Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Miryem is the daughter of an unsuccessful moneylender. When she takes to collecting her father’s debt to save her starving family, she achieves notoriety for her ability to bargain. Her fabled ability to trade silver and come back with gold catches the attention of the Staryk King. This king of winter binds her in a bargain to save his threatened country. Soon, Miryem’s bargain becomes a dangerous gamble that risks the fate of two kingdoms. It also draws two other women and their loved ones into the struggle.

With the ring of old Russian fairy tales, Spinning Silver creates a cold and intriguing magical world. Novik’s characters and lyrical writing make a captivating story for a variety of readers. This is sold as a teen novel, but will appeal to fairy tale lovers of all ages.

Bounce by Natasha Friend

Evyn Linney’s life is upended when her father announces he is getting married and moving their family from Maine to Boston. Used to always being the positive one, Evyn tries to bounce along with the changes. But a move, new school, and 5 new siblings is just too much for her this time. Everyone is changing and Evyn doesn’t know who to count on anymore.

Bounce is a quick and entertaining read with great characters. Evyn is a relatable character and her situation is shared by many kids. The book is a good look at the struggles of blended families as well as the trials of being a teenager. A great read on its own, but also good for kids facing a similar situation.

Recommended ages--11 and up

By the Book by Amanda Sellet

Mary Porter-Malcolm is one of my new favorite bookish heroines. The daughter of two English professors with equally literary siblings, Mary analyzes her life through books--more specifically through 19th century literature. When she has her first taste of public school as a sophomore, Mary can’t help but compare the students to characters. She even makes friends when her superior knowledge of the literary world helps guide some unsuspecting girls away from an obvious scoundrel. However, it turns out that not all Mary’s judgments are sound and not all her observations are completely accurate. Can she learn to live in ‘real life’ in time to save her relationships?

Full of literary references and delightful characters, this book is an English major’s dream. It was too fluffy of a story to say it changed my life, but it was perfect entertainment at a time when I really needed it. The reader for the audiobook was marvelous and I was truly sad when the book came to an end.

Recommended ages--11 and up