(4) YA So-called "Mexican American Princess" Camilla decides to hide her family's wealth and status from her new friends after moving from Mexico City to L.A. As Cammi struggles with what it means to be Mexican, American, and true to herself, an interesting premise is bogged down by some clichéd writing and uneven pacing. Still, the novel asks meaningful questions of its readers about ethnicity and identity.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA A complex and satisfying take on the classic boy-meets-girl archetype, Corthron's novel follows star-crossed teen lovers in contemporary NYC. Black Trinidadian artist Dari and privileged, troubled white girl Lily are both authentic-feeling characters, and their struggle to reconcile their newfound happiness together with pains of the past makes for a refreshingly honest story about the blessings and consequences of opening one's heart.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Rafael López. Engle's poetry paints a diverse picture of the Latino community with an exquisitely curated selection of exceptional figures, some well known, others unrecognized even within their own communities. López's vibrant portraits of each subject contain abstract visual nods to his or her life themes and work. Biographical notes are appended. Spanish-language edition also available.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Rafael López. This Spanish-language edition of Bravo! provides the opportunity to experience Engle's poetic eulogizing of great Latino figures in a more authentic manner. Poems are translated into Spanish with care and lyrical dexterity. López's vibrant portraits of each subject contain abstract visual nods to his or her life themes and work. Biographical notes are appended.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA Human teen Delany looks exactly like alien princess Lissa Olena, who's set to return to planet Xenith and marry another alien royal to form an alliance. But Lissa has gone MIA, so Delaney is taken in her place. A literary whirlwind of war, politics, and much romance ensues in a well-executed sci-fi plot with intriguing drama that should keep genre fans turning the pages.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA After their traveling carnival temporarily sets up shop in small, mysterious Caudry, Louisiana, Mara, daughter of the troupe's fortune-teller, must fight off dark energies and vicious creatures. Mara discovers her own supernatural powers just in time, while also falling in love with wealthy local Gabe, who has dark secrets of his own. Hocking's action-packed supernatural tale will have readers' attention glued to the pages.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA Princess Amrita's life is upended when circumstances force her to marry a neighboring kingdom's malevolent ruler. After Emperor Sikander lays waste to her homeland, Amrita quests to find a mythical library that will give her the power to change the past. Khorana makes deft use of symbolism informed by various world religions yet retains command of her own prose in this evocative fantasy.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA After she comes out of a coma, Eden, once an aspiring ballerina, must confront uncomfortable truths in her recovery. She's plagued by memories of the otherworldly place she spent her coma in and recognizes still-comatose fellow patient Jaz from there. Laure conjures a relatable teen voice and pulls together a dense but satisfying semi-speculative plot with steady pacing and dreamlike prose.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(4) K-3 Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura. Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo. Nuyorican poet and playwright Laviera leaves us with this posthumously published story in English and Spanish. Mayan prince Mayanito travels throughout the western hemisphere befriending the fauna, flora, and Indigenous children of the Americas. Or was it a dream? The fantastical narrative meanders but sends a clear message of unity and oneness--not just among people, but also with nature--a point underscored by the watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA Shy, obedient Victoria Cruz attends a NYC prep school on scholarship and works hard for grades that will one day get her into Harvard--her traditional Cuban American parents' dream for her. Secretly, though, she has started doubling as the lead singer in an indie rock band. Despite its harmlessly predictable plot, Milanes's charming, authentic characters make this an entertaining story of music and identity.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA Effigies series. The sophomore series entry about young women with elemental powers picks up with Fire Effigy Maia beset--by the press, by the threat of Saul's monstrous Phantoms, and by tensions among the Effigies. Maia must uncover Saul's plan while the world hangs in the balance. The story's group of strong-willed female heroines is appealingly diverse; a cliffhanger ending promises more adventure to come.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(3) YA On a future Earth, a corporation offers Emmet Atwater the chance of a lifetime: to compete in a search for the incredible resource known as "nyxia" on the planet Eden. But things quickly become complicated as Emmet and his fellow competitors discover Babel Communications' nefarious agenda. Reintgen's gripping narrative is populated by complex characters and framed by impressive world-building.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(4) YA Devils & Thieves series. During an annual festival for "kindled" (magical) folk, people from eighteen-year-old Jemmie Carmichael's kindled motorcycle gang start going missing, and Jemmie must learn to harness her sensitivity to magic to save them. Although magic-wielding biker thugs make for an interesting and fresh take on the familiar fantasy elements, execution of this premise becomes lackluster as the novel goes on for too long.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera

(4) YA After their families are murdered by narcos, four Mexican teens must decide whether to stay in their small town and die at the hands of the drug cartel or make the grueling and uncertain journey across Sonoran Desert into the U.S. Debut author Schafer approaches the topic of illegal immigration with empathy and respect (and a somewhat heavy hand) in this accessible survival story.

Reviewer: Yaisha Cordero-Rivera