Hmm. I had heard a ton of great press about A Curse So Dark and Lonely long before I read it. I have librarian friends who have read and loved […]
Category: Fantasy
The Witch Boy: A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I’ve had some difficulty focusing on novels during this self-quarantine period, so my boys have been recommending graphic novels and comics for me to read. My 13-year old son recommended […]
Last Bus to Everland: A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Today’s featured review for Last Bus to Everland features a cool new “librarian’s perspective” format! I want my reviews to be as helpful as possible for secondary school librarians and […]
The Wicked King : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I am feeling ALL THE LOVE for The Wicked King by Holly Black! I’ve come to expect sequels to be a bit less-than their predecessors, but The Wicked King has […]
Damsel : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Damsel by Elana K. Arnold is currently raising a lot of eyebrows in the YA world. It’s marketed as YA and got two starred reviews from SLJ and Booklist. It […]
Three Dark Crowns : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I have been so excited to read Three Dark Crowns! The Shanghai Librarians Network is sponsoring our first-ever High School Battle of the Books this year (yay!), and this book […]
The Cruel Prince : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Want to live in a beautiful, magical faerie world? Think hard about that! For humans who live in the world of The Cruel Prince, life is full of poisonous fruit, […]
The Ruins of Gorlan : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Reading The Ruins of Gorlan has become a bit of a family affair for me this week. It started with our 10-year old son, who brought it home from the […]
Never Never : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Peter Pan has been everywhere for me lately. I’ve read Tiger Lily. I’ve seen the play. I’ve watched the first three seasons of Once Upon a Time. My son was […]
Bull : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Bull is not your typical mythology novel for teens. It’s nothing like the Percy Jackson series, and I don’t recommend it for most middle school readers. Some readers will find […]
Caraval : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Caraval is a weird, twisty, wicked-fun must-read. Watch for Caraval by Stephanie Garber on award lists–it’s a page-turning, action-packed adventure for upper middle school and high school readers! AUTHOR: Stephanie […]
Poison’s Kiss : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
How gorgeous is the front cover of Poison’s Kiss? It’s so pretty that it’s the reason I chose this book over others on NetGalley. Then, I saw that this is […]
The Bridge : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I’m sad to say that The Bridge by Rachel Lou was just okay for me. I liked that it’s about a gay male witch, something you just don’t see too […]
An Ember in the Ashes : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I am one of like 5 people in the world that did NOT like An Ember in the Ashes. Underdeveloped characters, poor world-building, and extreme violence turned me off so […]
Sun and Moon and Ice and Snow : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I liked Sun and Moon and Ice and Snow okay, but I’m not jumping out of my chair over it. Middle school students who like fairytale retellings will appreciate that […]
A Stolen Kiss : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
A Stolen Kiss has everything you would expect from a Disney princess adventure. There’s romance, darkness, secrets, fantasy creatures, castles, evil, princesses, and lots of magic. It’s not the greatest […]
The Great Hunt : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins was a bit of a roller coaster, and I say that in a good way. After an unforgettable opening scene, the action slows considerably […]
Pokemon Adventures : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I read Pokemon Adventures, book 1 at my 11-year old son’s urging. He loves Pokemon and like many his age, is pretty obsessed with it. I’m just happy he’s reading […]
The Stonekeeper : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
When I told my students I was reading The Stonekeeper, which is the first book in the Amulet series, they were so excited. In each class, I asked which students […]
Cardboard : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I’ve only read six books in my 2016 Graphic Novel Challenge, but I think Cardboard by Doug TenNapel is my favorite so far. So creative! AUTHOR: Doug TenNapel SERIES: none […]
Spelled : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
I was so excited to receive Spelled by Betsy Schow for review. The blurb sounds fantastic, and I always love a good Oz retelling, especially one with a dash of […]
Tiger Lily : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Tiger Lily is a YA retelling of Peter Pan, but this time, the story is told from the point of view of Tiger Lily, a young native princess living in […]
Steel : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
With an interesting premise and a gorgeous front cover, Steel has the potential to be an exciting, swashbuckling action-romance. AUTHOR: Carrie Vaughn SERIES: none PUBLISHER: Harper Teen PUBLICATION DATE: March […]
Sweet Shadows : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
Sweet Shadows is the second book in the Medusa Girls series by Tera Lynn Childs. Is it worth buying for your library? AUTHOR: Tera Lynn Childs SERIES: Medusa Girls, book […]
Sweet Venom : A Librarian’s Perspective Review
As a librarian, I get book recommendations from students and teachers all the time. I really do try to read at least some of them, especially if the recommendation comes […]