Format: Fiction

Blood at the Root

Blood at the RootBlood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams
Published by Labyrinth Road on May 7, 2024
ISBN: 0593711920
Genres: Cultural / African American, Fantasy, Magical Realism
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Seventeen-year-old Malik has been living with the tremendous burden of believing he was responsible for his mother’s death a decade ago. He remembers her dying the night he realized he had magical powers and he has since carried that pain while growing up in the foster system. After rescuing his beloved foster brother Taye, Malik sets out for a new life away from his memories. Along the way he discovers not only can he control his magic, but that he comes from a long line of magic practitioners, and that he has earned a place in an historically Black college dedicated to Black youth with magical abilities.

Written to fill the void of magical stories featuring young Black men, Blood at the Root is an exciting idea: an HBCU dedicated to students learning Hoodoo and Vodun magic that draws on their history and ancestry for its operational power. The book is long and slow, though, and the magic is outweighed by the constant trauma and betrayal Malik is subjected to. Older fantasy and magical realism fans might enjoy it, and there will undoubtedly be sequels.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library

three-stars

Bumps in the Night

Bumps in the NightBumps in the Night by Amalie Howard
Published by Delacorte Press on February 20, 2024
ISBN: 0593645871
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Folklore, Magical Realism
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Middle schooler Darika Lovelace has been sent to Trinidad to stay with her grandmother for the summer. She’s had a little trouble at school, has some feelings to sort out about her stepmother and half-siblings, and is nursing the wound she suffered when her mother left, so a summer with Granny might be what just she needs. As Rika settles in she realizes things might not be exactly as they seem and her family history is much more complicated than she thought. Her iguana friend can talk? Her friends can practice elemental magic? She comes from a line of witches? Her mother is in Trinidad and in danger!?

Caribbean folklore is colorful and terrifying, as fans of Tracey Baptiste’s The Jumbies will attest to. Rika is a strong character, the monsters are legitimately creepy, and the descriptions of the local cuisine is mouthwatering. Hand to fans of magic, mischievous creatures, the movie Labyrinth, and Skittles.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

The Dare

The DareThe Dare by Natasha Preston
Published by Delacorte Press on May 7, 2024
ISBN: 0593704061
Genres: Psychological thriller
Format: Fiction, Young Adult
Goodreads
two-stars

High school senior Marley and her friends are dreading their school’s yearly tradition: senior pranks in the form of dares doled out by the siblings of the town’s most prestigious family. When Marley and her friends get dared to do increasingly dangerous things, they end up facing a tragedy that could derail their plans for the future.

Fans of I Know What You Did Last Summer might enjoy this book as the premise is similar, but what could have been an interesting look at high school politics and peer pressure falls flat thanks to the lack of character development. It will most likely circulate amongst thriller readers, but is not an essential addition to a collection.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

two-stars

Made Glorious

Made GloriousMade Glorious by Lindsay Eagar
Published by Candlewick Press on April 2, 2024
ISBN: 1536204676
Genres: Mental Health, Psychological thriller
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Senior year at Bosworth Academy is a big deal for student actors; it’s when they have finally paid their theater dues and are able to perform as a lead in the school’s final production. Rory King has been waiting patiently for her turn, but when she is passed over for a lead and cast in the ensemble again, she sets in motion a conniving and dangerous scheme to finally land a lead role.

This retelling of Shakespeare’s Richard III sets Rory up as an antihero who will shock and delight us as she stops at nothing (sexual favors, emotional manipulation, narrowly avoided murder) to get her way. Unfortunately, Rory comes across less like an antihero, and more like a severely ill teenager whose unyielding drive leads to truly reprehensible behavior. It’s hard to get on board and root for her, especially with very little backstory to explain why Rory behaves the way she does. The book uses both first and third person narration, has theatrical numbers, and even an original song. The detail paid to high school theater is interesting and will appeal to those who are familiar with the scene.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Last One to Die

Last One to DieLast One to Die by Cynthia Murphy
on January 7, 2021
ISBN: 0593705548
Pages: 275
Genres: Mystery, Psychological thriller, Supernatural
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Niamh is beyond thrilled to attend a drama camp in London for the summer, but her excitement quickly turns to fear as students in her program are attacked and, in one case, murdered. As unnerving as that would be for anybody, Niamh feels especially threatened as she realizes that she is the common thread between the victims. To distract herself from what appears to be an increasingly perilous situation, she turns all her thoughts to Tommy, a handsome young man who works at a living museum with her.

The book suffers greatly from an unconvincing main character; Niamh is likeable enough, but the amount of risk she takes by staying in London in order to be around Tommy is unbelievable. Between stock characters and a weak mystery, there just isn’t enough to latch on to in the story to achieve the suspension of disbelief that would be required to make it work. Fans of supernatural thrillers might enjoy it, but it’s not a must-have for a collection.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

 

two-stars

The Revenge Game

The Revenge GameThe Revenge Game by Jordyn Taylor
on November 7, 2023
ISBN: 0593563646
Pages: 320
Genres: Psychological thriller, Realistic Fiction, Suspense
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Prep school junior Alyson is a romance novel enthusiast, but hasn’t had a boyfriend despite having some serious crushes. She falls for a senior lacrosse player (and eventual missing person in a subplot that is told Carrie-style with interviews and news articles) named Riggs and can’t believe it when she finds herself in what seems like a relationship straight out of one her favorite books. But is it, though? Piece by piece the female students put together clues that the males have been using them to rack up points according to the sexual acts they engage in. Alyson is convinced that Riggs can’t be part of it, even though his own father’s game is still admiringly talked about. The girls band together and reciprocate with their own game: they publicly humiliate boys, whether or not there is proof that they are involved in the game.

A meta-romantic thriller with a likeable cast of female characters (it should be noted that we only get tiny glimpses of even remotely likeable males), The Revenge Game is a little overblown, but its value lies in the more subtle signs of red flags in Riggs and Alyson’s willful determination to ignore them in the name of love. Recommend to those looking to explore generational toxic masculinity and/or those who might enjoy a solid tale of revenge.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Caught in a Bad Fauxmance

Caught in a Bad FauxmanceCaught in a Bad Fauxmance (Joy Revolution) by Elle Gonzalez Rose
ISBN: 0593645790
Genres: Romance, Science Fiction
Format: Fiction, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

For years, Devin Baez’s family and Julian Seo-Cooke’s clan have hated each other with a mutual loathing that peaks during the annual Winter Games at their Florida camp compound.  They earnestly compete – and audaciously cheat – to win the top prize and bragging rights. But it has been four years since Devin and his papi, twin sister, step-mother and step-brother have been to camp, four years since Devin’s mom died. Facing that loss is hard enough without having to deal with the smarmy, ultra-rich Seo-Cookes and their despicable father who stole papi’s invention and made millions off it without so much as a share to the Baez’s. So when Julian asks Devin to pretend to be his boyfriend in order to snub an ex, Devin shockingly says yes, if secretly only to get the inside scoop on how to defeat the insufferable family once and for all. The stakes are high, shenanigans ensue, and a romantic happy ending satisfies. This is a fun and clean romance that sometimes splashes into more serious moments of grief and familial discord. The secondary characters, especially the touching relationship between Devin and his twin sister Maya, bring weight to what could be a trope-filled enemies to lovers story. Instead this fauxmance to romance rises to the top with its mix of sweet emotions, funny pranks, and a fabulous comeuppance.   Reviewed by Melissa M. Orth, Richmond Middle/High School, Richmond, ME

five-stars

Wishing Season

Wishing SeasonWishing Season by Anica Mrose Rissi
ISBN: 0063258900
Genres: Magical Realism
Format: Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Eleven-year-old Lily struggles to accept the death of her twin brother, Anders. She is ambivalent about summer vacation at her home on Deer Isle, Maine, an island acessible by bridge. Her single mother is deeply depressed following Anders’ death from cancer four months earlier. Lily discovers she can go to a space in the field behind her house that she calls the overlap, and Anders shows up. The two talk together, and this lessens Lily’s grief. But as the weeks go by, Anders appears less frequently which causes Lily to panic. Meanwhile, Lily makes new friends like Ms. Turner and her chickens and Quinn, a high schooler.  Her mother becomes more functional. This is a deeply moving story and the island setting is authentically described. This book belongs in every Maine library but not sure every reader will enjoy it. However, the reader who needs it will find it comforting. The author, Anica Mrose Rissi grew up in Deer Isle, Maine.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

All That Consumes Us

All That Consumes UsAll That Consumes Us by Erica Waters
on October 17, 2023
ISBN: 0063115964
Pages: 416
Genres: Horror, Romance, Supernatural
Format: Fiction, Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars

Erica Water’s new gothic, dark academia novel, All That Consumes Us, is at times confined by genre tropes, but slowly it becomes its own contemporary hybrid. Tara Boone, a struggling 17 year old freshman at a private southern college, is accepted into an elite and secretive society, Magni Viri, after the tragic death of one of its members. Tara is in the Jane Eyre mold: a penniless, functionally orphaned girl with big dreams who is held back by self-doubt. At first it is difficult for Tara to fit in with the seemingly privileged and supernaturally talented Magni Viri students, but she will do anything for the guaranteed success promised to all its graduates – or will she?

The combination of Tara’s insecurities and the obfuscations of everyone around her make the middle of the book drag, but fortunately, genuinely surprising plot twists emerge. In true gothic fashion, Tara believes she is being haunted and her increasingly restless nights cause the atmosphere of dread to swell like a cicada’s whine. Unlike its genre’s predecessors, All That Consumes Us is refreshingly diverse. Though underdeveloped, the main lovestory is queer and there is purposeful diversity in the side character’s race, gender, class, and ability. This book will be appreciated more by future English majors who have read the heavily referenced The Secret History & Jane Eyre, but at its core this is an atmospheric ghost story lush with spooky, autumn vibes that many readers will enjoy.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

four-stars

The Haunting

The HauntingThe Haunting by Natasha Preston
on September 26, 2023
ISBN: 0593481518
Genres: Horror, Psychological thriller, Suspense
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

It’s been a year since Penny’s boyfriend’s father was arrested for the murder of five local teens, and Penny is desperate to reach out to Nash and ask his forgiveness for disappearing from his life. Nash is hurt and reluctant to get involved again, especially after the way he and his sister have been treated by the town as though they are somehow as guilty as their dad. But when a copycat killer shows up and the body count starts rising, Nash and Penny put their difficult year behind them to take down the new murderer.

This tribute to the Scream series reads like a sequel but is not one,  so it feels as though the reader should have more background information than is given. While many thrillers feature people making questionably endangering choices, the teens in The Haunting have so little sense of self-preservation it comes across as silly. Fans of slashers might enjoy this, but slow-pacing and a disappointing ending really weigh it down.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

 

two-stars