via GIPHY

The Seven Torments of Amy and Craig by Don Zolidis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was just what I needed to read. It was a laugh out loud, read lines to my coworkers and giggle together kind of book that also called to mind A Brief History of the Girl Next Door and Why We Broke Up . As Craig says in the very beginning, this is not a story where the two people end up together. And yet, it is still a love story that ends up also being, at it's very core, a coming of age story. Featuring a wonderfully odd, self-described social outcast, this book follows Craig throughout his senior year of high school as he finally finds a girlfriend, the pretty, popular, and shoo-in for valedictorian Amy. Of course, as the title implies, they break up. Seven times. Told in a non-sequential order, each chapter features a moment during their senior year. Their 5th break-up. Their first kiss. How they met. When they meet each other's families. Throughout the year, each family also has their own dramas to deal with and Craig eventually has to face the fact that he might not know Amy (or himself) as well as he thought.

Highly recommend for grades 9 and up. There is some language, and some sexual content. Fun fact: it is set in the mid-90s, so as a reader, I loved that aspect, but I would guess that some of our current readers might not find it as funny as I did. :)

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We'll Fly Away by Bryan Bliss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book. All the stars to this outstanding novel about friendship, life, struggle, redemption, and the essential question of what defines a person: a solitary moment in their life, or the rest of the days leading up to it.

I don't know how I heard about this book, but I put it on hold at the library and was surprised when it was there waiting for me the other day. I almost didn't make time for it (why would I when I couldn't remember who had recommended it or what rabbit trail led me to it), but on a whim I started it. A few hours later, I was almost finished with it and blown away. This is a raw, tension filled look at two friends and what happens when they try to convince themselves that they can save each other, no matter what.

I've already recommended it to other high school librarians I know. First purchase material, in my opinion. Recommended for grades 10-12 due to language, some sexual content, and violence.

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A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tabby and Matty have been friends since before they even were aware of each other. Neighbors, best friends, basically family. And now, as they head into high school together, Matty wonders if he will ever be able to tell her that he loves her. Of course not, because the whole "rom-com" aspect is NOT his reality. Plus, Tabby is dating Liam Branson, the one of the best guys in the school (if not THE best guy in the school). And there's no way Matty can compete with him.

You guys, this book was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. It was funny. It was sad. It was so real it hurt. The characters are people you want to know and I can't believe I didn't get more time with them. Warning: there are sad moments. So be prepared. Also, even though the characters are freshman, I'm not sure about placing this in a middle school library. There is a lot of language and mention of boners-nothing gratuitous, but something to consider. That being said, it is my early favorite read of 2018.

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After The Shot Drops by Randy Ribay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Man, this was a good book.

I have had this in my collection (a 6-8 building) for awhile, and have had VERY little traffic with it. Mainly because there is no AR test to go along with it, so many of my kiddos have no incentive to pick it up (that is a HUGE sidenote discussion I don't want to get into here, but it is a thing and Yes, it is frustrating). Anyway, the reason it finally moved up my TBR stack to defcon status is because my Scholastic Book Fair rep told me that this fall they are stocking some "mature" titles and this was one of them. There 's no way I can put this out at my fair without reading it and being able to discuss its merits with my teachers, students, admin, and parents. So, I picked it up.

Cons: there is some language in this book. Like, F-word language, more than 10 times. Not every page, and not gratuitous, but there. The other, main concern, for me, was the casual references to smoking pot. Now, this is mainly done only by one character (the other ones decline) and this character is considered to be the bad influence. STILL, this is something to be aware of if you are including this in a middle school collection.

Pros: SO VERY MANY. This is a story that makes the reader question what we owe others and if that outweighs what we owe ourselves. Do we have the responsibility to take care of someone, even when they are continuing to make bad choices? At what point are we OK with saying we are cutting ties with them? It is incredibly well-written and so, so, so good.

Bunny Thompson is a phenomenal basketball player. So, last year, when he transferred from his local high school to play for the private school across town, some of his old friends were hurt. Disappointed. Betrayed. But Bunny knows that the opportunities he has there (equipment, access, facilities, games, exposure) will pay off in the long run when he is able to go to college and maybe even the NBA, which will allow him to provide for his family. Plus, being at St. Sebastian's gives him a world-class education.

Nasir is the friend he left behind at Whitmore. Nas can't understand why Bunny would leave them all behind and doesn't want to be his friend anymore. He can't stand him. And he doesn't care about the whys, all he knows is that he got left behind. Plus now, his cousin Wallace is about to be evicted and nobody is willing to help him out. No one is pulling any strings for him, giving him any special chances, nothing. So when Wallace has an idea that would help him get ahead, and only hurt Bunny in the short-term, Nas has to decide what he is willing to sacrifice.

Highly recommend. Most likely appropriate for grades 8 and up.

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Internment by Samira Ahmed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many, many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title. All opinions are my own. I requested it after seeing the cover on a Booklist Webinar featuring upcoming titles and the cover (and author) were enough to hook me. Once I read the blurb for the story, I knew this had the potential to be amazing. And, spoiler alert, it is. Samira Ahmed has crafted a story that will haunt you, shake you, inspire you, and leave you with a completely unsettled feeling deep in your gut. This is a must-read, first-purchase kind of book. I shared bits and pieces of it with some of my teaching colleagues and they are all clamoring for me to lend out my copy. I can't wait to pass it along and encourage my high school counterparts in the district to order copies. It's my tentative pick for a fall book club read next year.

Layla and her parents are taken in the middle of the night to an internment camp in the middle of the desert in California. For some time now there has been rumblings that something like this could happen: first there was the rhetoric of the campaign and presidential election, then the fears about immigrants, then the restricted liberties, then the book burnings, and now the camps. Turned in by their own answers on a recent census, Layla's family is being sent to a camp with all the others who identify as Muslim. There, the situation quickly becomes real and dire. There are armed guards, the Exclusion Guard. There are camp minders, people who turn on and report their neighbors. And a Director, a man who is thriving on his unchecked power. Layla knows that they can't survive here. While her parents encourage her to keep her head down and make the best of the situation, she refuses to do so. Instead, she chooses to resist.

I can't recommend this book enough. It was incredible.

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Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

Holy cats, was this a good one. All the stars to this fast-paced mystery/thriller (almost slasher flick-feeling) roller coaster of a book. I picked this up because I wanted to see what McManus would do after her debut One of Us Is Lying , which is a good book on its own, but in my opinion, this is where she has really started to shine as an author. The story is tightly packed, the intrigue is there, the characters are as nuanced as you want them to be in a thriller, and you are still guessing up until the end. I can't wait to get this in my library collection and start handing it out to readers. I had originally put it on my order when I started it, but after reading over 80% of it in one night, I ended up putting more copies on my order because I KNOW it will be that popular. Highly recommend.

Ellery and her brother Ezra are heading back to Sadie (their mom's) hometown, a place she couldn't wait to escape. Partly because of how trapped she felt, but also because of the memories of her sister who was taken and never found. Years later, Sadie's favorite babysitter's daughter is also found murdered, and the town develops a dark and sordid reputation. They had all hoped it was in the past, but now there are threatening messages around town with the Homecoming princesses as the new targets.

When Lacey Kilduff was found dead, her boyfriend Declan was the main suspect, even though nothing ever came of it. Now, his younger brother Malcolm is a senior in high school and suffering from the same fate as the Homecoming draws closer and his friends, step-sister, and their circle all deal with the tension of worrying if a killer has returned, or if a new one is stepping up to take his place.

Like I said, I highly recommend this read. Give to fans of The Naturals series, or those who are ready to make the jump from April Henry to actual thrillers. Suitable for grades 8 and up (there is some language, and some kissing; there is no sex and the violence is not graphic).


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Sadie by Courtney Summers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every once in a while you read a book and it just resonates with you. The writing, the style, the characters, everything just WORKS, and you leave it feeling renewed with the sense that this is what reading is supposed to be. An escape into a world that you can both recognize and be horrified by, a descent into a story that leaves you captivated and also so very, very unsure. Courtney Summers has done that and more with this story. I loved it. This was incredibly well-done and along the lines of books I consider to be required reading for those interested in YA literature and contemporary issues.

Told in two alternating narratives (a podcast called The Girls and a first-person, present tense account from Sadie), this is the story of the search for Sadie and where she went. Sadie's sister Mattie was murdered a year ago, and now Sadie is on the road looking for vengeance. Of course, as we learn from the podcast episodes, something has gone wrong and now Sadie can't be found.

To say more about the plot line would be to give spoilers and ruin some of the experience. So, just trust me: you want to read this book. Highly recommend. For those considering purchase for classroom or school libraries: I would say this is appropriate for grades 10 and up due to language, situations, and sexual abuse content.

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Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book SOOOO MUCH. It was everything I wanted from a continuation of this series and more. I loved getting back into the world of Sector 45, and hearing from both Warner and Juliette was amazing. The twists and turns in this book were great. The only complaint I have is that the ending left me open-mouthed and speechless, searching for more pages, chapters, paragraphs, anything. And the realization that I have to wait for the next book is crushing.

Highly recommend. Suitable for grades 9 and up due to some language and sexual situations.

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Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic fantasy read. I had heard a ton of hype and buzz about it before it was published and from various other bloggers and friends on social media. Then, it was chosen for Jimmy Fallon's Summer Book Read for 2018, and I finally snagged a copy of it from our local high school library. I am so glad that I did! This was a classic fantasy in that it has a girl with untapped powers, a ruling class determined to eradicate those on lower social scales, and magic. It is nontraditional in that it features many aspects of West African culture and mythology. I loved all of those additions, including the language and spells used by the main characters. The ending was a nailbiting cliffhanger and I can't WAIT for the next book. I am going to be adding this to my middle school collection as well-there is no inappropriate language, no sexual content, and no (graphic) violence. Highly recommend.

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The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this one so so much. This is an early front runner for my favorite book of 2018. Mason Buttle is a kid who might seem hard to like: he doesn't always know what to say, he lives in a crumbledown house, and he regularly sweats through his shirt by lunch. But he does have friends. Ms. Blinney in the SWOOF (Social Work Office) and Calvin, the new kid in school. And he used to have a best friend, Benny. But Benny died. And now the police officer keeps asking Mason to tell him what happened. Mason has gone over and over it with him, but the police officer thinks there must be more to the story. Asks Mason to write it down for him. Not that that will help Mason keep it all straight. So, with the death of his old friend hanging over his head, and an accident that happens to his new friend, Mason thinks there might be some sort of bad luck following him around. And he might just deserve it.

This is a fantastic story about what it means to be a good friend and a good person. Mason is a character you will want to root for even when he doesn't know how to root for himself. His family is a collection of misfits who still love each other, in spite of and because of their downfalls. Highly recommend. Suitable for grades 5-8.

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The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

This was AMAZING. There's really no other way to say it. I have been a fan of Gemeinhart since I first read The Honest Truth a few years ago, and have enjoyed many of other books. His writing style is so fantastic for middle grade readers. The stories are poignant, the characters are interesting, and the books always, always, tug on your heart-strings. I loved this. It could easily be one of my favorite reads so far this year. I would call this a first purchase, must-buy kind of book. Highly recommend, for all the reasons, for all the readers.

Coyote and Rodeo (don't call him her DAD, that's not what they do anymore) have been on the road in Yager, a big yellow school bus, for five years. It's been that long since the accident that took Coyote's mom and her two sisters. That long since they stayed in any one place. That long since they allowed themselves to look back and remember the past. Because as Rodeo says, it's a "no-go." And his no-gos are non-negotiable. But now, Coyote has found out that their old hometown is going to tear down a local park, the park where she and her sisters and her mother buried a memory box. One they were going to dig up in 10 years. One they would come back to and open together. So now Coyote is on a mission to get back to Washington State (she gets the news in Florida) and she has a strict deadline. And she has to do it without her dad figuring it out. No big deal, right?

Along the way, Coyote and Rodeo pick up some other travelers, all carrying their own baggage and their own stories. And as they travel across the country, Coyote has to figure out what she is willing to risk in order to make her own rules. To make her own "no-gos."

This is an incredible story of how one deals with grief and what it means to let go of the past. I cannot recommend this story enough and am so glad I got to read it.

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How We Roll by Natasha Friend
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I burned through this book in an afternoon. I loved it-the characters, the storyline, the writing. I can't wait to get a copy for my library and start handing it off to kids. It is a great Middle Grade appropriate book about some very YA issues. I would say this is a definite first purchase for middle school libraries.

Quinn is actually a little relieved when her family up and moves across country from Boulder Colorado to Massachusetts. Her 8th grade year was a major suckfest (according to her) and she hopes that starting 9th grade someplace new will make all the difference. Well, not just starting someplace new, but starting somewhere where people don't already know her and finally feeling OK with using Guinevere. Her long, red-haired wig. Of course, she could also use Sasha, but she thinks that Guinevere is the better choice. This way no one has to know about her alopecia. And she won't have to worry about bothering her parents with her absurdly normal problems when they have more important things to deal with, like her brother Julius, who is on the spectrum. In fact, he's the real reason they moved-so they could send him to a better school. But Quinn isn't sure she likes not telling her new friends the truth about herself. Of if she even likes Guinevere all that much. And, she also doesn't want to screw things up with her new friends by being friends with one of their ex-boyfriends, even if that is all she is with Nick. The boy in the wheelchair. With no legs. He was in an accident earlier and nothing has been the same for him since. Quinn knows what that is like, but she doesn't really want to share too much about herself. Not yet, anyway. But, making friends and starting relationships requires trust. Something she has to figure out.

Again, highly recommend. This was a great story and it cements Friend as one of my "go-to" authors.

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The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Holy cow, I loved this book. It was so, so good. There were so many things to love within it: the characters, the struggles, the writing, the beautiful way that Braden is able to take the complex issues (poverty, domestic abuse, gun control) and write about them in ways that are totally accessible for middle grade readers and in ways that allow for multiple points of view and perspectives. There were so many times reading this that I stopped and paused, savoring over a turn of phrase or a way an idea was presented. Highly recommend. A first purchase type of book for all school and classroom libraries.

Zoey doesn't have time to worry about homework, or debate club, or even having friends. She worries about picking up her younger siblings from the Head Start bus, making it to her mom's shift at work on time to get the baby home, and making sure they all have dinner and stay out of Frank and Lenny's way at the trailer. She loves octopuses (you don't have to say "octopi" you know), and uses their many adaptations and skills to try to figure out how to maneuver her own life. Camouflage? Check. Multiple tentacles to wrangle kids? Check. The ability to scrunch up so small you aren't even noticed? Check. But when her Social Studies teacher tells her that sometimes you just have to suck it up, Zoey begins to realize that maybe she can make some other choices. And while they aren't easy, at least they're hers.

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Grenade by Alan Gratz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I managed to snag an early copy of this from my Scholastic Book Fair rep and I am so, so, so glad I did. This was amazing. All of Gratz's books are incredibly popular in my middle school (grades 6-8) library and this one will be no different. I can't keep them on the shelves and my only question now is how many copies of this I should order. I know it will be a huge hit at the upcoming book fair and I am glad to have another stellar book to offer my readers.

Grenade tells the story of the Battle of Okinawa from two perspectives: Ray, a young marine from Nebraska who is on his first tour, and Hideki, a 14 year old boy in Okinawa who has been conscripted to join a young branch of the military. These two characters are on a collision course with each other across this small island, and when they meet, their actions will change everything. With alternating chapters and points of view, Gratz does what he always does so well with historical fiction: he takes characters and places and makes the reader realize that there aren't just two sides to every story. There isn't just a victor and a victim. There ins't a right and a wrong. There is always a middle ground, a place of understanding, and a place of compassion. Plus, his author's note at the end includes great information on the history of the battle, the island itself, how it rebuilt, and the language choices he made.

Highly recommend. This is a first purchase for all library collections that serve middle grade readers.

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City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was fantastic. I had heard from a couple of my "bookish" friends on Twitter that it was one to check out, and I am SO GLAD I listened to them. This was classic middle grade gold: strong storyline, great characters, a bit of spookiness, some humor, some tension, NO romance and NO language. Loved it. Can't wait to get it in the library and hand it off to some readers.

Cassidy Blake can see ghosts. Her best friend is a ghost, so that works out. Her parents are ghost hunters, even though they don't really know about her ability to cross the Veil and they aren't sure how much they believe about Jacob the ghost. He's more of an imaginary friend to them. Cassidy is ready for a summer free of ghosts, traveling to the beach, but then her parents change their mind and share their new plans with her: they are traveling to Scotland to shoot the first episode of their new TV series about the most haunted places on earth.

Once there, Cassidy has to try to keep herself in the land of the living (for the most part). She also meets Lara, a fellow "in-betweener" who can cross the Veil. Lara tells her their purpose is to send the ghosts on, which Cassidy didn't realize was part of the deal. And, the Red Raven, a soul-stealer of sorts, is after Cassidy. All of this leads to a city-wide adventure with life or death stakes.

Highly recommend. Appropriate for grades 5-8.

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Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastically spooky read. While it is written for middle school readers (I'd say grades 5-8) it was still one that left me creeped out at times. Highly recommend.

Ollie doesn't want to have any friends, she doesn't want to have any interests, and she doesn't want to go with her class on the trip to the local farm. What she does want to do is read; it's the only thing that has made her escape reality in the year and a half since her mother passed away. It is this love of books that makes her blindly reach out and stop a strange woman at the river who is trying to throw an old book away. Instead, Ollie grabs it and is immediately sucked into the old, strange story of the Webster family and the deal they made with the Smiling Man. So imagine Ollie's surprise when she gets to the farm, sees the current Ms. Webster, and realizes she is the woman from the river. Something isn't right, and when the bus breaks down on the way home, Ollie, Coco, and Brian are the only three who try to escape. Now, it's up to them to figure out a way to save their classmates and find a way home out of the Shadow World.

This was a great story-spooky, fantastical, and a stirring look at the reality of grief. Highly recommend.

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Hooper by Geoff Herbach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OK, I RARELY read sports books. And when I do, I NEVER give them 5 star reviews. Usually because in order for it to be a true sports book, and not just a realistic fiction book with a team in it, the plays have to be pretty heavy handed, the dialogue and the storyline suffer (in my opinion), and the characters are flat outside of their athletic ability.

This was not that type of sports book.

Yes, there were plays. Yes the main character was good at sports. Yes, there were plenty of team dynamics. But this was more than just about winning a championship. This was about what it means to be part of a team and what you have to do to earn a spot as a teammate, and more importantly, as a friend. I can not wait to get back to school and recommend this to my students and staff. I am already planning on ordering extra copies. Highly recommend.

Adam Reed wasn't always Reed. Before he was Adam Sobieski, a Polish kid abandoned by his father in Warsaw. Now, he has been adopted by Renata and has figured out that he is actually pretty good at basketball. Especially since he's only been playing two years. Even with all of his skills on the court, he still isn't completely accepted at school. But all of that is about to change when Carli, the local college's coaches' daughter takes note of him and decides to help him improve his game. This leads to a spot on an elite traveling team with a group of guys who have been playing together forever. The D1 Fury is all about responsibility and the players have to sign an extensive conduct agreement. When one of the key players is kicked out due to a misunderstanding with the police, social media blows up. And Adam has to figure out what he is willing to risk in order to stand up for what is right.

Like I said, this is a highly recommended, first purchase book in my opinion. Give it to kids who like sports books. Give it to kids who want to read about someone learning to stand up for what is right. Give it to kids to get them ready for All American Boys & The Hate U Give .

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Checked by Cynthia Kadohata
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic read. I picked it up because I am always trying to read a few of the sports books we have on the shelves in my library (they aren't what I normally gravitate towards) and this one had a blurb on the back from Jason Reynolds. That was more than enough for me to choose this one for my Thanksgiving weekend read in the car.

Connor is a hockey kid. He lives for hockey, practicing multiple times a week and getting ready for tryouts for a new AAA team. His dad has sacrificed a lot for him to be able to play, to practice, to take lessons, etc. Besides hockey, the only thing Connor really has in his life is his dog Sinbad. But now, Sinbad has cancer. And his cop dad cries at night. And money is super tight. Connor knows he will have to make some hard choices, and that things might not turn out the way he wants, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't work hard and give it his all.

Highly recommend. This is a great sports book, but it is also a great realistic fiction book about a family and the choices we have to make to support one another.

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24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Edelweiss Plus and the publisher for providing me with an advance eARC of this for review. All opinions are my own.

This was so good everyone. Sooooooo good. I had really high hopes for it after reading and loving Bowling's first novel Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and this completely exceeded them. I loved that while it is still a MG novel that focuses on the power of friendship and what happens when you stick up for yourself and your friends, this one was even more. It was a feel good story wrapped up in an exciting adventure that takes a group of kids, who aren't even friends at first, into an abandoned mine in a mountain that has seen the deaths of multiple people. These kids survive a cave-in and then have to try to find their way out, all while also looking for gold (that they think is just a rumor) to try to bribe the town bully. Kids are going to love this. So will the adults in their lives. I can't recommend it enough. Bowling has taken the idea of adventure literature, infused it with heart and oomph, without tarnishing any of the recklessness of adventure.

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