Category: Book Reviews

Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom

Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of DoomJunius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom by Allan Wolf
ISBN: 153621745X
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This middle grade book is narrated by Lake Peigneur itself, this is the story of pirates and buried treasure and the real-life drilling accident on Lake Peigneur in Louisiana in 1980. Junius is shipped off to stay with his Uncle Spot on a houseboat on Lake Peigneur. His parents are headed to a retreat to work on their marriage. Junius suffers from what his mom calls “leaks” which are noises he makes when he gets anxious. He also loves water of all types – lakes, rivers, ponds – and has written a book about waterbodies. Ironically, he is afraid of being in the water or in a boat on the water. It turns out that the lake and the town have a lot of mysteries and Junius is able to uncover some big secrets. This is based on a real event – the Lake Peigneur drilling accident of 1980. Includes lots of Lousiana cultural details, including “whirling dervish” dancing. Readers will also enjoy The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story. 

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

five-stars

Cry Out Loud

Cry Out LoudCry Out Loud: (A Graphic Novel) by Tara O'Connor
ISBN: 0593125533
Genres: Horror
Format: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Goodreads
five-stars

This graphic novel is set on a remote island in Ireland and the illustrations perfectly complement the creepy horror story. When Nell is suspended from school, her mother ships her off to distant relatives in Northern Ireland whom she’s never met. Nell soon learns that there is a long-time ritual sacrifice being planned to keep Banshees at bay and she is at the center of everything. Nell meets a ghost and somehow travels back in time. She learns about (and meets) more family members – including her mother as a young girl. She also learns why she is at the center of a family ritual to keep banshees at bay. Will Nell find a way to break the cycle? This suspenseful graphic novel is perfect for mature middles schoolers and YA readers.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

five-stars

When We Were Monsters

When We Were MonstersWhen We Were Monsters by Jennifer Niven
Published by Knopf on September 2, 2025
ISBN: 1524713023
Genres: Psychological thriller, Suspense
Format: Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars
The select high school students chosen for their private school’s prestigious ‘Jan Term’ are excited to work with this year’s mentor, actor and writer Meredith Graffam. Among the students are Effy, a serious writer working through the unrelenting grief of losing her mother in an accident that sent her father to prison, and Arlo, not as serious but working through some severe grief of his own. Did Graffam know these two were ex-lovers and the relationship ended poorly? Perhaps. She seems to know a lot about each student and is prepared to leverage this knowledge to get results. As Graffam’s assignments get more wild and dangerous, the Jan Term students begin to suspect that she might not be exactly who she claims to be.

Told from Effy’s and Arlo’s points of view, this atmospheric thriller will be a hit with Dark Academia fans, though some might find the villain a little too ludicrous to truly invest themselves in the story. 

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Tiny Owl’s Scary Day

Tiny Owl’s Scary DayTiny Owl's Scary Day by Petr Horáček
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536235873
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
 

Tiny Owl just can’t accept that owls sleep during the day so she slips out while Mama Owl is asleep. As she explores, she runs into a few situations that make her rethink questioning her mother, and she decides that she is probably better suited as nocturnal. As always, Horáček’s illustrations are bright and beautiful, and the humor and warmth will delight readers.  Perfect for young adventurers and a great choice for reading aloud.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

The Better To Eat You With

The Better To Eat You WithThe Better to Eat You With by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Published by Delacorte Press ISBN: 0593647076
Genres: Horror, Psychological thriller
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
Evan’s family’s yearly summer vacation at Camp Sonrisa is upended by trouble between her parents. She suspects they agree to let her stay with her best friend’s family at the camp because they need to sort out what’s going on between them, and she’s relieved to be free of both the marital tension and the constant surveillance of Evan’s eating and exercise habits by her mother.

Once there, things feel different; her best friend Billie suddenly seems older than her twelve years and there are rumors of a large animal roaming the woods that have campers frightened. Evan had planned to eat anything she wanted all summer but she finds she can’t bring herself to do it as her mother’s relentless wellness tips prevent her from enjoying food. As she weakens, the wild animal presence becomes stronger until Evan becomes worried that she and the animal might be one and the same.

The cover of this book promises horror, but it really is a novel about disordered eating. The monster-in-the-woods element never quite lands, but as a book for young readers about anorexia and the circumstances that can lead to it (like a well-meaning parent who is also suffering), it’s excellent.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

(S)kin

(S)kin(S)Kin by Ibi Zoboi
on February 11, 2025
ISBN: 0062888870
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
“(S)KIN” is a YA fantasy novel in verse by Ibi Zoboi. Marisol is a Black teen girl and a soucouyant, a being from Caribbean that sheds its skin during the new moon and feeds on the energy of their enemies. Genevieve is a mixed-race teen living with her white father and white stepmother, but has dreams about her mysterious Black mother. Both teens meet and their stories begin to intertwine. The themes of colorism, mother-daughter relationships, and figuring out who you want to be are well done and readers will enjoy the quick story filled with secrets. A must-buy for YA fiction collections where Zoboi and novels in verse are popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

Love Unmasked

Love UnmaskedLove Unmasked by Becky Dean
on July 15, 2025
ISBN: 0593647874
Genres: Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
“Love Unmasked” is a YA romance novel by Becky Dean. Evie is a student visiting Venice, Italy with her art and architecture class. She is a hug fan of a book series set in Venice called “Elven Realms.” When she hears rumors about a secret Elven Realms club in the city, she decides to try and find it. The story is a fairly predictable romance, but fans of YA cozy romances, gentle mysteries, and travel will definitely enjoy this one. The pacing was good, and a lot happens considering this all takes place within a week. This is an additional purchase for YA collections where cozy romances and travel fiction are popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

three-stars

The Lost Women of Science

The Lost Women of ScienceThe Lost Women of Science by Karyn Lee, Katie Hafner, Melina Gerosa Bellows
Published by Bright Matter Books on 8/19/25
ISBN: 0593896718
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
Inspired by the Lost Women of Science podcast, this nonfiction book explores how ten different women contributed to various scientific fields.  The women highlighted are not famous and the authors are using their platforms to give these women the credit they deserve for their important accomplishments.  Although these women excelled in different fields, such as astronomy, medicine, and engineering, most faced some type of discrimination or were not given credit due to their gender.  

The inside flap lists each woman and their accomplishments and the table of contents gives the page numbers. At the beginning of each section, there is a quick snapshot of why they are important, including any scientific “firsts” they achieved.  This is followed by several pages of narrative, including photos or other graphics that go into detail about the women’s background and how they worked hard to pursue their scientific endeavors.  Many sections also include supplementary information related to the field of study that offers background information for the reader.  This would be a great addition to any library serving fourth thru sixth grade students.  Budding scientists, especially young women, will enjoy reading about those who paved the way in a typically male dominated field.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

Predatory Natures

Predatory NaturesPredatory Natures by Amy Goldsmith
on July 8, 2025
ISBN: 0593814312
Genres: Fantasy, Horror
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
“Predatory Natures” is a YA horror novel by Amy Goldsmith. The main character is a teenager, Lara, who is taking a break from school after doing badly on her exams and working a short-term job on a luxury train. Surprisingly an old friend that she had a falling out with is also working on the train. There are also some mysterious twins, Gwen and Gwydion who are supposedly transporting scientific samples, and staff are told to stay away from them. What is really happening on this train?

Lots of descriptive passages, with intermingled flashbacks helped build the tension and atmosphere, but occasionally were a little confusing. We learn about Lara’s past abusive relationship through these flashbacks. Meanwhile the plant samples take over the train and control others (similar to Lara’s abusive boyfriend). An interesting YA horror with a lot of darkness, this is a suggested purchase where YA horror (especially psychological) is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

three-stars

Elena Camps (Elena va a acampar)

Elena Camps (Elena va a acampar)Elena Camps/Elena va a acampar: A Dual Edition Flip Book by Juana Medina
ISBN: 1536234052
Genres: Animals
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
“Elena Camps/Elena va a acampar” is an early reader with one side in English and then flipped over to read in Spanish, written by Juana Medina. Written for ages 4-6, the story follows Elena, the elephant, as she tries to go camping, but has trouble getting the tent up. She gets frustrated and tries different ways to get it up. The bright silly illustrations and funny sound effects will delight young readers. A recommended purchase for early reader collections, especially those where Spanish books are popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars