Melissa's Picks
By Fiction Addiction
By Fiction Addiction
The Bridge
Bill Konigsberg
$18.99 $17.47Two teens end up on a bridge, and this book shows all four possible outcomes. It is SO important because it shows what could happen in either situation. I was destroyed four times while reading this because I was able to see so clearly what could have happened if things in my life had turned out differently, and I have to hope that it can do the same for people contemplating this terrible decision, could make them consider what the world might be like without them and perhaps make them reconsider.
Cog
Greg Van Eekhout and Beatrice Blue
$16.99 $15.63Anyone who has ever felt out of place will enjoy this story that examines humanity in a way that only non-humans can.
The House in the Cerulean Sea
Tj Klune
$26.99 $24.83This has become one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES. While this book is technically fantasy, it's not so much about magic as it is about prejudice and fear and hate, and how people are absolutely capable of change, both individually and inspiring change in others. This is a beautiful book that I will undoubtedly revisit many times in the future.
Guts
Raina Telgemeier
$12.99 $11.95Raina Telgemeier's autobiographical graphic novels appeal to any kid who's been there, done that, and this one is no exception. Guts is about the worries kids have and the fears they face as kids, and how those worries and fears can affect all aspects of daily life, even physically in the case of Raina's tummy aches. But it also shows readers that there are healthy ways to deal with those fears, and that even small victories (like getting just a little freaked out instead of completely losing control) are victories worth celebrating. My 10-year-old devoured this book twice in one night.
Sky Song
Abi Elphinstone
$17.99 $16.55A magical story about hope and bravery and friendship in the face of loss and despair. Fans of Kelly Barnhill will like this one.
Would Like to Meet
Rachel Winters
$16.00 $14.72A fun romance that will have readers rooting for Evie and her happily-ever-after.
American Royals
Katharine McGee
$18.99 $17.47In an alternate America where George Washington became king and his descendants still rule, the three royal siblings must grapple with growing up and accepting their royal responsibilities. A fun first-in-series.
Among the Beasts & Briars
Ashley Poston
$17.99 $16.55A fairy-tale inspired fantasy. Different from Heart of Iron, but just as enjoyable, with Poston's trademark sense of humor.
Far from the Tree
Robin Benway
$11.99 $11.03Benway has written a touching, sometimes humorous, compulsively readable book that will resonate with anyone searching for their place in the world, showing that sometimes where you are is exactly where you belong.
Spoiler Alert
Olivia Dade
$15.99 $14.71This is hilarious (especially the between-the-chapter scenes -- literal LOL!). My favorite romance since Beach Read.
The Rithmatist
Brandon Sanderson and Ben McSweeney
$14.99 $13.79This well-plotted story is perfect for all sorts of readers—the math geek, the fantasy lover, and the sucker for happy endings. It grabbed me from the very beginning and ended with a goofy grin on my face, despite my strong desire for a sequel.
Dear Justyce
Nic Stone
$18.99 $17.47A follow-up to Dear Martin. Just as powerful, but focuses instead on our justice system and how it fails Black kids.
Black Brother, Black Brother
Jewell Parker Rhodes
$16.99 $15.63An important story about race and the myriad ways it can affect all aspects of a person's life, but also about learning that sometimes seeing and knowing yourself is more important than how others see you.
The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
Garth Nix
$19.99 $18.39Fun, bookselling-ish related fantasy read. Will appeal to fans of other literary themed fantasies like Phantom Tollbooth or Glass Sentence.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Kelly Barnhill
$17.95 $16.51If stories are magic, then Kelly Barnhill must be ever so powerful, because this story is the best kind of magic. Witches and monsters and dragons, sorrow and hope and love, especially love, all wound together in a fairy tale so perfect I want to read it again and again and again. This is definitely on my list of favorites.
Legendborn
Tracy Deonn
$18.99 $17.47Black Girl Magic in all conceivable forms. Seamlessly blends contemporary fantasy with Arthurian lore while exploring what it means to be Black.
The Witch's Boy
Kelly Barnhill
$9.95 $9.15An extraordinary middle-grade novel about magic and friendship that will enchant readers of all ages. The lyrical storytelling reminds me of Lauren Oliver, with fantasy and adventure that will pull you in and make you stay until you're done. An amazing book.
The Inheritance Games
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
$17.99 $16.55First in series. A YA Mr. Lemoncello's Library or Mysterious Benedict Society.
Fireborne
Rosaria Munda
$18.99 $17.47While you might pick this book up because of the dragons and revolution, Munda's real accomplishment is in her wonderfully flawed and complex characters. This is not a straight good vs. evil story, and that is reflected in the difficult decisions the characters have to make, and how their morals affect those decisions.
Punching the Air
Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
$19.99 $18.39A novel in verse about the system in place that lands young Black men in prison, and the use of art as an outlet.
The Silver Arrow
Lev Grossman
$16.99 $15.63An adventure story about two siblings who go on a magical adventure, chock full of "important life lessons" and train facts, with the environmentalism of Carl Hiaasen or Louis Sachar and the whimsy of Roald Dahl and Nevermoor.
There Will Come a Darkness
Katy Rose Pool
$19.99 $18.39With admirable world-building, this debut novel will appeal to fans of Sarah J. Maas and will leave readers wanting more.
The Merciful Crow
Margaret Owen
$18.99 $17.47Readers of Children of Blood and Bone will love the world building and magical system, and the girl who comes into her own as a leader in the midst of it all.
The Faithless Hawk
Margaret Owen
$18.99 $17.47The sequel to The Merciful Crow. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first, and was able to get back into the story and the world even after a long hiatus between reading them. Character, relationship development, plot pacing were awesome.
More Than Just a Pretty Face
Syed M. Masood
$17.99 $16.55So funny! The main character is a bit clueless and very endearing. I LOL'd many times while reading. And it kept getting better the more I read.
The Extraordinaries
Tj Klune
$18.99 $17.47While the story really doesn't have any kind of twists -- the reader (and most of the characters) can see everything coming from a mile away -- Nick is so sweetly oblivious that I found myself invested in his reactions as much as I would otherwise be in the actual plot twists. And the book is totally hilarious; I lost track of how many times I laughed out loud. I loved it and can't wait for the next one!
My Calamity Jane
Jodi Meadows, Cynthia Hand, et al.
$18.99 $17.47I've been a fan of the "Lady Janies" since their first book, My Lady Jane. Continuing the trend of taking historical events (in this case, the Wild West, including such characters as Will Bill Hickock and Annie Oakley along with the titular Calamity Jane) and inserting a fantastical element (werewolves), My Calamity Jane does not disappoint. You can tell the authors had so much fun writing this book, and it's just as fun to read. Be prepared to laugh, especially at all the puns and random pop culture references thrown in!
Beach Read
Emily Henry
$16.00 $14.72This book is so much more than your standard romance novel. It will make you laugh and cry in equal measure, feeling all of the feelings along with January and Gus.
What If It's Us
Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
$18.99 $17.47With alternating chapters from Arthur's and Ben's points of view, this is another wonderful read from Albertalli and Silvera, and fans of both authors won't be disappointed (and fans of musical theater will love it even more).
The Midnight Hour
Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder
$17.99 $16.55Fans of Nevermoor will enjoy this fun story about finding the magic within and using it to make a difference.
What I Carry
Jennifer Longo
$17.99 $16.55Will appeal to readers of Far from the Tree and The How & the Why.
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow
Jessica Townsend
$8.99 $8.27With a setting as magical and wondrous as Hogwarts, and a mentor as quirky as Willy Wonka or The Doctor, this one of my favorite middle-grade reads in years.
Lucky Caller
Emma Mills
$17.99 $16.55I'm always eager for a new Emma Mills novel, and this one does not disappoint. High school senior Nina must come to grips with her mom getting re-married, her dad flaking out, her long-time crush resurfacing, and new friends in this delightful and hilarious new novel. I laughed out loud more than once.
The How & the Why
Cynthia Hand
$17.99 $16.55Both Cass's story and that of her 16-year-old birth mother (told through letters she wrote to her unborn daughter) are captivating and highlight Cass's search for the meaning of family in a way that any reader can relate to. Will appeal to fans of Robin Benway's Far from the Tree.
The Bromance Book Club
Lyssa Kay Adams
$16.00 $14.72As much as I love a good enemies-to-lovers or friends-to-lovers romance, it was nice to read this one about the struggles of maintaining an existing relationship. Romance is usually an escapism read for me, but this book made me feel seen in a way I wasn't expecting and that was refreshing.
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
Becky Albertalli
$10.99 $10.11A romance more than a coming-of-age story, and one that I wanted to read again immediately just to have more of the warm fuzzies it gave me.
Ghost Boys
Jewell Parker Rhodes
$7.99 $7.35A quick, though-provoking read that will make a great conversation starter.
Ruby Finds a Worry
Tom Percival
$17.99 $16.55An excellent teaching book about managing worry, which everyone has and which you may come back sometimes, but can get better if you share it with someone who can help you through it.
The Spinner of Dreams
K. A. Reynolds
$16.99 $15.63A moving story for anyone who has felt like they don't belong, featuring a main character with anxiety and panic attacks overcoming her personal demons, that will appeal to fans of Kelly Barnhill.
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book about Gender Identity
Theresa Thorn and Noah Grigni
$17.99 $16.55If you find yourself struggling to answer questions—maybe as a result of the recent Drag Queen Storytime, or perhaps your child has a transgender classmate—this book has the answers. A straightforward, informative book for kids about gender identity—whether cis or trans, boy or girl, both or neither—accompanied by colorful illustrations that make the message even more accessible.
Red, White & Royal Blue
Casey McQuiston
$16.99 $15.63This is such a fun book, and I found myself laughing out loud in so many places. The world can be hurtful to people who are "other," but this book is the hope that counters that.
This Is Where It Ends
Marieke Nijkamp
$10.99 $10.11A heartbreaking novel that draws you into a small-town tragedy and somehow manages to not give up hope.
The Sun Is Also a Star
Nicola Yoon
$12.99 $11.95I loved Yoon's gorgeous writing and couldn't help falling in love with the characters myself.
A Short History of the Girl Next Door
Jared Reck
$9.99 $9.19Recommended for fans of John Green and anyone who needs a cathartic cry.
Greetings from Witness Protection!
Jake Burt
$7.99 $7.35This book is both funny and touching and will grab the attention of middle-grade readers who know what it's like to stick out while just wanting to fit in -- and who might want some adventure in their normal lives, maybe not realizing the danger that goes with it.
Dear Martin
Nic Stone
$9.99 $9.19A fast read, this book doesn't hesitate to pull punches, but you won't want to put it down until you're done, when you realize that the story isn't really over. Fans of The Hate U Give won't want to miss this one.
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.
Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland
$18.99 $17.47Blending humor and history with quantum physics and military time travel operations, Stephenson and Galland have crafted a novel that will appeal to sci-fi readers of all types.
Children of Blood and Bone
Tomi Adeyemi
$18.99 $17.47With rich world building and fantastic mythology, readers of Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy will love this book.
Shadow and Bone
Leigh Bardugo
$10.99 $10.11This book made me laugh and cry and hold my breath waiting for the worst and hoping for the best. YA fantasy at its best, and I LOVED it.
Ida, Always
Caron Levis and Charles Santoso
$18.99 $17.47This book is special. It speaks to people, kids and grown-ups, even if they haven't been through something like Gus has. I love that Gus (and Ida) roars his anger at losing his friend, that he doesn't want to do anything without his friend, that it's not just left at, "He was sad and cried a lot, but then he felt better." There is so much more to grief than tears, and this book has captured that so well. It is a gift.