Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen

Pages: 410

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Historical thriller / World War II drama

Notes for Parents: Contains violence and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Sarah’s actress mother spent years teaching her how to become someone else. Now her mother is dead and Sarah is hiding in plain sight among the daughters of the Nazi elite. A brilliant con artist, she’s out to befriend the daughter of an important scientist and get her hands on the bomb blueprints in his heavily guarded manor. The more deeply embedded she becomes in this world of monsters, the graver the danger. But she’s determined to get her revenge on them all.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series. The second book, Devil Darling Spy, is expected out in 2020.

What’s good?

Sarah is a Jew, but her blonde hair and blue eyes allow her to go undetected from the Nazis. While on the run, she meets a mysterious man, a spy, who needs her to infiltrate a boarding school and find the daughter of a man who’s building a bomb. She soon finds herself surrounded by cutthroat classmates, sadistic teachers, and disturbing Nazi propaganda. The author writes with rich imagery and brutal frankness, maintaining a dark tone while still managing to incorporate some humor. The pace is swift, and the plot is sophisticated. While this story is more plot driven, the characters are very well-drawn and even secondary characters contribute deeply to the story. There’s plenty of action and danger, with themes of bravery, loneliness, sacrifice, and perseverance.

Best Part: Her use of stage metaphors when she’s undercover.

What isn’t good?

My only complaint is that I would have liked to know more about the Captain. I’m sure more will be revealed in subsequent volumes, but I think readers deserved a little more information in this one.

Worst part: None.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4.5/5)

This story was so engaging! I was hooked early. This is an action/adventure story that, on so many levels, is also a survival story. While she’s trying to survive physically, she’s also dealing with grief, fear, and loneliness, not to mention the reality of living in a world full of people who hate her because she’s Jewish. But also, we learn what she, and others, are willing to do in order to survive. This would make an amazing movie.

Killeen, Matt. Orphan Monster Spy. New York: Penguin, 2018.

Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid by Jeff Kinney

Pages: 217

Intended Audience: Tweens

Genre: Humor, Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains some bullying

The Back Cover

Description from Goodreads.com:

Introducing the newest Wimpy Kid author—Rowley Jefferson! Rowley’s best friend Greg Heffley has been chronicling his middle-school years in thirteen Diary of a Wimpy Kid journals . . . and counting. But it’s finally time for readers to hear directly from Rowley in a journal of his own. In Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid, Rowley writes about his experiences and agrees to play the role of biographer for Greg along the way. (After all, one day Greg will be rich and famous, and everyone will want to know his life’s story.) But Rowley is a poor choice for the job, and his “biography” of Greg is a hilarious mess.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is a companion book to The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

What’s good?

Rowley Jefferson has decided to keep a diary just like his best friend Greg. As Rowley chronicles their adventures, it becomes evident that Rowley is trusting and kind, while Greg is manipulative and selfish. But Rowley is determined to be an awesome friendly kid. The book is quick and easy to read. Rowley is very likeable. The illustrations are fun and the plot is simple.  

Best Part: I like how hard Rowley tries to be a good friend.

What isn’t good?

The humor is mostly cringe-worthy stuff. Greg is terrible to Rowley and Rowley doesn’t quite seem to understand that he deserves better. It’s tough to watch.

Worst part: Greg

Recommendation ☺☺ (2/5)

I didn’t find it entertaining at all to read about a kid being treated badly by someone he considers a friend. I suppose those who have read The Diary of a Wimpy Kid books have a better understanding of the dynamics of Rowley’s and Greg’s relationship. I did not.

Kinney, Jeff. Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid. New York: Amulet Books, 2019.

A List of Cages by Robin Roe

Pages: 310

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary / Crime mystery

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language, violence, under-aged drinking, abuse, and other mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he’s got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn’t easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can’t complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down a troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian—the foster brother he hasn’t seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He’s still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what’s really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives…

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book is a Lincoln Award Nominee (2019) and was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2017).

What’s good?

It’s impossible not to care about Julian right from the start. He’s a sad, lonely, timid boy who somehow manages to find good in people despite the obvious lack of love in his life. Adam, on the other hand, is popular, confident, friendly, and surrounded by loving and supportive people. This is an extraordinarily heart-wrenching story driven by well-drawn characters and a simple but absorbing plot. The chapters are short, so the pace is swift. Adam’s friend Charlie, and girlfriend Emerald are strong secondary characters. Compassion, friendship, and grief are themes in this gripping tale. The ending was dramatic and satisfying.

Best Part: “Hate ricochets, but kindness does too.” (pg. 178)

What isn’t good?

I have only one complaint, but it’s a big one – the adults. Despite the multitude of adults that populate this story, not one is reliable. Even Adam’s mom is passive despite her social work background and firsthand knowledge of Julian. The teachers are inattentive; they don’t recognize that Julian is dyslexic, and they are portrayed as too busy to care. The cops are apathetic, and the nurses are unsympathetic despite what should be plenty of experience dealing with abused children. Even Adam calls his girlfriend instead of his mom when he needs help.

Worst part: The adults.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This story will resonate with me for a long time. It was beautiful and sad and moving. From the onset, you know things will probably turn out okay in the end, but you have to keep reading just to make sure. This story won’t be for everyone – it gets brutal—but it’s well done, and I highly recommend it.

Roe, Robin. A List of Cages. New York: Hyperion, 2017.

You're Welcome, Universe by Whitney Gardner

Pages: 293

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

When Julia finds a slur about her best friend scrawled across a wall at the Kingston School for the Deaf, she covers it up with a beautiful (albeit illegal) graffiti mural in an attempt to protect her friend’s reputation.

But then Julia’s (supposed) friend snitches, the principal expels her, and her moms send her to a “mainstream” school, where she’s treated like an outcast as the only deaf student.

Julia’s only outlet is her art. She paints anywhere she can. But Julia soon learns that she might not be the only vandal in town. Someone is adding to her tags, making them better showing off. Caught in a graffiti war, Julia must risk arrest to go toe to toe with her rival…or face losing the only piece of her identity that still makes sense.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This was the winner of the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens in 2018.

What’s good?

Julia is a deaf graffiti artist who gets kicked out of her specialized school after being accused of defacing property. In her new mainstream school, she has several issues and struggles to make friends. She just wants to focus on her art. The plot is simple but has lots of emotion and a good pace. The author shows blanks in the dialogue where Julia is unable to lip-read what others are saying, which serves to give the reader a great perspective of the communication challenges she faces. Themes include friendship, coping, and self-expression. Deaf culture and graffiti culture are nicely highlighted, and the story includes diverse characters without them feeling like tokens. The writing is strong, the use of imagery is well balanced, and the ending was satisfying.

Best Part: Illustrations of her graffiti and ASL signs.

What isn’t good?

If I had to pick a few things, I guess there was quite a bit of bad language, but then that did help illustrate Julia’s anger. She was angsty and moody a lot, but she’s a lonely, frustrated teenager so that’s kind of expected. It seemed a bit rude that she called her new friend YP (Yoga Pants), but that kind of associative name is part of deaf culture so…

Worst part: Nada.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

This was an engaging, feel-good tale with a touch of mystery and adventure. It was simple and easy-to-read, but still had a robust story line, strong characters, and an important message. Recommended.

Gardner, Whitney. You’re Welcome, Universe. New York: Ember, 2017.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Pages: 434

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Dystopian

Notes for Parents: Contains body-shaming, cruelty, and some mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land.

But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide: save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles, or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This is the first book in a series. It is a Hugo Award Nominee for Best Young Adult Book (Lodestar Award) (2019), Locus Award Nominee for Young Adult Book (2019), and was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2018)

What’s good?

In a world where appearances are revered above all else, Camellia possesses the ability to physically manipulate people and things to make them more beautiful – and beauty is what everyone wants. The setting is potently assembled with rich imagery and lush descriptors that illustrate a Victorian-like society of magic and mystery. But the lavish world of parties and teacup animals is a thin veneer that hides a darkness that threatens the future of Orleans. The pace starts slow but picks up significantly in the last half and the plot is simple but strong.

Best Part: The world-building.

What isn’t good?

The obsession with beauty became tiresome quickly. It took a long time to get to the meat of the story where we finally feel like not everyone thinks appearances is most important. Character development is weak –Sophia is awful, but why? And what makes Camellia different? Why is the Queen so powerless? Why are Camellia and Amber friends? And I want to know more about Edel. The romance is unconvincing too since Auguste is not very likable. What does Camellia see in him?

Worst part: The novel ended with a lot of unanswered questions – presumably to be addressed in future books of the series.

Recommendation ☺☺☺(3/5)

I have so many books to read, I rarely continue with a series, so for me this story was just getting good when it ended. If you’re likely to stick it out for the long haul, this will probably be a good series, but as a stand-alone, Belles is a disappointment.

Clayton, Dhonielle. The Belles. Los Angeles: Freeform Books, 2018.