Publisher: HarperCollins

#IMWAYR & #MMGM: Bite-Sized Reviews of Accidental Demons, Kareem Between, and Don’t Let the Forest In

I’ve joined up with the IT’S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? kid-lit edition, hosted by Unleashing Readers and MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY hosted by Always in the Middle… Today I’m sharing reviews of three books that I absolutely adored: two middle-grade debuts and a YA novel by an author that many of us know and love–CG Drews from Paper Fury! Hope these bite-sized reviews are enough to feed your fiction addiction! This book is truly […]

Posted November 4, 2024 in IMWAYR, MMGM, Reviews / 10 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Ruptured, Enemies in the Orchard, Skandar and the Phantom Rider, Ink Girls, and The Luminaries

Today, I’m reviewing two MG verse novels, a MG fantasy, a MG graphic novel and a YA fantasy. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! Ruptured is a MG verse novel that explores the fragility of life and the triumphs that come from making it through incredibly difficult situations. Claire’s mom shares some devastating news with her just before suffering an aneurysm, so Claire struggles with fears both about her […]

Posted November 17, 2023 in Reviews / 2 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Between Monsters and Marvels, The Swifts, A Work in Progress, and The Land of Broken Promises.

Today, I’m reviewing three YA reads and two MGs. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! A unique middle grade fantasy with a big dose of mystery! When Dare’s father is killed, everyone says it’s a random stranger, but she doesn’t believe it. She’s sure that a monster killed him, even though monsters were supposedly eliminated completely. Dare is sent away from home, but she doesn’t stop searching for […]

Posted September 18, 2023 in Reviews / 2 Comments

Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O’Clover: Review & Ellen’s Top Ten Addictions

Today I’m featuring SEVEN PERCENT OF RO DEVEREAUX by Ellen O’Clover, an addictive best-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers YA romance. Read on for my review of the book, and then make sure you also check out Ellen’s list of top ten addictions to find out more about the author! This delightful YA contemporary romance explores the complicated quandaries that can occur when pursuing your dreams, regardless of the costs. Ro writes an app (with the help of a behavioral […]

Posted January 11, 2023 in Author Top Ten Lists, Reviews / 6 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of The Area 51 Files, Ghost Girl, Odder, and Freestyle

Today, I’m reviewing five MG reads. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! The Area 51 Files is a goofy MG mystery featuring friendships, family bonds, a pet hedgehog/dog duo, and a whole bunch of aliens! First off, the book is highly illustrated, and the illustrations are wonderful! Just take a look at that cover to get an idea of what’s in store. The illustrations are used almost like […]

Posted December 13, 2022 in Reviews / 3 Comments

The Name She Gave Me by Betty Culley: Review, Guest Post and Giveaway

Buy “Wistful verse highlights small but telling moments throughout Rynn’s search…The author’s lived history with foster care and adoption gives the narrative nuance and authority. Emotionally complex and empathetic characters…and a faithfully depicted rural landscape form an exemplary backdrop for this contemplative novel.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Compassionate and compelling.” —Kirkus This emotionally compelling novel in verse is a bittersweet portrayal of the complexities of adoption. Rynn has wondered her whole life where she came from. She’s always […]

Posted June 27, 2022 in Author Guest Post, Giveaways (Ended), Reviews / 9 Comments

2022 YA & MG Verse Novels: A Complete List & Ten I’ve Been Looking Forward To

I haven’t done a Top Ten Tuesday Post in a while, but I thought I’d jump in with a list this week, even though I’m not doing the official list. (It’s a step in the right direction, right?) Anyway, I’ve been reading lots of verse novels lately since I’ve also been writing in verse. And I wanted a running list of verse novels releasing in 2022, but I couldn’t find one. So I created a […]

Posted March 29, 2022 in Let's Discuss, Top Ten Tuesday / 9 Comments

Great Kids’ Reads for Black History Month (and Every Month!): Amari and the Night Brothers, Moving Forward, and the Parker Easy Readers

Today, I’m focusing on kids’ books with Black protagonists for Black History Month, but these books are great reads any time! Watch for more posts dedicated to Black History Month coming soon. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! Amari and the Night Brothers is the best MG fantasy I’ve read in a long time! I LOVED this book!! As it says in the description, it has a bit of […]

Posted February 9, 2022 in Black History Month, Reviews / 5 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of Cybils Nominees: Unsettled, Amber & Clay, Legacy, and Hello, Earth!

As my regular readers know, I’m a round-one judge for the Cybils Awards in the Poetry category. Because of that, I’ve been reading tons of verse lately! I’m not allowed to share any details about our process for choosing the finalists, but I am allowed (and encouraged) to review the books as I read, so I figured I’d share four of them with you today. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed […]

Posted November 17, 2021 in Cybils, Reviews / 10 Comments

Bite-Sized Reviews of XOXO, The House in the Cerulean Sea, Greta’s Story, and The Beast Player

Today, I have a YA contemp, a MG (YA? Adult?) contemporary fantasy, a MG biography, and a YA fantasy! I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction! This is the type of book that makes you so happy you don’t want to put the book down. I happily read it in two sittings. The story follows Jenny, who has always been focused on her music and getting into an elite […]

Posted August 12, 2021 in Reviews / 8 Comments