Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
Book Awards, Editorial Reviews & More!
A superbly told, poignant tale that is filled with heart and soul. Matt is a self-conscious, introverted teen from a stable, caring family. Lia is a free spirited girl carrying greater burdens than her carefree demeanor would ever let on. When the two of them meet, their connection is instantaneous. However, between Matt’s taunting peers […]
An inspiring book for early teens. Bricktown Boys is a highly relatable story about a pre-teen boy named Sam who wants to get his football team started more than he wants to study for his math exams. Sam’s mom seems to be on an endless loop of lowlife boyfriends and bad choices. As an escape
An exciting and enjoyable out-of-this-world adventure! In a future where food is produced via a 3-D printer-cooker and space travel is not uncommon, a young girl becomes the center of an intergalactic prognostication. A visitor from the planet Kryg gives twelve-year-old Sam a device that enables her to travel to their planet, where she finds
One character. Two storylines. In order to pursue a revolutionary political movement, Gareth-Nada diverges from the course that his family had set out for him. His trajectory would have included an education that positioned him to have a greater share in the prosperous family business, but he chooses to pursue a revolutionary political movement. Joining
A book that early-teen readers will absolutely devour. Some people eat their feelings, but fourteen-year-old Cat Anderson bakes them… literally! This peppy tale begins on the most epic last day of summer vacation. Cat and her bestie/cousin have a big day planned that revolves around sunshine, awesome hair, and boys. Everything is falling into place
America has just suffered the greatest attack it has ever seen. An international group of enemies, including many sleeper cells within the country’s borders, have begun the process of overtaking the country through the coordinated use of dirty bombs, prison camps, and the destruction of the nation’s infrastructure. Although only twelve years old, James survives
Dazzling teen novel gives off an Ally Condie or Scott Westerfield vibe. “A few noses wrinkled as if ugliness smelled bad.” For Alina, this treatment from her peers is part of her daily routine in Pria. Why can’t she be as wonderful as all the other girls her age? Why is she the only one
Will entertain all, while thoughtfully touching on important modern-day topics. Most young girls dream of becoming a princess. For sixteen-year-old Devina, she has no need to dream, for she was born into such a privileged role. Despite everything that she seems to have going for her, Devina finds every day to be a struggle. Though
Once upon a time, on an island far, far away, lived the lovely Princess Soraia. Her mother had died years earlier and her father Netuno, the King and a mighty man of the sea, is away most of the time. For company, Soraia has only her aging lady-in-waiting and a compassionate jester. As the days
A mystery that will appeal to middle school aged readers, or to anyone that enjoys a light and fun sleuth story. Summer is a busy time for the coastal town of Asbury, especially with the Food Network in town featuring local restaurants. Brady’s, the town’s most popular eatery, faces some competition as a new restaurant
How to Improve Study Habits centers, as the title suggests, on helping students to study better. A few of the main points highlighted in the text include understanding and improving study skills, finding appropriate places to study, avoiding excessive studying, and a chapter dedicated to online learning, which has especially become an important topic in
Nelson Mandela famously said, “The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.” This incontrovertible truth takes on a new light in Br. Dan O’Riordan’s inspiring collection of true stories. Never too Young to Change the World is packed full of real-life examples of young people taking advantage of their youth and serving a higher
A life-affirming story that will help us all become a little more human. Kokab is a bit of an anomaly in her world of unfeeling beings. She is tasked with the unenviable job of embracing imperfect human nature and experiencing erratic feelings that are so common on Earth. And if she fails, her people could
A wonderfully unique world filled with timeless themes. Based on a timeless literary classic, A Queen’s Throne: The Iron Lotus Series Book 1 tells the story of Zhēnzhū Méilí as she comes to grips with a recent transition from wealth to poverty in an intriguing, steampunk-infused Asian setting. Zhēnzhū is the eldest of four sisters
Heartbreaker proves its namesake in this highly emotional, disturbing and bewitching book. We are all shaped by our experiences. For Addie, these experiences have shaped her into a hero for her people. Addie returns to her home and finds that time has not been kind to Decim. Monsters have ravaged the land and her grandmother
Ash is having a bit of an identity crisis. And not the kind that causes one to question their long-held beliefs or quit their job. Ash is struggling to figure out who he actually is. What he does know for sure is that trouble is in store for the planet and that New York will
In Aston Vazeto’s world there are two kinds of people, Donors and Recipients. The Recipients are an elite group isolated from the rest of humanity. The Donors sell their antibody rich blood to Recipients on the other side of a protective wall in exchange for money at elaborate auctions, and are completely dependent on their
Christopher D. Ochs channels Stephen King in this unexpected and entirely unique urban fantasy novel. My Friend Jackson is a wild and wonderful tale that straddles the line between powerful contemporary fiction and offbeat urban fantasy. The story centers around Jasmine Price and her difficult transition to a new high school. Having come from the
A well-balanced and creative fantasy novel. Macy Steward helps her parents run a Safekeeper Center out of their mountaintop home. It’s a weighty job considering that she’s also a high-school kid trying to make it through adolescence unscathed. An unusual family with many surprising skills, the Stewards provide the highly exceptional service of facilitating opportunities
Brilliantly conceived and perfectly executed fantasy story. In a land ruled by fear and steeped in ceremony and long-held beliefs, young Galen struggles to find out where and how he fits in. To his father, the boy is meant to carry on with family tradition and become a fisherman. For Galen, his wild imagination and
What happens when special becomes normal and normal becomes less than? In Special by Chino Chakanga, this idea is explored through the lens of teenaged Hope, or Hopeless as her antagonizing schoolmates like to call her. Hope is known as one of the ‘maladroit’ among her peers. These ungifted kids have either manifested undesirable abilities,
An imaginative debut novel, The Earth is My Prison by Richard Sean Clare is a dystopian delight! After an alien attack has ravaged the planet, the inmates of Highgate have made a life inside the relative safety of the prison. Chris ‘Tag’ Anderson is just turning 21. That means he’s seen only the inside of
A fresh choice for an eerie fantasy novel that parallels the moral choices we face. Heartmender by V. Romas Burton is a fantasy novel with a unique premise and lofty moral overtones. Adelaide Tye lives in the land of Barracks where the human heart passes for currency. Most hearts are small and gray, but those
Daisy, Bold & Beautiful is a delightful story about an inspiring young girl It must be some kind of cruel trick, right? First day in a new school after moving into a cramped new place on April Fool’s Day? What middle-schooler wouldn’t be anxious? For DJ, the anxiety over her first day at Kirkland Heights
