since a terrible accident injured her father and damaged Luna Island, Marigold and her sisters, Birdie and Lou, have vowed to abandon their family legacy and mama's way of life. Shunned by their neighbors and overlooked by their parents, Marigold relies on her big sisters above all else. 

But when Marigold discovers a secret curse that threatens her family, her sisters can't stop the impending danger. It's up to Marigold and her best friend, Sam, to uncover the origins of the curse and break the spell. To do so, she must learn to trust her instincts and believe in her own unique magic or risk losing her beloved sisters forever. 


My Thoughts:

This is a fantastic coming-of-age story filled with magic, mayhem, and familial life lessons! 

Marigold LaFleur lives with her mother and three sisters on Luna Island, as did all her ancestors before her. Like their mother, Marigold and her sisters, Birdie & Lou, are aromages and can make magic charms or potions by mixing scents and can also sense unknown things through scents around them. But using their gifts can have consequences, called vexes, and Marigold and her sisters have vowed to never use their aromagic again after the earthquake that injured their father and caused him to leave the island. 
Marigold and her sisters, unfortunately, seem to always be around when something goes wrong and they are quickly ostracized by their friends and community while their mother becomes more and more withdrawn from their daily lives. When Marigold learns that their family is cursed and that she is destined to lose one of her sisters, the few people she has left, she is determined to find the source of the curse and end it once and for all, but she will learn many lessons along the way. 

This is being promoted as Practical Magic meets Little Women and I have to agree, in all the best ways!
It's filled with magic and mystery, sisterly love and feuding, and a familial curse that must be broken to save a family and island community! 

There are some tough life lessons in this story that can also double as CONTENT WARNINGS, such as parental separation, child abandonment, bullying, and more. 
 Marigold struggles with guilt over her father's new absense, her mother's withdrawal, and the building tension between her older sisters, as well as the community, all creating the perfect storm.
Of course, there is character growth and resolution that ends on a happy, positive note! 

I loved that each chapter begins with a little herbal information such as "Sage leaves promote wisdom", which really sets the tone for the story ahead. 

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Garlic and the Witch (Garlic #2) by Bree Paulsen (MG Fantasy Graphic Novel Review)

Garlic and the Witch
(Garlic #2)
by Bree Paulsen
Published by Quill Tree Books
on September 6, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Length: 160 pages
Ages: 8 -12 years

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Synopsis:
Bree Paulsen's brave little protagonist, Garlic, is back in this charmingly illustrated standalone companion to Garlic and the Vampire, serving up another tale of friendship, magic, and self-discovery. 

Garlic loves spending time with Witch Agnes, Carrot, and her new friend, the Count, who has proven to be a delightful neighbor to the village of vegetable people rather than a scary vampire. But despite Agnes's best attempts to home-brew a vegetarian blood substitute for Count, the ingredient she needs most can only be found at the Magic Market, far from the valley. 

Before she knows it, with a broomstick in hand, Garlic is nervously preparing for a journey. 

But Garlic is experiencing another change too--finger by finger, she appears to be turning human. Witch Agnes assures her that this normal for her garden magic, but Garlic isn't so sure that she's ready for such a big change. After all, changes are scary... and what if she doesn't want to be human after all? 



My Thoughts:

Garlic goes on another adventure, this time to the far away Magic Market to buy the ingredients that Witch Agnes needs to fix Count's blood-subsitute. Garlic learns to overcome her fear of change and becomes a little more human along the way. 

I LOVE these books! 
They are seriously just the cutest, wholesome, heartwarming little basket of veggie-people and I just want to hug them!

Garlic is such a loveable character (as are all of the side characters) and I loved every moment of her growth and character development. Magicked into being, the veggie-people grow more and more human every day, and Garlic is very conscious of that, overworrying and then overcoming those worries with courage and a brave face. 

Besides the adorable characters, the story is simply magical with lots of camaraderie, heartwarming moments, and another beautifully happy ending.

These graphic novels are perfect for Autumn / Harvest season and include a vampire, witches, and a hint of suspense but are not scary and are the perfect read for leading into 'Spooky Season' for young readers. 

This is the stand-alone companion to 
Garlic and the Vampire!

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Choose Your Own Adventure: Journey Under the Sea by Andrew E.C. Gaska & E.L. Thomas (Middle Grade Graphic Novel Review)

 We received a temporary digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Choose Your Own Adventure:
Journey Under the Sea
by Andrew E.C. Gaska & E.L. Thomas
Illustrations by Dani Bolinho
(Based on the original by R.A. Montgomery)
Published by Oni Press
on September 20, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel
Length: 134 pages
Ages: 9 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
From the hit Choose Your Own Adventure novels comes a new adapted graphic novel taking readers on their own visual adventure as a diver and new crew member of the ship Maray, a scientific vessel seeking to solve the mysteries of the ocean. 

In the newest Choose Your Own Adventure graphic novel comes an underwater epic where YOU get to choose the destination. With your submarine vessel, the Seeker, you'll explore the ocean depths and all the mysteries, creatures, and monsters that inhabit the ocean floor. Some will be familiar: squids, whales, and of course the Great White Shark. Others will be entirely new to your eyes, like the city of Atlantis. So how will You proceed?
Will you willingly dive into the depths? What paths will you choose?


My Thoughts:

Ready for a fantastic adventure?!

In Choose Your Own Adventure: Journey Under the Sea, YOU are the main character! As an underwater explorer, you must be prepared to embark on a mission to find the lost city of Atlantis! 
Are you ready?!

This adventurous graphic novel is perfect for ocean lovers and anyone seeking thrills but also for kids who are hesitant to spend giant chunks of time reading or for kids who might not enjoy reading blocks of text. You can spend as much or as little time as you'd like with the story and you can always come back to new ones in the future! 

I read a few Choose Your Own Adventure-type books as a kid and thought they were a lot of fun to read because you're reading the same book but getting a new adventure each time. 
This was a lot of fun to read as an adult, too, despite that I ended up at 'The End' just five or six pages into my first adventure! I didn't get much further the second or third time, either, but each time was a new adventure and I did finally make it to Atlantis! 

No matter your chosen path, you're sure to enjoy the wonderful illustrations, underwater creatures, the technology, and the overall adventure woven into each page! 
Enjoy your journey! 

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Bloom by Kevin Panetta & Savanna Ganucheau (YA Contemporary Romance Graphic Novel Review)

Bloom
Written by Kevin Panetta
Illustrated by Savannah Ganucheau
Published by First Second
on January 29. 2019
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Graphic Novel
Length: 368 pages
Ages: 14 - 18 years

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Synopsis:
Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easy going guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom... that is, if Ari doesn't ruin everything. 

Writer Kevin Panetta and artist Savanna Ganucheau concoct a delicious recipe of intricately illustrated baking scenes and blushing young love, in which the choices we make can have terrible consequences, but the people who love us can help us grow. 


My Thoughts:

Ari wants nothing more than to escape his hometown by moving to the city to rent an apartment with the other members of his band, but his parents, who own and run a bakery, need him to stay and help out. Ari compromises with finding a replacement. 
Hector is taking a break from culinary school to sort through his grief when he applies for the bakery job. 
As Ari shows Hector the ropes, a beautiful friendship is born. A friendship that blooms into something more. 

This is a super sweet little lgbtqia+ love story that I can't help but compare to Nick & Charlie from Alice Oseman's Heartstopper series. Ari and Hector are such kind and wholesome characters that come into each others' lives at just the right time to help get through their hardships. There's a lot of character growth and little life lessons that make this perfect for young adults. 

This is much more of a summer read than anything but I had to wait a few months on hold but it was worth the wait. 

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Garlic and the Vampire by Bree Paulsen (MG Fantasy Graphic Novel Review)

 

Garlic & the Vampire
(Garlic #1)
by Bree Paulsen
Published by Quill Tree Books
on September 28, 2021
Genre: Middle Grade, Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Length: 160 pages
Ages: 8 - 12 years

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Synopsis:
A farm-fresh debut graphic novel starring a heroine who is braver than she realizes. 

Garlic feels as though she's always doing something wrong. At least with her friend Carrot by her side and the kindly Witch Agnes encouraging her, Garlic is happy to just tend her garden, where it's nice and safe. 

But when her village of vegetable folk learns that a bloodthirsty vampire has moved into the nearby castle, they all agree that, in spite of her fear and self-doubt, Garlic is the obvious choice to confront him. And with everyone counting on her, Garlic reluctantly agrees to face the mysterious vampire, hoping she has what it takes. 

After all, garlic drives away vampires... right?


My Thoughts:

Garlic is one of several bewitched vegetable-people that were brought to life by Witch Agnes to help tend the garden and help at market. The veggie-folk enjoy their simple yet busy life but when they discover that a vampire is occupying an abandoned castle nearby, they volunteer overly-anxious Garlic to go and discover any dastardly deeds the vampire may have planned for the village-folk.


This is the absolute CUTEST!

It has all the Autumn / Harvest Season vibes, fantastic characters and illustrations, and just a hint of suspense that makes it perfect for a not-so-spooky 'Spooky Season'. Despite the summary, this middle-grade graphic novel has a vampire but is not at all scary. It has a lovely focus on friendships, courage, and enjoying the little things in life. 
It's a wholesome little graphic novel with a happy ending and I recommend it to all ages! 

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The Animal Adventure's Guide by Susie Spikol (Children's Nonfiction Book Review)

 We received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

The Animal Adventurer's Guide:
How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-handed -- 50 Activities to Get Wild With Animals
by Susan Spikol
Illustrations by Becca Hall
Published by Roost Books
on September 13, 2022
Genre: Children's, Nonfiction
Length: 144 pages
Ages: 5 - 9 years

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Synopsis:
Calling all animal lovers! 50 hands-on activities and adventures that bring you closer to wild animals than you've ever been. 

With 50 interactive activities that include talking like a chickadee, learning to sniff like a snake, and making your own fossils--this is your guide to having fun-filled adventures that will bring you up close and personal with the wild creatures right outside your door. 


Our Thoughts:

A fantastic guide for connecting with nature and wildlife! 

This fantastic guide for kids reminds us to pay attention, practice kindness, stay safe, and to leave nature better than you found it.
It's filled with facts, diy activities, prompts for field journaling, and more, and has chapters specific to birds, mammals, herps, arthropods, and other invertebrates so your child can find and observe their favorite critters! 

The activities range in age group so this would be perfect for multiple age children or kids with differing skill sets. Some are as easy as making toilet paper roll binoculars while others have lengthy instructions and multiple steps. 

This adventure guide is perfect for children and families that love being outdoors or want to get closer to nature, armed with the safest ways to get out, observe, and interact with the wildlife around us. It will definitely prompt you to get out there and to have fun learning! 

"The small things in nature--the things we can hold, touch, or lie down next to and watch closely--these are the things that open our hearts as children. These are what remind us of our connection to one another."

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Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez & Gabriela Epstein (Middle Grade Graphic Novel Review)

Invisible
Written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Illustrated by Gabriela Epstein
Published by Scholastic
on August 2, 2022
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary, Graphic Novel
+ English/Spanish Bilingual Book
Length: 208 pages
Ages: 10+ years

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Synopsis:
For fans of Twins and Allergic, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service... and may just have more in common than they thought. 

How can you be yourself when no one sees the real you?

Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella, and Gaby Epstein, illustrator of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, have created a vibrant and relatable graphic novel about unexpected friendships and being seen for who you really are. 



My Thoughts:

A group of Spanish-speaking students at Conrad Middle School is forced to work together on a community service project that eventually brings them together and shows them the hardships that can befall anyone at any time. 

This is being shared as a modern-day 'Breakfast Club' but instead of a ragtag group of kids in detention, this wonderful graphic novel is about a group of Spanish-speaking kids that are persuaded to work together to boost their school's community volunteer hours, where they discover a family truly in need. Despite their differences, these empathetic young ones learn to work together to solve the dilemma and try to stay out of trouble in the meantime. 

This is such a heartwarming story with great character development and a happy ending but I especially loved that it is a BILINGUAL BOOK! Yes, I had to 'shout' that because I've yet to come across any book that shares the majority of its dialogue in another language, WITH TRANSLATIONS, and as someone that is fascinated by languages and actively learning to read Spanish, this was a beautiful thing to see and read. We really do need more books like this! 

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