(2) YA In one day, Deena comes out as gay to her sister Rachel, she's overheard by their intolerant father, and her beloved sister Mandy disappears off a cliffside. Has the infamous family curse come around? Deena is certain Mandy's alive and crisscrosses Ireland with three others on an exploration of her family's troubled past. This is a harrowing and ultimately empowering story of characters who reject the shame and stigma others try to impose on them.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) 4-6 In this sequel to The Mad Wolf's Daughter, girl warrior Drest tries to help her new friend Emerick regain the castle stolen from him. She embarks on a quest for allies but finds she's been named a "wolf's head" with a bounty on her life. The medieval-Scottish setting is well drawn, and Drest's efforts to be true to herself are convincing.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 In 1985 Tennessee, Lyndie and her parents move in with her grandparents after her alcoholic, Vietnam War–vet father loses his job and her mother develops recurring headaches. But Lyndie's grandmother has a firm idea of what a "nice Southern family" should look like and vehemently tries to force Lyndie into that mold. The well-developed characters in this moving, fast-paced story contain a realistic mix of charm and flaws, which makes their progress and setbacks feel especially affecting.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Drest sees her father and brothers captured from their camp on a Scottish headland in the feudal thirteenth century and travels with wounded knight Emerick to exchange him for one of her brothers, secretly planning to rescue her whole family. Magras emphasizes action sequences and emotional conflicts. She dodges a predictable outcome and lands on a satisfying conclusion that will gratify those rooting for idealism.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) YA This finale to the trilogy that began with Trouble Is a Friend of Mine finds Digby and Zoe continuing to navigate their romantic attraction while also tracking down Digby's kidnapped sister. Fast-paced, zany mystery and adventure combine with a stellar ensemble cast and lots of sarcastic humor in this satisfying conclusion to a series that tackles topical issues but doesn't take itself too seriously.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) 4-6 The Desperado Detective Agency (Three Times Lucky etc.) now has two mysteries to solve--one concerning Mo's continuing search for her biological mother, the other Blackbeard's lost treasure. Turnage focuses on plot and her signature down-home Southern language. Characters grow and reveal their complexities, but the heart of the novel is the mysteries, and their solutions involve more sophisticated detective work than the Desperados have employed before.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) 4-6 Wren's reluctance to tell her classmates about her parents' divorce leads to lie after lie, and her deception complicates new and old friendships. Nine-year-old Wren's juvenile understanding and frequent questions, along with her parents' realistic and palatably mild imperfections, make this quiet, often funny story an accessible look at divorce for early-middle-grade readers. Simple black-and-white spot art introduces each chapter.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) YA An unnamed girl lives with her mother in an abandoned mill and must stay inside to avoid the "Authorities." The first-person narrative is clearly a child's voice, but a perceptive one, with naively poignant observations about people she sees outside, her "drowning" Ma, their harsh reality, and her own "invisibility." Ultimately, developers come for the mill, leading to a devastating conclusion. A mature, chilling, and compassionate depiction of homelessness.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(2) YA An old acquaintance invites orphaned Jane to her family's exotic island mansion. What's going on? Jane wonders, watching the household prepare for a gala and noting the priceless art. The story then splits into five alternate scenarios; in parallel narratives, Jane moves between multiverses of surreality, sci-fi, and art theft. Clues to the story's fantastical nature are playful and sly, and Cashore's inventiveness is unflagging.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) YA Six troubled teenagers in a small Irish town use an ancient spellbook to right their situations. But they quickly discover they may have summoned some possessions--and people--they rather had stayed hidden. Told from three of the protagonists' viewpoints, this arresting novel walks the line of real and surreal, and when the stories finally collide, the twists and turns come fast and furiously.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(2) YA Since her sister's death, Juniper Lemon has kept a daily "happiness index"--a practice inspired by Camilla's optimism. When Juniper loses index card #65, her frenzied search through school Dumpsters inspires an art project involving found objects, leading to connections with lonely classmates. With sweet romance, light mystery, high-school social shenanigans, and memorable characters, Israel's debut is conventional YA realism in the most appealing sense.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(3) 4-6 Forbidden Library series. Illustrated by Alexander Jansson. Alice, leading a group of Reader apprentices rebelling against their masters, helps catlike library guardian Ending win control of the binding that keeps her kind enslaved. But is Ending entirely trustworthy? Wexler's unique magical framework and wealth of imaginary creatures keep the fantasy tetralogy feeling fresh, while the characters' poignant sacrifices in this climactic final volume will keep readers enthralled.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Five interrelated stories, each set at a different point in Earth's future, explore the power of social media, economic inequity, and environmental decay over time. When the first story's protagonist discovers how to travel to a utopian alternate universe, the repercussions ripple forward into the other stories. Compelling characters, literary allusions, challenging adventures, and thought-provoking concepts make this is a smart science-fiction puzzle for tenacious readers.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(2) YA Aspen Quick participates in the long-standing family ritual of preventing a magical, sentient Cliff from falling and destroying a town. Aspen is cocky about his magical abilities, using them casually and cruelly (e.g., trying to steal his best friend's girl). The story's fantasy elements are well structured; the "dude"-heavy dialogue is entertaining; and the characters (some of whom learn their lessons) are can't-look-away wicked.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(4) YA In this sequel to Trouble Is a Friend of Mine, Zoe's life has finally returned to normal. But when Sherlock-esque Digby comes storming back into town, Zoe soon gets swept up in his latest investigation, like it or not. The plot is uneven in this madcap mystery, but plenty of witty dialogue and an open ending will leave readers anticipating future installments.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) 4-6 Forbidden Library series. Illustrated by Alexander Jansson. Apprentice Reader Alice (The Mad Apprentice) is able to enter books physically and access the powers within. Vowing revenge on her master, who was responsible for her father's death, Alice searches for a book called The Infinite Prison that she hopes will trap him. New magical creatures, relationships, and adversaries deepen this already solid fantasy franchise with an appealing heroine.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(3) YA Because she's female, half-English, half-Euit Uma isn't accepted as a healer among her people. When she and her father are kidnapped, Uma must use her skills to save herself and her clan. Fans of high fantasy will enjoy this tale of swooping dragons, magical Fey people, and love that grows in the most dangerous circumstances.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(2) YA When a long-dead body is uncovered--with cryptic numbers scratched into the bones--Nearly Boswell (Nearly Gone) investigates, suspecting that her father's old poker club is involved. Despite Nearly's efforts to decipher the criminal's many physics- and chemistry-based riddles, the killer manages to stay one step ahead until the should-have-seen-it-coming end. This suspenseful sequel packs the same degree of chills as its predecessor.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2015

(3) YA Every October, seventeen-year-old Cara's family inexplicably experiences accidents. This year is supposed to be the worst, but not in the way everyone expects. Along with the usual bumps and bruises, family secrets are uncovered, and Cara finally learns the tragic origins of her family's curse. Set in Ireland, magic and reality twist together in a poignant debut about secrets, ghosts, and love.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(3) YA Twelve-year-old Tia, lead singer in New Orleans's Rainbow Choir, learns that her father is in prison for murdering a young girl. Her mother wants to move on, but Tia wants reconciliation; her quest uncovers complicated issues in her community. This is a rich portrayal of one girl's attempt to understand how to cope in the face of adversity.

Reviewer: Betty Carter