Nina doesn’t quite fit in – at home, at school, or anywhere else, it seems. So she doesn’t expect much when she goes to spend some time at her aunt’s summer camp. But when she discovers a nest built by a mating pair of whooping cranes, she also learns that maybe all it takes to fit in is to discover who you really are. Lauri’s Take: This is a beautiful middle grade book about friendship, learning to navigate emotions, and finding where you belong. It’s also an excellent homage to whooping cranes and is a great story for birders. Readers familiar with Texas will appreciate the Buc-ee’s nod, as well!

Wren is a finder of lost things, but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t find her mother, who has been missing for five years. Although she is one of hundreds Native Americans considered missing or murdered in Oklahoma, Wren’s mother is more than a statistic, and Wren is determined to bring her home. To do so, however, she must hone her detective skills, which she does by helping others find lost pets. Wren thinks she may be in for more than she bargained for when she recovers one of the missing pets after he’s been badly hurt, followed soon by others. Determined to discover who could possibly do such a horrible thing, Wren seeks justice for the abused animals while finding healing for the hurt of not knowing her mother’s fate. Lauri’s Take: This book very tastefully weaves together the topics of animal abuse, middle-school bullying, child abuse, and the crisis of missing indigenous women and girls. I recommend it for the older readers in this age bracket, but I TOTALLY recommend it. Although touching on a lot of hard life issues, the author never forgets that she’s telling a story, which she does in such a masterful way that the issues which are important to Wren become important to readers, as well.

In this sequel to The Winterton Deception: Final Word , Hope Smith and her brother Gordon are just about to celebrate their first holiday with their new-found extended family when a kidnapping reveals a secret she’s been hiding. Problem is, when Hope reveals her secret to the family, she’s met with disbelieve and thinly-veiled hostility. Hope is ready to give up, until another secret reveals the identity of her long-estranged grandfather and convinces her that she must seek out the truth even if no one believes her. Lauri’s Take: What a fun middle-grade mystery! Blending a kidnapping with a clue hunt, this story is just the right combination of adventure quest and real-life consequences. The author does a great job of balancing the fun of a quest, the tension of danger, and the responsibility of trying to solo a task that is way too big for you. Readers who enjoyed The Inheritance Games will adore this story.

This short, heady novel is about the contentious relationship between a diver father named Mitt and his son, who never measured up to his dad's expectations. Mitt is not happy with life on land and feels much more at home in the ocean. When he dies at sea, his body is never found, so his son Jay determines to find his father's bones in order to achieve some kind of closure for himself, his mother, and his sisters. But Jay is caught up in the tentacles of a huge octopus, pulled into the mouth of an enormous sperm whale, and swallowed. The novel is part emotional father-son drama, sci-fi thriller, wild adventure ride, spiritual experience, and coming of age narrative. While inside the belly of the whale, Jay is able not only to commune with his father but also to make very difficult decisions about what to do and how to escape this living prison in which he finds himself. Kris’ take - I have never read anything quite like this novel. It’s an easy read that made me want to continue turning the pages, not only to find out if Jay survives, but also to discover if he ever truly forgives his father and himself for their contentious relationship and finds some peace. I recommend it for those who love sci-fi thrillers and can really get into a book that explores what it means to come to grips with our flawed, imperfect lives and relationships.

A vampire romantasy about a human princess in a vampire court whose continued existence depends on winning the Kejari, a tournament-style fight to the death. Touted as “The Hunger Games meets A Court of Thorns and Roses but with vampires,” this book is exactly that and will appeal to fans of any and all of those elements. Oraya's personality is closed and withdrawn, but that's by necessity. She leads a life that is guarded from everyone on a constant basis, which was reflected in her streamlined characterization, as it should be. It also left a lot of room Broadbent to explore the nuances of Oraya's personality in the next books, giving her the room to grow rather than to plateau and become stale. I also appreciated that the included tropes were necessarily and tastefully integrated. For example, the enemies-to-lovers element: rather than giving Oraya and her romantic interest a petty reason to disagree and avoid each other, their animosity is a relevant, visceral thing with dreadful implications and consequences. Moreover, Broadbent explored those implications and consequences in a way that was true when she could have taken the easy way out. Lauri’s Take - I don't seek out vampire books, especially after what certain vampires did to the genre, so I was hesitant when a friend said I absolutely *must* read this book, but I really enjoyed it. The writing is an excellent demonstration of craft, the world building is complicated but subtle, and the tropes are necessary to the plot and are tastefully integrated rather than just thrown in so that the author can check a box. It is rare for me to read the next book in a series as soon as I finish the current one, but I enjoyed this one so much that I've already jumped into book 2.

The Blurb: Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends—a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl—bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by the heart’s mysteries. When at last their shared fate arrives, landing them on a mantel in a blue room in the home of two little girls, the truth is more astonishing than any of them could have imagined. A beloved author of modern classics draws on her most moving themes with humor, heart, and wisdom in the first of the Norendy Tales, a projected trio of novellas linked by place and mood, each illustrated in black and white by a different virtuoso illustrator. A magical and beautifully packaged gift volume designed to be read aloud and shared, The Puppets of Spelhorst is a tale that soothes and strengthens us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in. Lauri's Take: I absolutely love, love, LOVE this story. It's a beautiful tale of five puppets and the people they meet as they aspire to achieve their dreams and become who they want to be. "A tale of truth and wonder and sorrow" (p. 106), it is also an enchanting tale of hope. You need this story in your life.

The blurb: Mayree and Paula are a mother and daughter drifting apart, separated by grief and more, after the death of Mayree’s husband. Mayree faces a future with no income, career, or social life. Even ties with her best friend have been severed. Paula, feeling abandoned by the father she loved, is left with only a bitter mother. When Paula reveals that she narrowly escaped a violent assault, Mayree’s initial reaction is dismissal and disbelief. But as details unfold, it’s clear that it was real and not just one random night gone horribly wrong―someone is out to destroy their lives. With each new threat from Paula’s assailant, harrowing family secrets reemerge that force the mother and daughter to confront the shared traumas of their pasts. Drawing on courage and hope, they must save the relationship they never realized they’d lost. Reflective, suspenseful, and moving, The Young of Other Animals explores the psychic intergenerational damages that can alter relationships with loved ones forever. Kris' Take: This novel is a crime mystery that also confronts mother/daughter relationships, trauma, family drama, and the redemptive power of love. There's also a twist at the end! I enjoyed the book. [NOTE: Kris actually wrote a much better review, but it got lost when I accidentally deleted (!) her email, so I'm borrowing her shelf-talker description.]

The blurb: Offering far more than a rush of caffeine, bestselling author Paul David Tripp aims to energize Christian readers with the most potent encouragement imaginable: the gospel. In the popular devotional New Morning Mercies, 365 engaging readings lead off with a compelling, gospel-centered thought, followed by an extended meditation for the day. Focused less on behavior modification and more on helping people encounter the living God, this resource equips readers with the good news that they need to trust in God’s goodness, rely on his grace, and live for his glory―day in and day out. Lauri's Take: Love My Utmost for His Highest but been through it a few times? Then you should check out this devotional. With 365 daily readings, each page includes questions for personal reflection and application, guidelines for prayer, and a list of relevant biblical passages for further study. If you're in the habit of spending a part of each day in meditation, this is a great companion to the classic by Oswald Chambers. If you don't spend part of the day in a quiet time yet, but you'd like to, this book is a great tool to get you started.

Another blurb and take review: The Blurb: A heretic thief is the empire’s only hope in this fascinating tale that inhabits the same world as the popular novel, Elantris. Shai is a Forger, a foreigner who can flawlessly copy and re-create any item by rewriting its history with skillful magic. Condemned to death after trying to steal the emperor’s scepter, she is given one opportunity to save herself. Though her skill as a Forger is considered an abomination by her captors, Shai will attempt to create a new soul for the emperor, who is almost dead. Probing deeply into his life, she discovers Emperor Ashravan’s truest nature—and the opportunity to exploit it. Her only possible ally is one who is truly loyal to the emperor, but councilor Gaotona must overcome his prejudices to understand that Shai’s forgery is as much artistry as it is deception. Brimming with magic and political intrigue, this deftly woven fantasy delves into the essence of a living spirit. Lauri’s take: Love, love, love! This enchanting short novel will engross you in the character development and the magic system. It’s easy to see why it won a Hugo award. If you’ve never read Brandon Sanderson before, it’s a great way to get to know the author.