Format: Young Adult

I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 3

I Wanna Be Your Girl Vol. 3I Wanna Be Your Girl, Volume 3 by Umi Takase
Published by RH Graphic ISBN: 0593902998
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars

The saga of Hime and Akira’s evolving friendship continues in the third installment of this YA slice of life manga series. As the friend group grows, so do the questions, emotions, and relationships concerning all involved. Hime is forced to question why she believes her actions will help Akira, and she embarks upon some pretty deep introspection. Akira, too, faces some inner turmoil and must figure out where her friendship with Hime stands. As always, the series explores honest questions teens might have about gender identity, and does so in a comforting,  non-judgmental way, thanks to characters who are willing to own up to mistakes and accept those around them for who they are. This series deserves a spot in any manga collection and libraries with the first two volumes should not hesitate to add this one as well.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Beth is Dead

Beth is DeadBeth is Dead by Katie Bernet
Published by Sarah Barley Books ISBN: 9781665988698
Genres: Mystery, Psychological thriller
Format: Young Adult
Goodreads
five-stars

On New Year’s Day, in modern-day Concord, Massachusetts, Jo March wakes up to find her sister Beth dead, seemingly killed. Everyone is a suspect. Amy, who took Beth to a New Year’s Eve party, was too busy hooking up with Laurie to have any answers. Meg is off at Harvard studying medicine, becoming a nurse like their mother. Dad is MIA. He left the home and the girls in an attempt to protect them from the controversial fallout of his novel, Little Women. Beth is Dead is told in alternating perspectives of all four sisters with a non-linear structure (Then and Now).

Little Women being a book-within-a-book shifts this novel from being a simple alternate-universe retelling to something more. It allows the March girls to critique the source while also depicting fan-favorite and familiar scenes. Beth is concerned about being too meek and perfect. Meg is concerned with being perceived as a snob. Amy is hated by nearly all readers, but seems to revel in her brashness. Jo, meanwhile, is everyone’s favorite character (and favorite Instagram/Substack influencer), which she struggles to live up to while nursing her own literary aspirations. Despite the title, all the sisters are all incredibly alive on the page, and each have their own closely-held secrets. Their snappy banter and frequent arguments feel completely realistic. The sister’s deep love for each other and Bernet’s love of the source material are both clear.

This structure also allows for an intriguing conversation about writing itself. Is writing about those around you exploitative? It is dishonest? Is it selfish? The novel never completely answers those questions (can they be answered?), but it leaves the reader with something deeper to chew on in addition to the truly thrilling twists and turns of the mystery itself. Perfect for fans of the source and newcomers alike, Beth is Dead is a great addition to any young adult collection.

Nominated for Cream of the Crop for its subversive retelling, thrilling plot, and lovably complex characters.

Reviewed by Kristin Arsenault, Mountain Valley High School, Rumford.

five-stars

A House of Vipers

A House of VipersA House of Vipers by Emma Jackson
Published by Delacorte Press Genres: Mystery, Psychological thriller
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Meddlehart Academy is an exclusive, elite boarding school nestled in the mountains of Colorado. It is also the last place Lawson Heyward was seen alive. A year and a half after his disappearance the night of prom, his younger brother Sutter and his friends Carter, Greyson, Fallon, and Margot set out to find him and the legendary founder’s treasure he was hot on the trail of. To do so, they must join the secretive treasure-hunting Order of the Vipers and endure their initiation trials. Meanwhile, someone who seems to have all the answers keeps leaving them notes with clues. Who could it be?

The story is told in a 3rd person, multi-POV style through the core trio of the quintet: Sutter, Fallon, and Grayson, who also happen to be in a love triangle. Readers who favor the  found family trope will enjoy this crew. Each of them (save Carter) suffer from alienating home lives that make Meddlehart a home away from home. Sutter’s father is overbearing in maintaining the patriarchal status-quo. Margot’s family seemingly cares more about their business ventures than her. Grayson found his mother dead from an overdose and his famous father is neglectful, contributing to his depression and deep anger. Fallon’s parents died in a car crash, leaving her with intense abandonment trauma. The friend group largely reads as white, Carter is described as having dark-brown skin. The plot itself revolves around Sutter, but Fallon is the heart of the novel (and not just because the romance subplot hinges on her decision between the two boys). Her Hermione-like bookwormishness and rule-following is the moral center of the group.

Dark academia abounds in this story, which starts with a morose tone of a cloudy day and dives deeper and darker as the mystery unfolds. Light violence at the beginning (fistfights) makes way to murder (off-page), but isn’t gruesomely described. The ending satisfyingly resolves both the mystery and the love story, but is not all happy endings. Perfect for fans of We Were Liars, This Place Kills Me, and One of Us is Lying looking for their next fix.

Reviewed by Kristin Arsenault, Mountain Valley High School, Rumford

four-stars

Charmed and Dangerous

by Shelly Page
Published by Joy Revolution Pages: 266
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
Format: Young Adult
three-stars

There is a LOT going on in Shelly Page’s Charmed and Dangerous, a lighthearted rom-com set in small town Fair Glen, where magic is a part of everyday life. The Bureau of Mystical Affairs, where high school senior Monroe Bennett is a Junior Recruit, oversees everything from enchanted objects (legal) to charms (illegal), like the love charm running amok at Fair Glen High. When the rogue charm causes flirtatious, popular girl (and Bureau Chief’s daughter) Iris to suffer a dangerous magical mishap, Monroe’s daring and romantically-charged rescue of Iris goes viral, launching the pair into a fake-dating scheme for varying motives. What follows is a pat romance plot that hits all the beats just when you’d expect them while also trying to manage the mystery behind the charm and some rather messy magical worldbuilding. 

At times, the chaos of these competing ambitions gets in the way of the romance, which, despite increasingly didactic explanations about being real with the person one loves, still relies very heavily on physical attraction between two otherwise engaging Black, lesbian teens. The writing, peppered with today’s pop ephemera, leans toward the young end of YA, and its strongest elements – the mystery, diverse representation throughout, and Monroe’s struggles with her parents’ divorce – give readers plenty to love, even if the romance ultimately lacks a little magic.

Reviewed by Emily Ender, Oxford Hills Middle School Library, South Paris

three-stars

Lovely Recipe

Lovely RecipeLovely Recipe: (A Graphic Novel) by Myra Rose Nino
Published by Random House Graphic ISBN: 0593180593
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Lovely Recipe” is a young adult graphic novel by Myra Rose Nino. Sofia needs help with figuring out how to cook her late grandmother’s recipe. She seeks help from her classmate Anna Marie, whose parents own a restaurant. They butt heads at first since they have very different personalities, but eventually a friendship and romantic relationship blossom. Themes about grief, family traditions, avoiding assumptions by putting yourself in another’s shoes are important and addressed well in this book. Characters and plot felt realistic. Illustration style was colorful and warm and added to the feel of the story. A recommended purchase for YA graphic novel collections.

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

four-stars

Love in Ruins

Love in RuinsLove in Ruins by Auriane Desombre
Published by Delacourte Romance ISBN: 0593807588
Genres: LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Natalie Campbell is a rising high school sophomore excited about the summer ahead: a class trip to Greece with fellow history nerds, including her best friend, Liam. She’s hoping that her recent diagnosis of OCD, and the support of her therapist, will help her feel a sense of control over her symptoms, instead of them ruining the trip.

What she doesn’t plan for is to fall for someone. Melanie is the daughter of one of the trip guides, and the two girls share an instant attraction. But Natalie’s OCD, which primarily takes the form of negative intrusive thoughts, has gotten in the way of relationships in the past, and isn’t sure she deserves another chance. Still, she can’t quite stop flirting with Melanie, either. Between academic competitions, touring historical sights she’s dreamed of all her life, tensions in the friend group, and the increasing spiral of negative thoughts, Natalie has to figure out how to face her demons and be the best friend, and maybe even girlfriend, she can.

While packed in a fun, fairly breezy sapphic summer romance, Desombre handles the nuances of dealing with OCD, and particularly OCD characterized by negative self-talk, in a way that many teens will be able to relate to. The sense of place is palpable – the group travels to several different tourist spots and historical landmarks, and the reader feels as immersed in the Greece experience as Natalie is, lending to the summer vibe of the book.

While not a must-have purchase, this novel is a nice addition for libraries looking to bump up fun summer YA offerings, especially with a sapphic plot, or diversify beachy travel reads.

Four stars.

  • Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library
four-stars

Stuck Up and Stupid

Stuck Up and StupidStuck Up and Stupid by Angourie Rice, Kate Rice
ISBN: 1536239038
Genres: Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
two-stars

“Stuck Up and Stupid” is young adult romance novel by Angourie Rice and Kate Rice. Loosely based on “Pride and Prejudice,” Lily is looking forward to spending the summer at the beach in Australia. Unfortunately, when Dorian, a hollywood star, rents space on the beach and takes over, their personalities clash. But is there romance brewing? The setting was interesting, but the chemistry felt flat. An additional purchase for YA romance collections.

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

two-stars

Red Star Rebels

Red Star RebelsRed Star Rebels by Amie Kaufman
on February 3, 2026
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Red Star Rebels” is a young adult science fiction novel by Amie Kaufman. Hunter is the rich heir of a billionaire family. He travels to Mars to meet with his mom and sister. Cleo is a teen who has been living in secret on Mars trying to eke out a living while avoiding her shady past. When the Mars base goes on lockdown due to a criminal takeover, Hunter and Cleo must work together to save themselves. Kaufman’s trademark humor makes this a fun read, though predictable at times. A suggested purchase for YA science fiction collections, especially where Kaufman is popular.

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

four-stars

Shiny Happy People

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman
on November 11, 2025
ISBN: 0593904087
Genres: Horror
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“Shiny Happy People” is a young adult horror novel by Clay McLeod Chapman. Kyra is a high school student who refrains from using drugs (due to her absent mother’s addiction), unlike many of her fellow students. Kyra’s brother starts acting strangely in a body-snatcher type way, so she starts investigating. An interesting premise that falls a little flat, though the message that there is power in being yourself is a good theme. This YA horror is an additional purchase where YA body horror is popular.

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

three-stars

Run Away With Me

Run Away With MeRun Away with Me by Brian Selznick
on April 1, 2025
ISBN: 1339035529
Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars

 

Boy meets boy in 1986 Rome.

While his mom works the summer away as a book conservator, American Danny spends his time exploring the city. Lured by a voice and a hand-drawn map, Danny meets the mysterious Angelo and his world is turned upside down. The two fall for each other quickly, embarking on a whirlwind romance. During their days together, the boys discover various love stories throughout history similar to their own, in eras where such love needed to be secretive but still endured over time.

Selznik’s signature illustrations comprise the first 90 and final 20 pages of the book and are striking as always. Each chapter is a countdown to the end of the summer, when Danny will leave and his relationship with Angelo will have to come to an end, which helps add some urgency to the story. Messages of identity and the timelessness of love, no matter what barriers or struggles exist, abound. The book reads quickly, though the writing is flowery and poetic so it will likely appeal to a specific audience, not necessarily your average YA reader. 

Grades 9 & Up

Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York ME

four-stars