Recent Reads, November & December 2024

my final MG & YA books of the year

It has felt like Christmas at school lately as I’ve been privileged to order and receive several boxes of new books. It’s such a joyful moment for me when I cut those boxes open and see all the beautiful covers and spines looking back at me. And my joy becomes complete when students excitedly check them out, or take an unfamiliar new title on my recommendation.

If you or the young reader in your life has some bookstore money to spend from Christmas, or you’re getting ready to load up your library TBR for 2025, here are some great books I’ve read lately with mini reviews.

Here’s to many more books that keep us young at heart in the new year!

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Here are the books I’ve read lately, with mini-reviews. (If you’re new here, I have a footnote for you!)¹

📚. Middle Grade

• Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell :: This was a captivating tale. The characters were a delight. I am not a big creature-interested person but I thoroughly enjoyed all the creatures that Christopher encounters in the Archipelago (I especially loved Jacques), and I never felt overwhelmed by the world-building. Instead, every new discovery was remarkable. The journey our characters go in is harrowing at times, and the bond formed among them is so moving. I think young readers will love the creatures and the journey, and I hope they don’t get too bogged down by the philosophical ideas that are raised and discussed at the end. Because I think it’s a truly beautiful story, well worth reading and savoring. This was close to a 5-star read for me, but I took off a bit for what I also consider content warnings (spoilers). Looking forward to the next book in the series. I just got a copy (gorgeous sprayed edges!) for the library and I’m excited to see what students think as it starts to make its rounds.
  4.75⭐s

• A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga :: This was a cute mystery/ghost story that is sure to delight middle grade readers who are looking for a quick read. Its shorter length makes it approachable, and its characters are endearing (especially Veda, for me). Agatha, the turtle was a fun addition to the book (I would have enjoyed more if her, in fact!). The mystery itself wasn’t groundbreaking but it had good stakes for our main character. The ghosty character was creatively done (and not scary). A great addition to any classroom/library collection, especially for 3rd-4th graders looking for shorter books and interested in reading about an older character (6th grade).
  3.75⭐s

• The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo :: This was a charming little tale that I keep thinking about days later. I recently heard someone describe this book, and Kate DiCamillo’s writing, as layered, and what an apt description. It took me a minute to figure out where this story was going but that made it no less enjoyable. Something about it was reminiscent of A Gentleman in Moscow, but of course the story is told from a young girl (who lives in the hotel)’s perspective. I loved the parrot. I listened to it on audio and found the narration delightful, though now I want to also read a hard copy, to enjoy the illustrations. Still trying to figure out how (if?) it connects to The Puppets of Spelhorst, as they supposedly take place in the same world.
  4.5⭐s

• The Bletchley Riddle by Steve Sheinkin and Ruta Sepetys :: As someone who somewhat swore off WWII books, I have found this book to hit a sweet spot for me: stories related to code-breaking, especially stories written for young readers. I adored this book. I mostly listened to it on audio and the narrators were fantastic. The two POVs from siblings Jakob and Lizzie were equally intriguing. The mystery surrounding their mother kept me guessing. The book excels in its telling of a compelling mystery, relating the heaviness of wartime but keeping it palatable for kids or sensitive teens (or adults!), weaving historical facts into fiction (including some fantastic ephemera in the hard copy), and infusing it with tenderness, humor, and a tiny bit of mild romance. I recommend it for grade 5 and up, and I think it will be great read for teens as well.
  5⭐s

• Let It Glow by Joanne Levy, Marissa Meyer :: This was such a cute dual-POV middle grade holiday novel. I loved the premise of the girls wanting to learn about each other’s holiday while also doing a Parent Trap-esque family swap. The adoption element was well-done (I only had a couple moments where, as an adoptive parent, I didn’t like the phrasing/terminology they chose), as was the description of the cultural differences between the two families. The grandparents in both families were endearing. I also loved the connection between the two girls and how they immediately latched on to one another and had to also deal with the aspects of their personality that weren’t identical.
  5⭐s

📚. Young Adult

• Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies by Abigail Hing Wen :: A just-right combo of teenage and family drama mixed with an heart-pounding action thriller, this book was a wild ride around the Bay Area. Its complicated plot unwinds gradually as we follow Tan, Winter, Rebecca, and Sana. I absolutely loved the way The Cove and Sister Ava figure into the plot. My only hiccup was the fact that I harbored some resentment toward Rebecca for a good chunk of the book at the audacity she had in involving the others (especially Sana) in her troubles… this made more sense later in the book, but I feel like I wanted her to be more apologetic, earlier on, about involving them. Overall, a great read for even younger teens (the content is pretty mild though there is a little of suspense/violence, and some kissing). Though I ended up listening to part of it, this was originally a NetGalley ARC I received (thank you!).
  4.5⭐s

• The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater :: Maybe you’ve heard me wax poetically, but now that I've read this book six times (once on audio), I'm ready to officially proclaim it my favorite book of all time, which for a book-lover is a very difficult task! This book never ceases to captivate and move me. I love Puck and Sean, how they both love their horse deeply— though in different ways— and how their relationship slowly progresses, almost without their realizing it. The fantasy aspect feels so grounded in the island setting’s reality. The stakes are high and the writing is *chef's kiss* good.
  5⭐s (obviously!)

• Games Untold by Jennifer Lynn Barnes :: I loved getting back to the world of the Hawthornes in this collection of short stories/novellas. It was intriguing to get some backstory and fill in some gaps between other novels. I loved the Secret Santa story and the novella about Avery’s mom especially. As always this entire book was clever, well-written, and voicey, and it was another fun one on audio.
  5⭐s

• I’ve got one more YA read going as we finish out the year that I’ll review for you in January. :)

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I hope you find something here that you or a young person in your life might like to read. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Happy Friday Saturday and happy reading,

Nicole

I always use affiliate links with Bookshop.org when I link to books. If you purchase through my links you support me a tiny bit, and more importantly, you support indie bookstores. Thanks!

1. Caveat: I go by publishing market standards for these mini-reviews: middle grade refers to books with a general audience of 8-12 years old, and a typical young adult audience is 13-18 years old. I sometimes mention other more-specific age demographics/recommendations in my mini-reviews, but this is all ultimately up to each reader and their parents. I find that many readers continue reading and enjoying middle grade books in their favorite genres well into high school and beyond.

I share my own opinions (not affiliated with anyone/any institution but me), but keep in mind, I’m 43 years old, i.e. not the target audience, so I do try to also look at books from a young reader’s perspective when I can, and I always like to mention when a book has been liked my own kids or students. I will mention if a book was an ARC (advanced reader copy) that I received for free with the intent to review. I also keep my reviews on my StoryGraph profile.

From a writing standpoint, I have the utmost respect for authors and their book babies. My mini-reviews are just one opinion, and represent my own tastes and preferences, and I use star ratings to reflect that.

I rate books with a 5-star system (with decimals!), that I describe on my about page.