ARC Review: Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams
Publisher: Labyrinth Road
Publication Date: May 7, 2024
Library: Already on it's way!

Synopsis

Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, Malik is finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost grandmother: a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university that Malik’s mother attended.

Review: Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

Me (Moth) by Amber McBride
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: August 17, 2021
Library: Yup, we have a copy, but I wonder if we should get a discussion set??

Synopsis

Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.

Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones.

ARC Review: The Secret Library by Kuchenga Shenjé

The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé

Publisher: Harlequin 

Publication Date: May 7, 2024

Library Purchase: Maybe not yet based on the ARC but I really like the concept

Synopsis

1896. After he brought her home from Jamaica as a baby, Florence's father had her hair hot-combed to make her look like the other girls. But as a young woman, Florence is not so easy to tame—and when she brings scandal to his door, the bookbinder throws her onto the streets of Manchester.

Intercepting her father's latest commission, Florence talks her way into the remote, forbidding Rose Hall to restore its collection of rare books. Lord Francis Belfield's library is old and full of secrets—but none so intriguing as the whispers about his late wife.

ARC Review: Kicked Out by A.M. Dassu

Kicked Out by A.M. Dassu

Publisher: Tu Books

Publication Date: April 23, 2024

Library Purchase: Absolutely!

Synopsis

After their friend Mark's mum wins the lottery and gets a giant house with an indoor pool, Ali and Sami have been having the time of their lives hanging at Mark's house. Even their friend Aadam gets a job there, which means he can make more money for his legal battle for UK residency. But when some money goes missing, Aadam is accused of stealing it--and all three boys are unceremoniously kicked out of Mark's house in suspicion.

On top of that, Ali's dad, who abandoned the family when Ali was little, is suddenly turning up everywhere in town, and a half-brother Ali never knew has shown up at Ali's school. Ali feels miserable and resentful about it, making it hard to be a good friend.

Review: When No On Was Watching by Alyssa Cole

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Publisher: William Morror Paperbacks

Publication Date: September 1, 2020

Library Purchase: Yes which is why I was able to listen to this via the Palace App!

Synopsis

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning...

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she's known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community's past and

ARC Review: Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Publication Date: March 19, 2024
Library Purchase: Absolutely.

Synopsis

In Where Sleeping Girls Lie — a YA contemporary mystery by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, the New York Times-bestselling author of Ace of Spades — a girl new to boarding school discovers dark secrets and coverups after her roommate disappears.

It’s like I keep stumbling into a dark room, searching for the switch to make things bright again...

Review: Find Him Where You Left Him Dead

Find Him Where You Left Him Dead by Kristen Simmons
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release date: October 10, 2023
Library purchase: I'm almost mad I have to wait. Purchase for sure

Synopsis

Four years ago, five kids started a game. Not all of them survived.

Now, at the end of their senior year of high school, the survivors―Owen, Madeline, Emerson, and Dax―have reunited for one strange and terrible they’ve been summoned by the ghost of Ian, the friend they left for dead.