Arc Review: House of Marionne by J. Elle

Image: Penguin Random House

House of Marionne by J. Elle. 432 p. Razorbill/ Penguin Young Readers, August 29, 2023. 9780593527702. (Review of bound manuscript courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and relative cool this morning! Boo and I were finally able to get in a nice long walk this morning. Teen Tuesday features House of Marionne by J. Elle. This is a fantasy series starter and will release in late August.

Seventeen-year-old Quel is used to life on the run with her mom. Quel possesses a dark magic she calls Toushana and an elite band of assassins called Draguns are tasked with hunting down anyone with this forbidden magic and killing them. So far, Quel's mom has been successful in keeping her hidden by moving frequently, but Quel messed up and now she's separated from her mom and the safe spot they were to meet in turns out to be not-so-safe. She turns to the one person her mother has forbidden, her grandmother. Turns out, her grandmother is headmistress of House Marionne and is delighted to reunite with Quel and determined to have her hone her magic and debut.

Quel is relieved to be safe, eager to learn magic that she hope will tame her toushana, but not too thrilled about the wardrobe, curtseying and etiquette lessons. She's also terrified of Jordan. He's been assigned to mentor her, but he's also a Dragun. What will happen if he finds out who she really is? And why is he so hot? It's distracting and dangerous.

Sinister and gothic with a steamy, slow-burn romance and plot twists galore. This was fun. Look for it August 29. Apparently, there's a limited edition first printing available for pre-order. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Image: Disney Books

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow. Unabridged e-audio, ~8 hours. Read by Will Collyer.  Disney Hyperion, January, 2023. 9781368095822. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Happy Monday! The steamy, cloudy, buggy, thunderstormy weather continues here in northern NJ. Middle Grade Monday features Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow. This was a rare book for me, in that I went into it knowing very little about the plot. I liked the riff on "Simon Says," and saw the title mentioned in a few childlit discussions as a possible Newbery contender, so I didn't read reviews or anything else about the book. I'm glad, because I didn't already know, since it's front and center on the front flap and in most reviews.

Most kids don't want to move household, let alone way out to the boondocks to a town called, I kid you not, Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. But that's okay with Simon. The town is in the middle of a national quiet zone due to the presence of a team of scientists trying to make contact with aliens through an array of huge telescopes, so all electronics are banned. There's no Internet, no cable and not even a microwave to be found. And, that's okay with Simon. That means no googling the new kid.

He hopes to fly under the radar and try to get his life back to normal. His parents are trying to do everything in their power to help Simon, and he appreciates that. He feels a little guilty about that and other things.

His first impressions of Grin and Bear It, are good. He quickly makes friends with Kevin and Agate. Agate is autistic and her large family has a farm where they raise angora goats and service dogs. Agate seems to intuit that Simon needs one and tasks him with a puppy to raise. She also has a scheme to save the scientists, who funding may be in jeopardy. Settling into this small town is not as easy for his parents, his undertaker mother is stuck with an inept assistant who either loses bodies or takes the wrong one. His deacon father ruffles the feathers of the church ladies when a squirrel gets into the communion wafers.

Hilarity and hijinks distract from the underlying secret that Simon gradually reveals. Simon is an endearing character who is easy to root for. Secondary characters are equally endearing and the sense of community is strong. Ms. Bow deals with a timely topic deftly and age appropriately.

New to me narrator, Will Collyer delivered a measured and thoughtful performance. Readers who love sad books will love Simon Sort of Says. I'm putting this on my reread pile. Highly recommend.

What's New?

"Stacking the Shelves" was a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. It seems the blog is gone though, so I will just continue to post a "What's New? post whenever I receive new books. 

For Review: I happened to pop into school the other day to water my dracaena tree, which is too big to bring home over the summer and found this in my mailbox!

Image: Penguin Random House

Barely Floating by William Rivera. 240 p. Kokila/ Penguin Young Readers Group, August 29, 2023. 9780593323120.

Publisher synopsis: A dazzling story full of heart about how one twelve-year-old channels her rage into synchronized swimming dreams from The Education of Margot Sanchez author Lilliam Rivera.

Natalia De La Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was swimming neighborhood kids out of their money at the local Inglewood pool when her life changed. The LA Mermaids performed, emerging out of the water with matching sequined swimsuits, and it was then that synchronized swimming stole her heart.

The problem? Her activist mom and professor dad think it's a sport with too much emphasis on looks—on being thin and white. Nat grew up the youngest in a house full of boys, so she knows how to fight for what she wants, often using her anger to fuel her. People often underestimate her swimming skills when they see her stomach rolls, but she knows better than to worry about what people think. Still, she feels more like a submarine than a mermaid, but she wonders if she might be both.

Barely Floating explores what it means to sparkle in your skin, build community with those who lift you up, and keep floating when waters get rough.

Purchased: nothing!

What's new on your pile? 

Waiting on Wednesday: American Royals IV: Reign by Katharine McGhee

Image: Penguin Random House

American Royals IV: Reign by Katharine McGee. 432 p. Random House Books for Young Readers, August 29, 2023. 9780593429747.

Waiting on Wednesday features American Royals IV: Reign by Katharine McGee. The premise of this series is that George Washington did not turn down becoming king of the newly formed United States. The series is a fluffy, fun exploration of What if? It's definitely geared toward mature teen readers. Reign is due out on August 29, so there's plenty of time to get caught up on the series. 

Here's the publisher synopsis: A queen's life hangs in the balance, and her siblings’ decisions—about what to do, and most of all, who to love—could change the course of history. Romance. Duty. Power...only one can triumph in this stunning conclusion to the New York Times bestselling American Royals series.

America's royal family is in shambles. Queen Beatrice is in a coma and Princess Samantha has gone missing—from the look of things, she ran away with her boyfriend, Lord Marshall Davis. Which means that Prince Jefferson is currently on the throne. For some in America, it's exactly what they wanted: a King ruling the country. And for Daphne Deighton, who has tricked Jefferson into dating her again, it's the ultimate dream come true.

Surely this is all just temporary. Won’t Beatrice wake up and reclaim her rightful place? Samantha can't really be gone…can she? And Prince Jefferson will never truly be over his childhood crush, Nina Gonzalez. Right?

For the Washington family, the stakes are higher than ever. Love might save the throne….if secrets don’t destroy everything first.

Teen Tuesday: Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

I can't believe I did it again! I posted to my school's learning platform and forget to upload. 

Image: Penguin Random House

Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis. 296 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House, September 26, 2023. 9780593625361. (Review of a bound manuscript courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday and Happy Independence Day! Teen Tuesday features Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis. Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest is an accomplished thief. She works in the family business. The Quest family, led by Ross' mother, are international thieves and Ross' particular talent is planning escape routes. The family motto is "trust no one." Ross planned her own escape from the family, at least for the summer, so that she could be a normal teen for once. She almost got out, but the heist went south and now her mother is being held captive and her ransom is 1 billion dollars. The only chance she has of raising that kind of money is by entering the Thieves Gambit, a heist competition where the winner gets one wish. All she has to do is win and ask for the billion. Easy, right?

If you are a teen or know a teen who enjoys heist novels, put this one on your radar. It's due out on September 26. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy. Thieves Gambit is a pulse-pounding page-turner with enough twists and turns to give you whiplash. Ross is a smart and snarky narrator whose nemises include her former best friend and a guy whose good looks and smooth demeanor are so disarming, Ross begins to doubt everything she's been taught.

Middle Grade Monday: The Order of Things by Kaija Langley

Image: Penguin Random House

The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. 278 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House, June, 2023. 9780593530900. (Review of finished hard cover courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Monday! What a mixed bag of weather we are having! The air quality hasn't been the greatest lately. Between that and the heat, I've noticed that Boo isn't his usual bounding self on our walks, so I've modified them to frequent and less lengthy. It's so humid and damp and I'm being plagued by those little gnats or whatever. Ugh! 

Middle Grade Monday features The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. Eleven-year-old April lives in an apartment in Boston with her single-by-choice Mom. They live right across the hall from Zee and Papa Zee. April and Zee were born within months of each other and are more than best friends. The four of them have formed a family. Things are changing for sixth grade for April though, because Zee, who is a violin prodigy, was accepted into a prestigious STEAM charter school. Not only does she not have her best friend in class, but her teacher has assigned seating and she's stuck next to Asa, who is socially awkward, a bit unkempt and shunned by the only two white girls in April's class.

April and Zee try to maintain life as they knew it, but Zee is driven to be the best and this requires a lot of after school practice and lessons, so April decides to pursue drumming and Papa Zee agrees to teach her. Then, her mom brings Robin to their sacred family dinner and April takes an instant dislike to her.

When Zee has a fainting episode at school, Papa Zee wants him to slow down, but Zee sneaks away to practice in the building's laundry room. April finds him when she goes to do the family laundry and he swears her to secrecy. He also swears her to secrecy when he suffers another cardiac episode and reassures her that it is nothing.

It's not nothing though, and just before Christmas, the unthinkable happens. The family receives support from their community, but April does not know how she will cope without Zee. "I'm dreaming solo from now on." She feels guilt in addition to her grief for keeping Zee's secret. Soon, she's keeping Papa Zee's secret. Then, she discovers Asa's secret and it may be just too much for April to handle.

This novel in verse is told from April's point-of-view. It's well-crafted and immediately engaging, featuring fully formed characters and an authentic sense of community. April thrives in her found family. She's a realistic mix of thoughtful and thoughtless, and confident and uncertain. Readers who love sad books will root for April as she tries to find her footing. I read this in one sitting and just love it. I can't wait for my students to meet April. 

#tbt: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

Oops! Just realized that I posted this to our learning platform, so my students got to read my #tbt choice, but just found the draft as I got ready to post Middle Grade Monday!

Image: Penguin Random House

Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Lubar. 288 p. Dutton Children's Books/ Penguin Random House, 2005.

Happy Thursday! The sun finally peeped through yesterday and it was partly cloudy today though marred somewhat by poor air quality due to the Canadian wildfires. #tbt features Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Lubar. Starting freshman year can be daunting. Scott is on the small and nerdy side and definitely daunted. He has a much older brother who, shall we say, was not exactly academically gifted and his former teachers definitely remember him and have opinions about Scott. He also can't decide which extracurriculars to join and decides to join each one he crush joins. On top of everything, his parents announce that his mother is pregnant and due in June, so Scott starts a journal about coping with freshman year for his soon-to-be sibling.

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie was an ALA Best Book and Mr. Lubar wrote a sequel, Sophomores and Other Oxymorons: another Novel in 2015. Readers who like to laugh should definitely check out these two books. Happy reading!