One day Avery was sleeping in her car. The next she was a billionaire. Avery has no idea why Tobias Hawthorne chose to leave his vast fortune to her instead of his family. She's never even met him. But she was not prepared for all the challenges and danger that her new-found wealth would bring. Now she's living in a mansion filled with secret passages and Tobais's bitter relatives. Tobais's grandsons are convinced he's left them answers in the form of a puzzle and clue filled treasure-hunt. Avery teams up with the handsome Jamie to uncover the mystery, but when attempts are made on her life she realizes how deadly these inheritance games are.

This is a fun mystery full of quirky characters, puzzles, and intrigue. Even though Tobias is dead when the book begins, the eccentric billionaire plays a big role in the novel along with his passion for building secret passages and creating puzzles. He has four grandsons around the age of Avery and her sister, who all have their own unique personalities and reactions to being disinherited. On top of that there's a mystery surrounding an ex-girlfriend of the grandsons who recently died. There's a lot going on, but it all comes together in the end in a satisfying conclusion. A page-turning adventure. 

​The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Erica's Picks
7th & 8th grade
​tags: contemporary fiction, family life, mystery, romance

After the death of her sister, Violet's family moves back to the small town where her mother grew up. Violet doesn't like the creepy, old family house and she misses city life. There's something shady going on with people turning up dead in the woods. People act strangely around her because she's the descendant of one of the four founding families. When she meets the other teenage children of the founders, she discovers why. They each have their own dangerous powers, but the thing lurking out in the Gray is more dangerous still. Will they be able to put aside their differences and save their town? Or will Darkness consume them all?

This dark supernatural horror story has a palpable atmosphere that will leave you trembling as you turn the pages. The characters are well-written with their own complex backstories and motivations. The interpersonal drama is just as intense as the supernatural kind. A great book for brave readers looking to lose themselves in a story.

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
Erica's Picks
8th grade
​tags: family life, horror, supernatural

Ever since their parents' death, Ryn and her siblings have been in charge of the graveyard. Gravedigging is an important job in a town where the dead don't always stay dead if improperly handled. These risen corpses, called bone houses, are appearing with more frequency and the whole town is endangered. Legend says that they are the result of a curse and the only way to break it is to travel to the abandoned Castell Sidi and find the black cauldron. But between Ryn and the castle is a dark forest filled with monsters.

This story, based in the same world as Lloyd Alexander's Black Cauldron, is a great fantasy adventure set in a classic world complete with ancient curses, puzzles, and trials along the way. The horror elements are truly frightening and the world is completely immersive. Both Ryn and her companion, the traveling map-maker, are great characters and I loved following their story and cheering them on.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: adventure, fantasy, horror

Pepper may seem like she has it all, but her life is falling apart. Her parents' divorce created huge cracks in her family and now her older sister isn't talking to her mother. Her parents' fast food chain has gone national and she lives in a swanky apartment with her mother in New York City and secretly runs the company's twitter account while trying to keep up with school, college applications, and being the new captain of the swim team. Her only bright spot is the anonymous chat app where she's slowly falling in love, the problem is she has no idea who the person she's chatting to is. Jack has problems of his own. His family's small deli is struggling to get by and his more popular twin brother leaves him with all the work but none of the credit. When their signature sandwich is stolen by a big chain restaurant, he calls them out on twitter. What ensues is a messy conflict that has people all over the country picking sides and egging them on. Who will win the twitter war, and what will happen when the anonymous chat app reveals their secret identities?

This is a rom-com at its best. It's light and funny but still has a heart. The trope of enemies falling in love anonymously is well-trod from movies like You've Got Mail and The Shop Around the Corner to the musical She Loves Me (a favorite of mine). But there's a reason why this story keeps getting retold and that's because it's so satisfying. This update captures the current world of social media and is sure to capture plenty of fans as well. 

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Erica's Picks
6th - 8th grade
Tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, humor, romance, school stories

Shapeshifters, ghosts, androids, gods, MMORPGs, goblins, and more. This collection of short stories has it all. Each story is based on a traditional tale from the author's East or South Asian culture. Some stories stick closer to their traditional roots while some are set far in the future. But every one has a fantastical element that will transport you to another time and place. My favorite was Olivia's Table by Alyssa Wong but they're all great. After each story is a brief note from the author explaining their inspiration and giving you a peek behind the scenes. A must-read for fans of speculative fiction looking for a global perspective.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: fantasy, fairy tales, global perspectives, People of Color, retellings, science fiction, supernatural

This collection, edited by the cofounder of the We Need Diverse Books movement, gathers stories from some of my favorite authors. In these stories characters who were rarely seen in American stories for youth, or only as sidekicks, are the stars. These realistic stories tackle a diverse range of subjects and tones from serious to light-hearted. But they all give you a glimpse into someone's life. Great for fans of realistic fiction looking for more diverse stories.

​Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
tags: contemporary fiction, issues fiction, LGBTQ, People of Color, short stories, social justice

Kazi used to be known as "the Ghost" pulling off daring thefts and surviving the streets on her own ever since her mother was taken by slavers. Now she's a member of the Queen's elite guard where the hard lessons she learned as a child have been put to different use. Jase is the new patriarch of the famous outlaw clan the Ballengers after his father's sudden passing. He's willing to do anything to protect his family, and sometimes that means getting his hands dirty. Jase and Kazi work for opposite sides and don't trust each other, but when they're both kidnapped, they have to learn to work together to survive.

I loved everything about this book. There's a large cast of characters, but each are well-developed and have a complex range of motivations that often put them at odds. The details of the word and its history provide a great backdrop without ever becoming cumbersome. The shifting perspectives between the two main characters allows for plenty of dramatic tension as the reader has access to information that the protagonists don't. The way it comes all together in the end is masterful and satisfying while still leaving room for the sequel.

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
8th grade
​tags: adventure, fantasy, romance

A cruel stepmother entranced by a magic mirror, a girl with a heart cut out by a huntsman, and seven dwarves who find and save her. You may think you know the story of Snow White, but this twist on the tale will leave you with a new perspective on what a heart can do and how poison can destroy us all.

Sophie is a much more resilient and inspiring figure than the usual depiction of Snow White. She has much more agency in her fight to survive to save not only herself, but her people. The step-mother is as wicked as ever, but how she became that way is painted with more understanding. Great for fans of fairy tales retold.

Poisoned by Jennifer Donnelly
Erica's Picks
8th grade
tags: fairy tales, retellings, romance

Princess Amarande's life is turned upside down when her father dies unexpectedly. The doctor and high council call it a heart attack, but she thinks her father was poisoned. The council only wants to marry her off so they can have a king because thanks to ancient laws a queen cannot rule on her own. When her beloved stableboy is kidnapped to force her hand, she refuses to submit. Her father raised a warrior as well as a princess and she is determined to save her love, find her father's murderer, and take over the kingdom on her terms.

This book was inspired by the Princess Bride, but only in the loosest sense. Henning creates her own rich world and Amarande's journey to save her prince is different from the Dread Pirate Roberts, although no less thrilling. The adventure here centers of a desert kingdom full of deadly creatures, dangerous people, and hidden mysteries. It also differs in that it's a series opener and not a stand-alone, so brace yourself for a cliff-hanger. A winner for fans of fantasy, romance, and adventure.

The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th grade
​tags: 

When Fable's mother died in a shipwreck, her life on the open sea ended. Her father, a trader with a reputation for cruelty, abandoned her on an unforgiving island where survival was a constant fight. After four years of suffering, she finally earned enough to pay for passage off the miserable rock and return to life at sea. But the ocean is as unforgiving as ever, and her fight for survival has only begun.

I love a good adventure set on a sailing ship and this did not disappoint. There are some fantasy elements, but mostly it's a gritty adventure tale full of secrets, stabbing, and storms. The crew has great characters but Fable is clearly the star and she makes a great heroine. Highly recommended for fans of sea-faring adventure.

Fable by Adrienne Young 
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th grade
​Tags: adventure, fantasy