#and the elusive leader of a band of children criminals of it all

[pu-butt]

The Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord to Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows pipeline

[caitsbooks]

Caitsbooks’s Top 10 Most Anticipated April 2019 Releases

This year is absolutely flying by. I can't believe it's April already! This month has some of my most anticipated releases of the year, with a good mix of debut novels, series starters, and continuations! My wallet may hate me this month, but I'll be very happy once all these books come out.

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April Releases

Note: These are in order of release date

April 2nd 

10. Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1) by Emily A. Duncan This book is probably my most anticipated debut novel, if not one of my most anticipated books overall for 2019. Wicked Saints has gotten a lot of hype, and after reading the ARC, I can say it deserves all of it. This book broke me, in the best possible way, and I don't think I'll ever be over it. Read my review here for more of my ranting.

"A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust. A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings. Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war. In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light."

9. Defy Me (Shatter Me #5) by Tahereh Mafi The Shatter Me series has been one of my favorites since I first read it as a trilogy back in 2015. While I was nervous at first about the series being continued, I am now 100% on board and so excited for the next installment! The Kenji novella, Shadow Me, really got my hyped for this book!

(Spoilers below for the Shatter Me series, books 1 - 4) "Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything. Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge."

8. Defy the Fates (Constellation #3) by Claudia Gray

I cannot express how excited I am for this book. I loved the first two novels, and I've been dying to find out how it all ends! If you're looking for a new sci-fi series, definitely pick this one up!!

(spoilers below for Defy the Stars and Defy the Worlds)

“Hunted and desperate. Abel only has one mission left that matters: save the life of Noemi Vidal. To do that, he not only has to escape the Genesis authorities, he also must face the one person in the galaxy who still has the means to destroy him. Burton Mansfield's consciousness lives on, desperate for a home, and Abel's own body is his last bargaining chip.  Alone in the universe. Brought back from the brink of death, Noemi Vidal finds Abel has not only saved her life, but he's made her into something else, something more. Not quite mech, yet not quite human any longer, Noemi must find her place in a universe where she is utterly unique, all while trying to create a world where anyone--even a mech--can be free. The final battle between Earth and the colony planets is here, and there's no lengths to which Earth won't go to preserve its domination over all humanity. But together, the universe's most advanced mech and its first human-mech hybrid might have the power to change the galaxy for good.”

7. The Princess and the Fangirl (Once Upon a Con #2) by Ashley Poston

This is the new companion novel to Geekerella. The first book was absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to see where Ashley Poston goes with this one!

"Imogen Lovelace is an ordinary fangirl on an impossible mission: save her favorite character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year's ExcelsiCon isn't her last, she'll consider her career derailed. When a case of mistaken identity throws look-a-likes Imogen and Jess together, they quickly become enemies. But when the script for the Starfield sequel leaks, and all signs point to Jess, she and Imogen must trade places to find the person responsible. That's easier said than done when the girls step into each other's shoes and discover new romantic possibilities, as well as the other side of intense fandom. As these "princesses" race to find the script-leaker, they must rescue themselves from their own expectations, and redefine what it means to live happily ever after. "

6. The Devouring Gray (The Devouring Gray #1) by Christine Lynn Herman

This book is one of my most anticipated debut novels of the year. People have been comparing it to The Raven Cycle, one of my all-time favorite series, so obviously I need to devour it. (Yes, I know that was a bad pun)

"On the edge of town a beast haunts the woods, trapped in the Gray, its bonds loosening… Uprooted from the city, Violet Saunders doesn’t have much hope of fitting in at her new school in Four Paths, a town almost buried in the woodlands of rural New York. The fact that she’s descended from one of the town’s founders doesn’t help much, either—her new neighbors treat her with distant respect, and something very like fear. When she meets Justin, May, Isaac, and Harper, all children of founder families, and sees the otherworldly destruction they can wreak, she starts to wonder if the townsfolk are right to be afraid. When bodies start to appear in the woods, the locals become downright hostile. Can the teenagers solve the mystery of Four Paths, and their own part in it, before another calamity strikes?"

5. You'd Be Mine by Erin Hahn

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this back in January, and it blew me away. It was so much more than I expected. This is definitely not a book to miss!

"Annie Mathers is America’s sweetheart and heir to a country music legacy full of all the things her Gran warned her about. Superstar Clay Coolidge is most definitely going to end up one of those things. But unfortunately for Clay, if he can’t convince Annie to join his summer tour, his music label is going to drop him. That’s what happens when your bad boy image turns into bad boy reality. Annie has been avoiding the spotlight after her parents’ tragic death, except on her skyrocketing YouTube channel. Clay’s label wants to land Annie, and Clay has to make it happen. Swayed by Clay’s undeniable charm and good looks, Annie and her band agree to join the tour. From the start fans want them to be more than just tour mates, and Annie and Clay can’t help but wonder if the fans are right. But if there’s one part of fame Annie wants nothing to do with, it’s a high-profile relationship. She had a front row seat to her parents’ volatile marriage and isn’t interested in repeating history. If only she could convince her heart that Clay, with his painful past and head over heels inducing tenor, isn’t worth the risk. "

April 9th 

4. Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

This book has been called a YA Game of Thrones, filled with political intrigue and mystery. This is another book that has gotten a bit of hype, and I'm looking forward to seeing if it lives up to it.

"Princess Hesina of Yan has always been eager to shirk the responsibilities of the crown, dreaming of an unremarkable life. But when her beloved father is found dead, she’s thrust into power, suddenly the queen of a surprisingly unstable kingdom. What’s more, Hesina believes that her father was murdered—and that the killer is someone close to her. Hesina’s court is packed full of dissemblers and deceivers eager to use the king’s death for political gain, each as plausibly guilty as the next. Her advisers would like her to blame the neighboring kingdom of Kendi’a, whose ruler has been mustering for war. Determined to find her father’s actual killer, Hesina does something desperate: she enlists the aid of a soothsayer—a treasonous act, punishable by death, since magic was outlawed centuries ago. Using the information provided by the sooth, and uncertain if she can trust her family, Hesina turns to Akira—a brilliant investigator who’s also a convicted criminal with secrets of his own. With the future of Yan at stake, can Hesina find justice for her father? Or will the cost be too high?"

3. The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses #1) by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu

I think everyone can agree that Magnus and Alec are some of the best characters in The Shadowhunter Chronicles. Needless to say, I'm so excited that they're getting their own series!!! I've been waiting for this for too long.

"All Magnus Bane wanted was a vacation—a lavish trip across Europe with Alec Lightwood, the Shadowhunter who against all odds is finally his boyfriend. But as soon as the pair settles in Paris, an old friend arrives with news about a demon-worshipping cult called the Crimson Hand that is bent on causing chaos around the world. A cult that was apparently founded by Magnus himself. Years ago. As a joke. Now Magnus and Alec must race across Europe to track down the Crimson Hand and its elusive new leader before the cult can cause any more damage. As if it wasn’t bad enough that their romantic getaway has been sidetracked, demons are now dogging their every step, and it is becoming harder to tell friend from foe. As their quest for answers becomes increasingly dire, Magnus and Alec will have to trust each other more than ever—even if it means revealing the secrets they’ve both been keeping."

April 16th 

2. Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Last year, I finally started reading Jenn Bennett's books, and fell in love with them. I went on a binge of all of her YA contemporaries, and I'm dying for more. At this point, it doesn't even matter to me what it's actually about. If it's written by Jenn Bennett, I'll read it.

"Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel. In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel. To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel."

April 23rd 

1. The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #1) by Swati Teerdhala

I am living for all the new fantasy novels coming out, and especially #ownvoices ones! This synopsis has me so intrigued and I can't wait to dive in.

"Esha is a legend, but no one knows. It’s only in the shadows that she moonlights as the Viper, the rebels’ highly skilled assassin. She’s devoted her life to avenging what she lost in the royal coup, and now she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha. Kunal has been a soldier since childhood, training morning and night to uphold the power of King Vardaan. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path—even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has been growing only more volatile. Then Esha’s and Kunal’s paths cross—and an unimaginable chain of events unfolds. Both the Viper and the soldier think they’re calling the shots, but they’re not the only players moving the pieces. As the bonds that hold their land in order break down and the sins of the past meet the promise of a new future, both rebel and soldier must make unforgivable choices."

What is your most anticipated release this April?

Related: - My March Favorites + April TBR - My Top 10 March Releases + TBR

[parsippanylibrarykids]

By:  Miss Rose, Miss Sam, & Miss Kristen

FICTION

Ahdieh, Renee.  Flame in the Mist. G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017. 416p. (gr. 7-9)  

On the way to the imperial city to meet her betrothed, Raiden, Mariko and her escort are ambushed by the dangerous Black Clan, a gang of bandits that were hired to kill her.  She dresses as a peasant boy to survive, infiltrating their group and eager to find out who hired them.  Mariko impresses them with her wit and connects with Okami, one of the leaders.  While there, she starts to question the truth about her family and her desires.

Albertalli, Becky.  The Upside of Unrequited.  Balzer + Bray, 2017.  340p. (gr. 9-12)  

Molly has had her more than her fair share of crushes but nothing ever seems to come from them, as her twin sister Cassie keeps reminding her.  When Molly makes a connection with Will, Cassie pressures her to start a relationship with him but Molly isn’t so sure that is what she wants, especially as she starts to get to know her coworker Reid and bond with him.  Molly and Cassie’s relationship becomes additionally strained as Cassie starts spending more time with her new girlfriend and not participating as much as Molly would like when they need to start working on their mothers’ long-awaited wedding after gay marriage is finally legalized.

Benway, Robin.  Far From the Tree.  HarperTeen, 2017.  374p. (gr. 9-12)  

After Grace, who was adopted as an infant, becomes pregnant and decides on an open adoption for her baby, she realizes that she would like to learn more about her own biological mother as she struggles with her feelings for her baby and her decision.  Her supportive parents help her with the search and she discovers that she has a younger half-sister who was also adopted as an infant and an older half-brother who has been in the foster care system since he was a toddler.  She connects first with Maya and then with Joaquin, who are struggling with their own issues, which include Maya’s mother’s alcoholism and Joaquin’s feeling that he isn’t worthy of love. The three siblings bond over their search for information on their birth mother and help one another sort through their feelings.

Buxbaum, Julie.  What to Say Next.  Delacorte Press, 2017. 304 p. (gr. 9-12)

When popular and beautiful Kit Lowell starts having lunch with socially awkward David Drucker, everyone at Mapleview High takes notice.  But Kit doesn’t mind especially since David’s brutal honesty is oddly refreshing at a time when she’s struggling to overcome the shock and devastation of her father’s recent passing.  Used to being outcast and ignored, David welcomes the sudden friendship and agrees to help Kit try to solve the mystery behind her father’s tragic car accident.

Cheng, Jack.  See You in the Cosmos.   Dial Books, 2017.  320 p.  (gr. 5-9)

Aspiring astronomer Alex Petroski is only eleven, but he’s already building a rocket to send into space.  Alex and his dog Carl Sagan (named after the real life astronomer), make the journey from their home in Colorado to the Southwest High-Altitude Rocket Festival (SHARF) in Albuquerque to launch his Golden iPod into space aboard his rocket, Voyager 3.  Along the way to SHARF and beyond, Alex meets new friends and captures his adventures in daily recordings on his Golden iPod, in the hopes that other lifeforms will get to hear about what life on Earth is like.

Colbert, Brandy.  Little & Lion.  Little, Brown and Company, 2017.  330p. (gr. 10-12)

After Suzette’s stepbrother Lionel begins to exhibit disturbing behavior stemming from undiagnosed bipolar disorder, Suzette is sent to a boarding school across the country while Lionel receives the treatment he needs.  At school, Suzette has a secret relationship with her roommate but it ends disastrously and she’s not sure she is ready to come out to her parents, even though they are always supportive of her.  While home for the summer, she realizes she has feelings for both her long-time platonic male friend Emil and mysterious new acquaintance Rafaela, which makes her even more confused.  On top of this, Lionel confides in her that he is off his medication and Suzette agrees to keep his secret against her better judgement.  When Lionel runs off during an outing, Suzette is forced to come clean to her mother about everything.

Cook, Eileen.  The Hanging Girl.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.  311p. (gr. 9-12)

Skye’s mother believes in all things paranormal, especially psychic abilities.  Skye isn’t a believer, but she has convinced her classmates that she is indeed psychic and gives tarot card readings to her classmates.  A fellow student convinces her to use her pretend skills in the kidnapping of a rich girl, but things go horribly wrong for the kidnap victim and Skye has to stay one step ahead of the police.

Firestone, Carrie.  The Unlikelies. Little, Brown and Company, 2017.  323p. (gr. 9-12)

The summer before Sadie’s senior year of high school looks like it is going to be a dull and lonely one, as all her closest friends are a grade ahead of her and leaving for college.  After an altercation at the farmers market where she works is caught on video, Sadie is lauded as a local hero and invited to be honored along with other teens who have done extraordinary things.  The hero teens form a bond and over the course of the summer work together to help underdogs as best they can.  An unexpected windfall bequeathed to Sadie by her employer aids them in their quests.

Frank, Steven B.  Armstrong and Charlie.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.  304 p. (gr. 6-8)  

It’s 1973 and Charlie and Armstrong are starting sixth grade in Los Angeles.  For Charlie it means starting a new school year without his brother Andy who recently died in a tragic accident.  Armstrong is not looking forward to sixth grade either.  He is feeling uncertain and apprehensive about being bussed to an all-white school away from his neighborhood and most of his friends.  Charlie and Armstrong clash at first, but what starts as a fierce rivalry soon turns into a close friendship.

Goo, Maurene.  I Believe in a Thing Called Love. Farrar, Straus & Giroux BYR. 2017. 336p. (gr. 7-9)

Desi is an overachiever who likes to plan things out.  So when she finds herself flailuring (failing at flirting) yet again, she plans the perfect way to get noticed by her crush, Luca, in a good way.  Raised by her widowed Korean father, she grew up with a steady diet of K-Dramas.  With her Appa’s help, she meticulously creates a perfect list for her real-life K-Drama and sets her plan into action.

Green, John.  Turtles All the Way Down.  Dutton Books, 2017. 286p. (gr. 9-12)  

Billionaire Russell Pickett is being investigated for fraud and bribery, currently on the run from authorities and there is a substantial reward being offered for knowledge of his whereabouts.  Because Aza knew his son Davis when they both attended the same grief camp as children, her friend Daisy convinces her to talk to Davis to try to find out where his father is hiding so they can split the money from the reward.  When she and Davis reconnect, Aza develops feelings for him.  Her overwhelming anxiety interferes with her friendship with Daisy and makes it difficult for her to pursue her romance with Davis.  

Lloyd-Jones, Emily.  The Hearts We Sold.  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2017. 381p. (gr. 10-12)  

In a world in which demons are real and they can grant anyone a wish….for a price, Dee Moreno decides that the only way to get away from her bad home life is to make a wish.  Unlike modern myth, the price isn’t a soul, but a body part.  With the news that she won’t have a scholarship come the new school year, she trades away her heart for two years and is enlisted to protect the world by closing the voids that open up to unleash monsters on the world.

Lu, Marie.  Warcross. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2017.  368 p. (gr. 9-12)

Teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet illegally on the virtual reality game called Warcross.  When Emika needs to make some quick cash, she takes a chance and hacks into the opening game of the Warcross Championships and ends up at the center of the biggest international event.  Unfortunately, Emika gets caught and finds herself face-to-face with the elusive creator of Warcross, Hideo Tanaka.  Instead of arresting her, Hideo asks Emika to play in the tournament and spy on the other players to uncover a security problem.  But Emika’s investigation uncovers much more than just a security breach in the Warcross empire.

McManus, Karen M.  One of Us Is Lying.  Delacorte Press, 2017.  368 p.  (gr. 9-12)

It’s a typical afternoon for five students who are stuck in detention.  By the end of it, though, one of those students, Simon, won’t make it out alive.  When it’s revealed that Simon had planned to expose juicy secrets about the other four students on his gossip app, “About That,” all four of them become suspects in the murder.  Bronwyn (the brain); Addy (the beauty); Nate (the criminal); and Cooper (the star athlete) are forced to confront the allegations brought to light by Simon’s blog.  Though they barely know one another and belong to different cliques, the four band together to prove their innocence.  And yet they were the only ones with Simon when he died.  Did one of them kill Simon to protect a powerful secret or are they being framed by an outsider?

Menon, Sandhya.  When Dimple Met Rishi.  Simon Pulse, 2017.  384 p. (gr. 9-12)  

Dimple Shah is glad but surprised when her parents agree to pay for her to spend the summer at coding camp in San Francisco.  Dimple is passionate about coding and also looking forward to the break from her mother who mostly just wants Dimple to find the “Ideal Indian Husband.”  Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic so when his parents tell him the girl they hope to be his future wife, Dimple, will be attending the same summer camp as him he is eager to meet and impress her.  Needless to say, Dimple and Rishi’s first meeting does not go as planned once Dimple learns the Patels and Shahs played a role in the “suggested arrangement.”  But slowly Dimple and Rishi’s friendships grows into something more and both are forced to confront their conflicting feelings between family obligation and the future they envision for themselves.

Murphy, Julie.  Ramona Blue.  Balzer + Bray, 2017.  408p. (gr. 9-12)

Ramona, her sister Hattie, and her father have been living in a FEMA trailer in a small town in Mississippi ever since Hurricane Katrina destroyed their old home.  Their trailer becomes more crowded once Hattie’s boyfriend Tyler moves in after Hattie becomes pregnant.  Ramona works several jobs to help her family as much as she can and she gets frustrated when people inquire about her plans for the future because all she can envision for herself is continuing to stay right where she is, working at menial jobs just to keep a roof over her family.  When her old friend Freddie moves back into town and encourages her to swim with him and his grandmother, she starts to see that there might just be way out of small town life.  Up until now, Ramona has only ever had romantic feelings for girls but she starts to see Freddie as more than a friend.

Nielsen, Susin.  Optimists Die First.  Wendy Lamb Books, 2017.  228p. (gr. 9-12)    

After the death of her younger sister Maxine, Petula’s family falls apart.  Petula’s mother starts hoarding cats and her father avoids home as much as he can.  Petula has become hyper-focused on all the bad things that could possibly happen to her loved ones and she does her best to keep herself safe at all times.  She has been attending an art therapy program through her school and meets Jacob, who has a robotic arm and his own issues that he has to cope with.  Petula and Jacob form a bond but when she learns about his involvement in the death of a friend, she isn’t sure she can remain on good terms with him.  

Ormsbee, Kathryn. Tash Hearts Tolstoy.  Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2017.  367p. (gr. 7-9)

Tash is of the director of an amateur web-series that goes viral.  Tash loves Tolstoy, and with her best friend, Jack (Jacqueline), they put together a modern production of Anna Karenina entitled Unhappy Families​. With a mention on a popular vid-blogger’s own channel, Seedling Productions starts to reach acclaim in the webseries world, and with fame comes haters. Meanwhile, she’s also coming to terms with the the deepening divide between her older sister and a new, long distance relationship with a male video blogger who doesn’t know she’s asexual.

Perkins, Mitali.  You Bring the Distant Near.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017.  320 p. (gr. 9-12)

In 1960, sisters Tara and Sonia Das are getting used to life in Queens after living in Ghana and London for several years.  While Tara and Sonia adjust to life as teens in America, matriarch Ranee works diligently to make sure her family maintains customary Bengali traditions.  Years later, Tara’s own daughter Anna must leave her beloved home in Mumbai and go to school in New York with her cousin Chantal.  Told in alternating point-of-views and spanning generations, this is the story of the Das women.

Perkins, Stephanie.  There’s Someone Inside Your House.  Dutton Books, 2017.  287p. (gr. 10-12)    

After an incident at her high school in Hawaii, Makani moves to Nebraska to live with her increasingly forgetful grandmother and start over where no one knows her secret.  When students in her high school start dying at the hands of a serial killer, Makani and her friends investigate.  While trying to figure out who in their small town is behind the slayings, Makani is forced to reveal the secret of how she attacked a friend during a hazing ritual gone wrong.

Poston, Ashley.  Geekerella. Quirk, 2017. 320p. (gr. 10-12)  

Elle grew up watching the sci-fi series Starfield with her late father, but the news that the movie’s version Federation Prince Carmindor is teen heartthrob Darien Freeman has her seething.  An unlikely friendship begins when Darien accidentally contacts Elle when trying to talk to management at ExcelsiCon.  Through her job on the Magic Pumpkin Food Truck and her friendship with her co-worker, Elle decides to go to ExcelsiCon, the Con her father helped created, to win money to get away from her stepmother by entering their Cosplay Contest.

Reynolds, Jason.  Long Way Down.  Atheneum, 2017.  306p. (gr. 9-12)

Will has been taught to live by the Rules of his neighborhood: no crying, no snitching, and always get revenge.  After his brother Shawn is shot and killed, Will has no choice but to get Shawn’s gun and head to where the boy he is certain is the killer lives to exact revenge.  On the elevator ride down, different figures from Will’s life who died from gun violence, including his father and his uncle, get on at each floor and help him figure out what he should do.

Riazi, Karuna.  The Gauntlet.  Salaam Reads, 2017. (gr. 4-6)  

On her birthday, Farah and her two friends get transported into a board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand to rescue her impulsive younger brother, Ahmad.  Inside the game, the Architect created three challenges they have to complete to escape, all the while making sure no one finds out that they’re also trying to locate Ahmad to save him.  If they lose a challenge, they’ll be trapped inside the game forever.  

Roth, Veronica.  Carve the Mark.  Katherine Tegen Books, 2017.  468 p. (gr. 8-12)

Cyra is the sister of the brutal ruler of the Shotet people.  In a world where people develop unique powers called current gifts, Cyra’s is more burden than gift.  She feels and can deliver intense pain and her brother exploits this, using Cyra and her power as a weapon against his enemies.  Akos is the son of an oracle from the planet Thuve.  His gift allows him to turn off the current, so that he is not affected by other current gifts.  When he is captured by the Shotet people, Akos finds an unlikely ally in Cyra.

Ruby,  Laura.  The Shadow Cipher.  Walden Pond Press, 2017.  448 p.  (gr. 6-8)

In the 19th century, the eccentric Morningstarr twins build a dazzling New York City using new technology and impressive machines no one has ever seen before.  Skyscrapers reach new heights and the Underway travels miles and miles below the ground.  When the architects mysteriously disappear fifty-seven years after arriving in NYC, it’s revealed that they’ve left behind the New York City Cipher, an intricate puzzle and treasure map woven into the buildings and machines in the city they created.  By present day, the Cipher still hasn’t been solved.  Tess and Theo Biedermann and their friend Jaime Cruz make one last desperate attempt to solve the Cipher when they learn their beloved apartment building (a Morningstarr masterpiece) has been sold to a money hungry real estate developer with plans to demolish it.

Sanchez, Erika L.  I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.  Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2017. 344p. (gr. 9-12)  

Julia’s older sister Olga is the perfect, dutiful Mexican daughter who only leaves the house to go to her job or attend classes at the local community college.  Julia is rebellious, has a hard time controlling her emotions, and wants nothing more than to leave Chicago and go to college in New York.  After Olga is killed in an accident, Julia’s relationship with her parents becomes even more strained. It isn’t until after Julia attempts to take her own life and has to be hospitalized and then has an opportunity to spend a few weeks with her family in Mexico learning more about her parents and their journey to America that she and her mother and father are able to understand each other better.   She also learns her sister’s secrets and realizes that Olga was not as perfect as she seemed.

Thomas, Angie.  The Hate U Give.  Balzer + Bray, 2017.  444p. (gr. 9-12)  

Starr is a passenger in the car when her friend Khalil, who is driving, is pulled over by the police for having a broken taillight.  Khalil is shot and killed during the traffic stop even though he is unarmed and hadn’t been doing anything wrong.  His death is all over the news and the people in her largely African-American, lower income neighborhood respond very differently than the mostly-white students at the elite prep school she attends.  Caught between two worlds, Starr tries to cope with what she witnessed and get her friends from school to realize what she is going through but even her own family doesn’t quite understand.  

Watson, Renee.  Piecing Me Together.  Bloomsbury, 2017.  264p. (gr. 9-12)  

Jade loves art and language and has dreams of traveling the world someday, even though opportunities for a girl from a low income family seem limited.  She hopes to get picked for her private school’s study abroad program, but when she is called down to the guidance office, she learns that she has instead been selected to participate in a mentorship program for African-American students.  She reluctantly agrees to give the program a try but has a hard time connecting with her appointed mentor, Maxine who is distracted with her own issues.  

Zappia, Francesca.  Eliza and her Monsters. GreenwillowBooks, 2017. (gr. 10-12)

Eliza Mirk fades into the background at school, but online, she’s the creator of the popular webcomic Monstrous Sea.  Within her anonymous world online, she has friends and people that understand her, but it isn’t until she finds out the  new guy at school, Wallace, writes Monstrous Sea fanfiction that she starts to appreciate the real world.  When her parents accidentally share her online identity, she has to not crumble under the pressure of needing to finish her comic, her relationship with Wallace, and her anxiety.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Chmakova, Svetlana.  Brave. JY, 2017. 248p. (gr. 4-6)  

Jensen’s reality is very different from his daydreams.  He has trouble in middle school with making friends, with his school work, and even just not being left out of activities in Art Club.  Akilah and Jenny, part of the school newspaper, ask for Jensen’s help with a special project about being bullied.  While Jensen doesn’t believe he’s really bullied, the project opens his eyes to what challenges everyone faces in middle school, and that it’s important to be brave and make the changes you want to see in the world by reaching out to someone who seems lonely. Holm, Jennifer L.  Swing It, Sunny!  Graphix, 2017.  224 p.  (gr. 4-7)  

Sunny is having a hard time adjusting to life in middle school and at home without her brother.  Even when Dale comes home from boarding school to visit, Sunny can’t figure out why he seems so different and angry all the time.  Sunny is finding the year really confusing, but despite it all she’s determined to stay positive.  Sunny doesn’t let her sadness get in the way of doing all the things she loves like listening to records and watching her favorite TV shows, General Hospital and Gilligan’s Island.  She even makes a new friend and learns how to twirl a swing flag!

Jamieson, Victoria.  All’s Faire in Middle School.  Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017.  248p. (gr. 5-8)  

Imogene’s parents work at the Renaissance Faire, which is a huge part of the entire family’s life.  Imogene and her brother have been homeschooled but now that she is entering middle school, she is going to start public school.  School proves to be a huge culture shock for her.  Imogene tries to fit in with the popular girls, but ends up isolating her only genuine friend and damaging her relationship with her younger brother in the process.  She figures out a way to make things right, using the skills she has learned from the Renaissance Faire.

Meyers, Marissa.  Wires and Nerve. Feiwel Friends, 2017. 238p. (7-9)   Iko, an android, is out to prove she is more than just a machine by tracking rogue wolf-hybrids for her friend, Cinder. The soldiers have other plans and don’t make it easy for her, even with the help of a royal guard. Iko is forced to confront the fact that while she may feel human, not everyone will see her as anything more than an android.  

NONFICTION

Aronson, Marc & Marina Budhos.  Eyes of the World: Robert Capa, Gerda Taro and the Invention of Modern Photojournalism.  Henry Holt and Company, 2017.  294p.  (gr. 7-12)

Photographers and reporters Robert Capa and Gerda Taro were both Jewish refugees from Europe who made their mark in the photography world by documenting the Spanish Civil War, with a focus on chronicling the war’s effect on children.

Bolden, Tonya.  Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls.  Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2017.  124p. (gr. 5-8)

In this biographical compilation, readers learn about achievements of some of the less well known African Americans in history who made a great impact.  People profiled include Civil War spy Mary Bowser, race car driver Charlie Wiggins, and mathematician Katherine Johnson.  

Gonzales, Andrea & Sophie Houser.  Girl Code: Gaming, Going Viral, and Getting It Done.  Harper Collins, 2017.  272 p. (8-12)

Andrea “Andy” Gonzales and Sophie Houser met at Girls Who Code and teamed up to make a video game that went viral.  Through the success of their video game, the duo was thrust into the spotlight, inspiring girl coders everywhere.  Girls are so often left behind in the tech industry, and the authors message is to not give up on your dreams and career goals despite the statistics.  Included are resources for readers who are interested in computer science topics discussed throughout the book.

Heiligman, Deborah.  Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers.  Henry Holt & Co., 2017. 464 p.  (gr. 9-12)

This book explores the complex but close relationship of the Van Gogh brothers.  Through nearly 700 letters, the story follows the brothers from their early childhoods, into adulthood as they developed careers of their own, and up to both of their early deaths.  The author reveals the successes, differences and issues that existed between the two brothers.  By becoming an art dealer, Theo made true on a promise made to his brother as a teenager to always support and encourage him, even as Vincent’s mental health deteriorated and issues developed in Theo’s personal life.  Back matter includes a timeline and author’s note.

Slater, Dashka.  The 57 Bus.  Farrar Straus Giroux, 2017.  302p. (gr. 9-12)

On November 4, 2013, Sasha, an agender teenager, fell asleep on the bus.  Richard, another teen on the bus, noticed Sasha’s gauzy skirt and held a lighter to it, thinking the act would startle Sasha and nothing more.  Sasha’s skirt caught fire and burned Sasha’s legs severely. Video footage from the bus led police to find and arrest Richard and charge him with a hate crime.  This book examines what Sasha’s life was like before and after the attack as well as how Richard and his family were impacted by his actions.  Information on the criminal justice system is included, along with information on gender neutrality.

Walker, Sally M.  Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home.  Candlewick, 2017.  208 p.  (gr. 6-12)

At the end of the Civil War in 1865, more than 2,000 people boarded the Sultana, a steam boat equipped to carry only 376 passengers.  Aboard the boat were Union soldiers who had recently been released from Confederate prisoner-of-war camps where they had been mistreated and endured atrocious conditions.  On the third night into their journey north, the boilers exploded, engulfing the Sultana in fire.  More than fifteen hundred people were killed.  This book describes the tragic event and examines who (or what) was responsible for the disaster and how it could have been avoided.  The book is filled with photographs, maps, a glossary and in depth author’s notes.