Thankful for the Maverick by Rochelle Alers

Welcome Back, Booklovers. And Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Small town romance is good for any time of the year but especially when it starts to get cold in the fall. There's something about cranking up the heat, brewing a cup of tea, wrapping up in a blanket, and sitting down for a quick read.

Thankful for the Maverick is a part of the Montana Mavericks: Brothers & Broncos series which is an overarching series about people who live in small town Montana. Both main characters Brynn and Garrett have previously been mentioned in other books though they weren't featured heavily so you don't need to read the rest of the series to read this one.

Brynn Hawkins is apart of the famed Hawkins Sisters, a group of sister that have been garnering attention of the rodeo circuit. Garrett Abernathy runs his family's ranch and is content with his life in Bronco after his marriage fell apart once he and his wife moved to New York. While his wife was an aspiring socialite, he was a homebody. Garrett tries to convince himself he's too old for Brynn because she's 30 and he's in his early 40s. But really he's just reluctant to change and opening himself up to the possibility of love again. Meanwhile Brynn has messed with some rodeo dudes in the past and that has turned her off from love. Especially after she discovered her last ex was two timing her and had multiple baby mamas.

This is a sweet small town romance set around Thanksgiving time. There's just enough conflict to keep readers interested with a little bit of family mixed in.

2023 Bookish Holiday Gift Guide Part 4

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Welcome to part 4 of my Bookish Holiday Gift Guide. Make sure to check out part 1, part 2, and part 3. So last but not least I have a variety of young adult and adult options. This year I've really been in my romance and fantasy bag so expect to see some good options there.

Sign of the Slayer

This one is like Full Metal Alchemist meets a Black Buffy as readers follow Raven, an 18 year old high school senior who discovers she's a slayer after a tragic accident that uproots her life. She's then sucked into the world of a secret society of vampire slaying agents and is desperate for revenge.

Somebody That I Used to Know

This is a story about a young Julliard bound violin player named Dylan reunites with one of her old best friends who has now become a superstar. After some reckless behavior landed Legendary under conservatorship he's trying to convince his mother to let him go on a world tour by showing her he's still the same old Legend.

Neverwraith

This well paced YA urban fantasy follows a boy named Yasir who has recently moved from Atlanta to a smaller town where he has to deal with the most popular kid at school challenging him. As if fitting in wasn't hard enough he's noticing all these weird changes to his body and he's intensely drawn to a girl at school. 

Sing Me to Sleep 

Saoirse is a siren who must keep her identity hidden. By day she's a soldier in training but at night she's a paid assassin. She agrees to work for the royals she hates after being blackmailed by someone threatening to expose her and her sister. 

Ghost Roast

This one doesn't come out until January 2nd. So just in time for Orthodox Christmas and Three Kings Day. Ghost Roast is about Chelsea who is forced to work for her father's ghost hunting company during the summer after a night out with friends goes wrong. At first she's not into it until she discovers she has the ability to communicate with the ghosts of a house they're attempting to exorcize. 

The Scourge Between Stars

This is a sci-fi horror about the crew responsible for keeping humanity alive taking the long journey to earth after a failed colonization of another planet. Jacklyn and her team must hunt down an intruder on the ship that is attempting to destroy their mission. 

The God of Good Looks

Bianca Bridge finds herself ostracized by Trinidadian society after being exposed for having an affair with a married government official. Her only hope for a job is with the self proclaimed God of Good Looks Obadiah Courtland. 

Plantains and Our Becoming: Poems

This unique poetry collection is part memoir/part reflection of Caribbean culture and colonialism.  Melania Luisa Marte reflects on growing up between NYC, Texas, and the Dominican Republic. What does it mean to her to be a Afro Latina and a Black Woman in America.

The Thing About Home

Casey Black is an influencer who was supposed to have the dream vow renewal ceremony. But when they're at the church her husband calls it off and announces he wants a divorce. After an embarrassing viral video she decides to lay low and finally get to know her father's family in South Carolina lowcountry.

  

Don't Go Baking My Heart

Devon is uptight and needs to show his boss he can have fun and Reba is a free spirit who could use a little reigning in. When Devon is in need of help with a baking crisis he reaches out to Reba who knows just how to get under his skin. 

Neverwraith by Shakir Rashaan

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Neverwraith is book I only heard about the month it was being released but from the synopsis I knew it had the making of everything I love in a YA urban fantasy. Thank you Entangled Publishing for a finished copy.

Neverwraith is fantasy about a boy named Yasir who has to move from Atlanta where he's spent his entire life living with his grandmother to stay with his uncle in Oakwood Grove. Yasir is just trying to fit in but becomes an easy target at school for the popular rich boy who has something to prove. He was advised by his grandma to keep a low profile and he's not sure why his eyes are changing colors, why he feels heat under his skin, and why he's so drawn to this girl named Zahra at his new school. 

Shakir Rashaan offers readers a well-paced fantasy with a voice we usually don't see as the focus. There aren't a lot of fantasies featuring Black boys as the main character on the bookstore shelves. And it was refreshing to see a Black boy with a voice that's not toned down to make white readers feel more comfortable.

It's very easy to get sucked into this story right from the beginning. I appreciated the lively cast and believable relationship dynamics.  The balance between Yasir attempting to fit in at his new school while still maintaining ties with his old crew is very relatable. Yasir and Zahra's relationship develops pretty quickly but they have an easy going chemistry that makes it work while hints about why their connection is so strong are dropped along the way. There's a unique magic world that unfolds as we get further into the story instead of being dumped on readers all at once. There's lots of details so a glossary would've been helpful but it nothing is overly complicated or confusing. Comic books fans will love this new kind of superhero. And the authentic voice will appeal to teen readers especially Black teens. 

With ancient magical societies, superhero type powers, and so many secrets to uncover it's a fantasy that truly stands out among a sea of similar stories.

Thieves' Gambit by by Kayvion Lewis

Welcome Back, Booklovers! So I heard about Thieves' Gambit when the rights were acquired for adaptation. There's so many books they go to auction. There's so many books that have their rights acquired and it's announced prior to publication. And I always wonder what is it about this book that is generating so much buzz in advance. And the majority of time when I read the book I'm left disappointed. So I was hesitantly curious about this book since these contemporary thrillers tend to be a big miss for me.

Ross Quest is a seventeen year old from a family of well known thieves living in the Bahamas. But she plans to leave the family business by dipping out on her mother after their latest job. When her mother is captured and held for ransom she has to join the Thieves' Gambit, an international heist competition and compete against some of the world's greatest young thieves for the grand prize. One of those competitor's includes Ross' sworn enemy. 

Finally a heist story with actually heists! This is a fast-paced YA thriller which was refreshing with how many books lately are so slow. Even though these high stakes competition or trials stories are very popular right now this manages to stand out on it's own. The bold characters, fun locations, and twists make it easy to see why this one was scooped up for adaptation. 

It ends on a cliffhanger that leaves plenty of room for a solid story in the sequel. And it feels like a book actually written with it's teen readers in mind with readable prose and the right balance of character and plot.

2023 Bookish Holiday Gift Guide Part 3

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with part 3 of my Bookish Holiday Gift Guide and this part will be focusing on gifts for elementary and middle school readers. 

Abby in Orbit: Blast Off

It's the first day of third grade, and Abby Baxter is determined not to make any mistakes. It's a little trickier than it was last year, though, because Abby is starting school on the OASIS International Space Station, where her parents are scientists. Abby is so focused on getting used to microgravity, watching her little brother, Nico, and meeting her new classmates that she almost messes up Mami’s big experiment. Can she figure out how to make things right, or is she destined to be sent back to Earth?

Frankie and Friends: Breaking News

Frankie’s mama is leaving to cover a breaking news story. Frankie, Papa, and Frankie’s teenage sister, Raven, are all proud of Mama, even though they miss her when she’s away. But Frankie has a great idea: she can make her own news show! After all, Mama has told her that news is happening around her all the time. With a little assistance from her friends—including her doll Farrah, Robert the toy robot, and her tabby cat, Nina Simone—Frankie prepares for her first “broadcast.” And when she hears someone crying in the house, she knows that’s the developing story she must cover. With humor, empathy, and imagination, Frankie gets the scoop—and learns that even mature older sisters can miss Mama sometimes. With sweet illustrations throughout, this engaging new series embraces communication and compassion and is a refreshing portrayal of Black women in journalism. Young reporters will learn the terms of the trade, which are clearly presented in the text and reinforced in a glossary at the end of the book.

Jalen's Big City Life: Baking Buddies

J.C. is craving cupcakes and so is Pop-Pop! But when baby Maya won't go down for her nap, J.C. and Pop-Pop have to get creative. Can they handle baking and babysitting at the same time?

Alijah's Garden (Mr. Grizley's Class)

Alijah has planted a pea plant in an abandoned field behind the school. The only problem is the rest of the field is a mess with weeds and trash everywhere. Principal Bueno agrees that if Mr. Grizley's class can clean up the field, Alijah can save his plant and maybe even start a garden. How will the class tackle this huge project? Readers of this social-emotional-learning-focused book can enjoy a related activity at the end of the story.

Welcome to the Island

Welcome to the adventurous island of Sol! For eight-year-old Isla Verde, Sol is the perfect place to live. The sun shines bright, the markets brim with delicious food and music, there are animal friends around every corner, and her best gecko buddy, Fitz, is up for almost every adventure!

Yes, Isla’s best friend is a gecko. In fact, that’s part of her big secret…she can speak to animals—and they speak right back! No one else knows about her special talent, not even Mama, Abuelo, or Abuela! But when new girl Tora moves in next door, Isla starts finding it harder to keep her secret under wraps.

Curlfriends: New in Town

Charlie has a foolproof plan for the first day at her new middle school. Even though she's used to starting over as the new kid—thanks to her military family's constant moving—making friends has never been easy for her. But this time, her first impression needs to last, since this is where her family plans to settle for good.

So she's hiding any interests that may seem “babyish,” updating her look, and doing her best to leave her shyness behind her...but is erasing the real Charlie the best way to make friends?

When not everything goes exactly to plan—like, AT ALL—Charlie is ready to give up on making new friendships. Then she meets the Curlfriends, a group of Black girls who couldn't be more different from each other, and learns that maybe there is a place for Charlie to be her true self after all.

Crocodile Rescue! 

Twelve-year-old Adrianna Villalobos and her older brother Feye travel the globe with their parents, the hosts of a suspenseful nature show called "Wild Survival!" The show features daring animal rescues and the work the family does at their animal sanctuary. They've recently gotten an offer to take the show from YouTube to a TV network, and Adrianna is thrilled. So far, she's always been behind the scenes, but now she gets to join the rest of her family onscreen. She can't wait to bring her passion for animals to a wide audience. Their first stop is the lush mangrove forests of Cuba, where they're going to help rescue an injured crocodile. But things get off to a rocky start when Feye is injured in an accident partially caused by Adrianna. The status of the show is in jeopardy, and Adrianna's parents want her back behind the scenes, or maybe even back at home. Adrianna is determined to prove herself, and save the show-whatever it takes. Even if that means confronting the legendary Mega Croc of Cuba that's rumored to inhabit the murky waters around their base camp. Based on the author's real-life wildlife encounters, this middle-grade series will include real animal facts, light illustration of the creatures mentioned in each book, and an Author's Note from Melissa.

Josephine Against the Sea

Eleven-year-old Josephine knows that no one is good enough for her daddy. That's why she makes a habit of scaring his new girlfriends away. She's desperate to make it onto her school's cricket team because she'll get to play her favorite sport AND use the cricket matches to distract Daddy from dating.

But when Coach Broomes announces that girls can't try out for the team, the frustrated Josephine cuts into a powerful silk cotton tree and accidentally summons a bigger problem into her life . . .

The next day, Daddy brings home a new catch, a beautiful woman named Mariss. And unlike the other girlfriends, this one doesn't scare easily. Josephine knows there's something fishy about Mariss but she never expected her to be a vengeful sea creature eager to take her place as her father's first love! Can Josephine convince her friends to help her and use her cricket skills to save Daddy from Mariss's clutches before it's too late?

Finch House

Eleven-year-old Micah has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.

By the next day, Poppop is nowhere to be found. After searching everywhere, Micah’s instincts lead her back to Finch House. But once Theo invites her inside, Micah realizes she can’t leave. And that, with its strange whispers and deep-dark shadows, Finch House isn’t just a house…it’s alive.

Can Micah find a way to convince the house to let her go? Or will she be forced to stay in Finch House forever?

Zo and the Forest of Secrets

When Zo decides to run away from home, she isn't scared; after all, she knows the island like the back of her hand. But, as she journeys through the once-familiar forest, terrifying creatures and warped visions begin to emerge. With a beast on her heels and a lost boy thrown into her path, could a mysterious abandoned facility hold answers?

Zo must unravel the secrets of the forest before she is lost in them forever...

Sincerely Sicily

Sicily Jordan’s worst nightmare has come true! She’s been enrolled in a new school, with zero of her friends and stuck wearing a fashion catastrophe of a uniform. But however bad Sicily thought sixth grade was going to be, it only gets worse when she does her class presentation.

While all her classmates breezed through theirs, Sicily is bombarded with questions on how she can be both Black and Panamanian. She wants people to understand, but it doesn’t feel like anyone is ready to listen—first at school and then at home. Because when her abuela starts talking mess about her braids, Sicily’s the only one whose heart is being crumpled for a second time.

Staying quiet may no longer be an option, but that doesn’t mean Sicily has the words to show the world just what it means to be a proud Black Panamanian either. Even though she hasn’t written in her journal since her abuelo passed, it’s time to pick up her pen again—but will it be enough to prove to herself and everyone else exactly who she is?