Reviews written by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer

What worked: Engaging tale of the drama behind Prom. Secrets, betrayals, bullying, and gossip come together for a darker coming-of-age story. Readers are sure to relate with seventeen-year-old Bree Hughes as she gets to be on the Prom court only after one person declines after being...

What worked: This sequel is even better than the first book! The story continues after Cora, Lucky, and Mali fail to escape from the alien cage. There's nail biting tension right off the start! Great pacing and suspense with romance woven throughout. Once again,...

What worked: The whole twist on the murdered-girl-stuck-in-limbo-with unresolved business premise. In this case the afterlife is the Mall of America. The voice is quirky and hilarious. The twists include: defeated spirits roaming zombie-like through the Mall for years; a God that is in fact two children-a boy...

What worked: This is the perfect book for Guinness World of Records fans. This book goes over amazing body records. The photos show some body records that are equally fascinating and bizarre. Here's a few facts that are included in this book: ...

Fourteen-year-old Eden always was the 'good' girl. She was in band, never questioned rules, and was a book nerd. That all changed one night when her older brother's best friend sneaks into her room and brutally rapes her. Her life is shattered and she can't make sense...

When Nicola, 'Nico' Cavan was four years old, her mother left and promised that she'd return. Only she didn't. Now fifteen, Nico finds something that links her missing mother to grunge star Kurt Cobain. She thinks he's her father and when she returns from a trip to...

Pearl is seventeen and lives on and off the streets of Manhattan with her drug addict former rock star mother. After a tragedy hits, her rich uncle sends Pearl to an elite boarding school for another chance. She seizes on this opportunity as it means she'll be off the...

Dill, Travis, and Lydia are the so-called outcasts of a small rural Tennessee town which was named after a leader of the KKK. Each one has their own story. Dill deals with the aftermath of his Pastor father's fall from grace. Travis escapes from his abusive father...

Sixteen-year-old Lizzie Stroller's life suddenly changes when a severe stomach pain lands her in the hospital. After being in a cancer unit, she fears the worse. Nothing prepares her though for an illness she never heard of. While there, she falls for the mysterious cute volunteer who...

Think of a darker THIRTEEN REASONS WHY. In this case Cody blames herself for the suicide of her BFF. After finding a troubling email that hints that there might have been something more sinister behind the death, she sets out to find out the truth. What she finds is troubling...

Rosie Sinclair wants to be part of the cut of special students who will be chosen to stay at the prestigious Forge School of Arts. Here their lives are televised and their blimp rating determines if they stay, get financial backing from sponsors, and other perks. But something...

What worked: This is a fast-paced ride through the streets of Paris. Anyone who loves Paris is sure to enjoy this tween treasure hunt. There are some brief historical facts of Parisian landmarks throughout. Gwen seems like a typical tourist on a trip to...

Hazel has everything going for her until she catches her so-called BFF with her boyfriend. What's a girl to do? Then her former BFF's brother Felix comes up with a plan to get revenge. The plan is almost perfect until Hazel feels a strong attraction to Felix....

Moss hates her life at the Tower of London. Her father is the King's executioner and her job is to collect the decapitated heads and place them in a basket. She longs to be free of the horror but her father refuses to let her go. Then...

One thing I'm very passionate about is having diversity in children and YA literature. I especially feel it's important that there are stories that mirror reader's cultures. In the case of SHADOWSHAPER we are introduced to Sierra Santiago who lives around Brooklyn and likes to hang with her...