MADreads Reviews

Are biographies your cup of tea? Then check the annual longlist of best biographies.

I read The Raven Scholar in January and it was my first 5-star book of the year.

I predict this book will be the next sensation.  Everyone is going to be talking about it.  It's about a bloodthirsty governess named Winifred Notty and the havoc she wrecks upon her employers, the esteemed Pounds family of Ensor House in Grim Wolds, England.  I should clarify that the murderous mayhem is not limited to Ensor House.  Really, nothing within England is safe with Miss Notty around.  She is a character who will not be contained by man or beast or ghost or plague.

This gorgeous books tells the story of a young girl who wakes up before the sun for a chance to ride with her Daddy, just the two of them. After collecting apple slices from Abuelita, they are out the door before the sun is up, feeding and grooming the horses under a starry sky. Our protagonist usually rides after school, but today is special because she gets to ride through the streets, like a cowboy, like her Daddy. As the sky starts to lighten, they ride past houses with darkened windows, past the panadería with layered cakes in the window, waving at the few cars that drive by. 

In his debut novel Nick Medina blends mystery, suspense and a touch of supernatural horror in a story that focuses on the disappearance of indigenous women. At the heart of the story is Anna Horn who is finishing high school and trying to figure out her place on the rez and in her tribe. While grappling with her own struggles, and feeling haunted by a entity of ancient myth, Anna is forced to reckon with a larger battle. Women on the reservation are going missing and no one seems to care. It becomes personal, and more immediate, when two women in Anna's life are lost.

Erin Entrada Kelly’s second Newbery win has her and her fans (old and new) jumping for joy!

Booklist puts out many different top 10 annual lists.

A young girl gains courage and confidence from her friendly pup in Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo (Candlewick Press, 2024). The quiet protagonist is reluctant to leave the cozy and safe apartment she shares with her mom. The big city feels too big and too full of people. Her mom encourages her to go to the park, meet new neighbors, and visit a storytime. These all feel hard and scary. Mid-story we see the mom and daughter visit an animal shelter and choose a small pup named Millie.

What’s your reading mood? Do you want your books to be an escape from the real world -- a literary hug of reassurance?

I've loved everything I've read by Ashton and The Fourth Consort doesn't break that pattern.

It was the oysters that first tipped off the Queen.

I was pleasantly surprised when gathering material for this month’s Sweet Anticipation. February tends to have the reputation as a tedious month, something to be borne between the highs of the holidays and the anticipation of springtime. But the memo apparently didn’t make it to publishers, who are releasing an impressive array of titles across all genres, making who would make the cut to this month’s list a tougher call than usual. On to the selections:

A heroine who just wants to read and works in a bookstore? How is that not going to be added to my tbr list? But books that are added to my list are often bumped by the next items added. Thus we have The Bookish Life of Nina Hill added to my list a few years ago and only now, at last, happily read.

Everybody’s talking about borders these days. Whether it’s the US southern border, Ukraine’s boundaries, or seemingly any square inch in the Middle East, it’s in the news. But at least there’s the comfort that borders have been carefully and thoughtfully drawn, and based on logic considering geographical, ethnic and political aspects.

Nope.

After eight years on a prison planet, for a crime they did commit - to be fair, Edie Morikawa, thief and con artist, gets out and is determined to live the straight and narrow life. First challenge? Getting a ship off the planet. And waiting for Edie is Angel Huang. Angel is the person who sold them out and left them to their fate on the icy prison planet. But transportation off the rock aren't plentiful and Edie knows that they can accept the ride and still reject Angel's plan for one more big score.

Every month there are new titles purchased for the Too Good to Miss collections at our libraries. If you're not familiar with TGTM (as we call it here in library-world), it's a special collection of popular books that are truly too good to miss. Some are new and popular titles, others are older titles that might not have had as much media attention as a bestseller or celebrity book club selection but are still great reads that deserve another look.

Neurodiverse thirteen-year-old Frankie has more than her share of challenges. She is learning to cope with multiple issues and manage her impulses. Meanwhile, Frankie’s twin sister, Tess, is handling the challenges of having a neurodiverse sibling.