South Milwaukee Public Library Staff Reviews

  Queen of the Tiles by Hanna Alkaf Genre: Young Adult Fiction Fifteen-year-old Najwa Bakri is forced to investigate the mysterious death of her best friend and Scrabble Queen, Trina, a year after the fact when her Instagram comes back to life with cryptic posts and messages.  I never thought a Scrabble tournament could be so eventful... It gets a little ridiculous at the end but I was so engaged throughout that I didn't mind. Definitely a solid read with a sprinkle of mystery throughout!  - Emily

  White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson Genre: Young Adult Fiction Believing her new home to actually be alive, especially when her brother almost dies, Marigold and her new blended family won't be safe until she brings the truth to light once and for all.  I couldn't put this one down - I was so transfixed by Marigold, the eerie things happening around the house, and all of the spooky lore surrounding her new home of Cedarville. The end was such a surprise I definitely did not see coming. The only fault is that there was no epilogue! I need to know what happened next! I'm really hoping for a sequel that will answer all of my questions... - Emily

    Garlic & the Vampire by Bree Paulsen Genre: Juvenile Fiction This graphic novel is about a garlic bulb who has anxiety but wants to be helpful and protect her friends. As unusual as it sounds, this book was so endearing I found myself smiling while reading it. Definitely a unique read that I will not soon forget!  - Emily

No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado Genre: Young Adult Fiction Seventeen-year-old Kat Sanchez uses photos of a friend to create a fake Instagram account, but when one of her posts goes viral and exposes Kat's duplicity, her entire world--both real and pretend--comes crashing down around her. Twenty one-year-old Max Monroe has it all: beauty, friends, tons of followers on Instagram. Except it's all fake. Max is actually 17-year-old Kat Sanchez, a quiet and sarcastic, bisexual Puerto Rican teenager living in Bakersfield, California. Crystal Maldonado is fantastic at character development and storytelling. The pacing is a little slow in this one, but I didn't mind. I saw a lot of myself in Kat's character and it warmed my heart to see her gain confidence throughout the book - even if it was through a fake Instagram page.  - Emily

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo  Genre: Young Adult Fiction Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago has been doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. I simply require a sequel to see where Emoni goes after high school. This book was so cute I couldn't stop reading! Despite there being no real plot, I found myself eager to keep reading. I wanted to know what Emoni cooked next or hear what 'Buela's next piece of advice would be. Sometimes it's nice to pick up a fluff book after reading depressing novels for so long. This was 100% the feel-good book that I needed.  - Emily

  The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera Genre: Young Adult Fiction In this prequel to #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls. I got so caught up in the whirlwind romance of Valentino Prince & Orion Pagan that I finished this 560 page book in 2 days! I loved every single character (except for the one obvious bad guy) - my attachment to Valentinorion is otherworldly. This book was so magical I will not forget it for a long time.  Bonus points for a great audiobook narrator!  - Emily

 Crab & Snail: The Tidal Pool of Cool by Beth Ferry & Jared Chapman Genre: Children's Graphic Novel Crab & Snail set out on a mission to be cooler than cool in this kids graphic novel. I would recommend this quick read to anyone looking for a light & fun read. I loved the illustrations! Definitely will be keeping an eye out for future installments! - Emily