Reviews written by Olivia Farr, Assistant Blog Manager & Staff Reviewer

SCHOOL TRIP is a charming installment in the DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WITCH series. This latest chapter book prepares the way for the exciting (and nerve-wracking) sixth grade class trip. The students, and particularly Bea, are eager to know where they will be going, although all the teachers are particularly...

DEATH AT MORNING HOUSE is a riveting YA mystery/suspense that kept me hooked from the start. The story follows Marlowe, a teen whose life seemed to rapidly spiral after her date with her dream girl ended up going up in flames - literally. Horribly ashamed and planning to do plenty...

THIS RAVENOUS FATE was a lush and riveting YA fantasy. The story follows Elise and Layla, who were best friends until everything changed with the death of Layla's parents and her subsequent attack on Elise. Layla had been turned into a reaper, essentially a vampire. She wants nothing more than...

BENEATH THESE CURSED STARS is a lush and engaging YA fantasy read. Jasalyn, the Shadow Princess, is still suffering from the time she spent being tortured by Mordeus and his followers. The memories plague her with nightmares, and she feels the fear always. To regain some of her power, she...

THE FRIENDLY FIRECAT is a delightful new read in the Cosmic Creatures series. Charlie and her best friend Random the robot are traveling with her brother, Maki, to visit her Aunt Leticia on the other side of the planet. Just after they arrive, their aunt whisks them off to see...

CASTLE OF THE CURSED is an intriguing dark fantasy. Estela has grown up on the road with her parents, but after a tragic accident leaves everyone on their subway car dead except Estela, she feels adrift. Dealing with survivor's guilt and the weight of her questions, she is institutionalized. However,...

THE RUNAWAY RUMBLEBEAR is a charming sci-fi chapter book. The story transports the reader to another planet, Vela, where Charlie and her family have settled. Life on a new planet can be tough- and even tougher when she finds out that all their shimmer-apples have been stolen. With her best...

MY BUSY NOISY DAY is a fun, interactive board book that goes through a day of sounds. The reader is invited to be the grown-up for a day and listen to the many sounds they might hear as they go in the car, drive past a construction site, shop at...

RICA BAPTISTA: A WEEK OF SHENANIGANS is a cute chapter book about family and fun. Rica and her BFF Laini are so excited to see Rica's Grampy. Every summer he comes for a week of fun, taking them to exciting places and doing lots of cool things with them. However,...

THE DARKNESS WITHIN US is an interesting enemies-to-lovers YA fantasy. The book is a sequel to THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US, with this story following Alessandra's sister, Chrysantha. Chrysantha learned early that it was a men's world, and she has hidden her true nature to appear simple and pliant in order...

NATURE SMARTS WORKBOOK is a fun, interactive activity book that encourages children to learn about and explore the outdoors. The workbook integrates puzzles, simple math, and writing skills to teach about animals, habitats, and more. What I loved: This was such a great and interactive...

ALL ABOARD! PLANES is another delightful installment in this informative picture book series. The book explains key information about planes and flying, such as how weather impacts flights, types of planes, and planes that made history. The book is fully illustrated with paragraphs to describe different elements of each topic....

TWO SIDES TO EVERY MURDER is a fast-paced YA thriller. The story follows two teens, Olivia and Reagan, who are each heading to Lost Lake, a camp which has been closed for about sixteen years, since three people were murdered in one night. The killer used a mask from the...

THE CALCULATION OF YOU AND ME is an overall cute YA contemporary romance. After her boyfriend of two years dumps her for not being romantic enough, Marlowe feels set adrift, but she knows she must put in the work to get him back. After she is paired with Ash for...

NEVER, EVER, EVER ASK A PIRATE TO A PARTY is a silly picture book with a story about party etiquette and friendship. A young girl is having a party, but as her guests arrive, her party is anything but perfect. The pirate will make you walk the plank and she'll...