Reviews written by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer

One of my favorite genres to read has to be thrillers and mysteries. NEARLY GONE is both these with a math/science twist. What worked: The mystery behind who was plotting the murders and why they seem to point toward Nearly had me wondering. I liked...

Unique twist on a tale of lost and acceptance. I loved the premise of a teen writing letters to famous dead individuals that reminded her of her dead sister. Dellaira breathes life into each of these letters by giving readers a glimpse into the world of Laurel who...

I admit it. The packaging to END TIMES totally got my interest. I also love stories that show characters struggling with their faith or lack of it. So I opened the first page and was hooked. This isn't the typical end of the world novel but is...

What's to love? It's part Quantum Leap, part Dr. Who,and even some Somewhere in Time mixed into one gripping tale. I'm a huge fan of time travel novels but this one is a little different. Alex can travel back in time by accessing Limbo(a...

I totally didn't think I could love a book character more than Daemon from Jennifer Armentrout's LUX series. Boy was I wrong! WHITE HOT KISS has seventeen-year-old Layla, living between two worlds. She's half demon and half Warden. Wardens are gargoyles who...

I was really excited to be able to get a galley of Fire & Flood. I enjoyed Scott's Dante series but this new series is different. What worked: Fire & Flood is a fast-paced dystopian novel with a likeable heroine who joins a race where the...

I'm a huge fan of Janet Gurtler's contemporary YA novels. Her latest 16 Things I Thought Were True shows us Morgan who is horrified after a video of her dancing in boy's undies surfaces. Then she gets a text from her twin brothers that her mother is in the...

The latest Beth Fehlbaum novel tackles a combination of sensitive subjects: eating disorders, abuse, cyberbullying, and suicide. What worked: The first chapter had me feel like a fly on the wall witnessing the careful facade of a conservative political candidate's family being rip off with...

1983 Berlin. The Cold War was winding down and a ominous fence divided one city. East and West. One side equaled freedom while the other oppression. GOING OVER is one amazing glimpse into the lives of Ada and her love, Stefan. Ada is...

Loud Awake and Lost is the intriguing glimpse into the life of a survivor of a car accident trying to pick up the pieces of her life. Seventeen-year-old Ember Leferrier doesn't remember much that lead up to her horrific accident that nearly took her life. Only bits and...

I'm a huge fan of Francesca Lia Block's poetic voice which resonates throughout most of her novels. Her latest introduces readers to Julie right after the loss of her beloved grandmother. If that wasn't bad enough, her mother is fired from her job and they have to move...

I've heard amazing things about UNINVITED and knew I just HAD to read this novel. Let me tell you all: This book delivers! What worked: Jordan opens by showing readers Davy's 'privileged' world. She's a music prodigy, rich, attends an exclusive private high school, and is...

I’m a huge fan of author Heidi Kling’s ebook serial The Spellspinners. Kling casts a spell on readers by bringing her characters to life. Nothing cliché or stereotypical with her witches and warlocks of Melas! **Love the twist on this Northern Californian town's name. Melas is Salem spelled...

One of my goals for this year is to read more YA romances. I admit, I'm a huge fan of bittersweet love stories. I also love when a book digs deep within each character and reveals not only strengths but vulnerabilities. Plus, of course chemistry between the...

Jed is a zombie or rather cardiovascularly-challenged teen, who's rapier humor helps him challenge the horrors of middle school. There is so much to love about this book: the humor, the very real situations such as fitting in to asking a girl out on a date. Jed's upbeat...