by Hope Bolinger and Alyssa Roat

After losing their respective nemeses for various reasons, hero Cortex and villain Vortex are both in the market for a new one. They meet on Mega-Match, the not-dating app that matches heroes and villains (and sidekicks and henchmen). But what happens when they realize that there’s not such a huge difference between them after all?

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. The whole thing is told in private messages and group chats. The dialogue and characters are awesome, and the whole concept was so much fun. It reminded me of the animated movie Megamind, except with 18-year-olds and a much higher body count (and yes, there are deaths, but they’re not gruesome).

by Patricia C. Wrede

Kit, a street thief in London, is hired to sneak into a magician’s wagon and snoop around. When she took the job, she didn’t expect the magician to be an actual, practicing wizard. Soon Kit is involved in a mixed up adventure in search of a magical artifact.

This magical romp in Regency England is so much fun. I read it in high school, and I loved it just as much again on this reread. The sequel, Magician’s Ward, is also fantastic.

by Naomi Novik

After Orion Lake saves her life for a second time, Galadriel wishes he’d go off and die himself. Instead he follows her around the Scholomance, saving her life again and again from evil creatures. She wishes he and his groupies would leave her alone, but she soon accepts him as a friend. Can they—and the rest of her small friend-alliance—save the Scholomance and all the students in it?

Not kidding, if book two had been available when I read this, I would have gone straight for the next book. I loved the voice, the magic, the world—Novik proves again that she’s a creative genius. A warning, however: there is some bad language and mature content.

Update: Books two and three have even more bad language and mature content, as well as some rather dark, horrifying elements. I still can’t fault Novik’s writing style or characters, but I personally wouldn’t consider books two or three suitable for YA readers, and even book one isn’t suitable for younger readers. Use caution.

by Joseph Elliott

When their clan is betrayed to the Vikings and carried off as slaves, Jaime and Agatha must find a way to rescue them, braving wildwolves and shadow creatures as they venture into the unknown.

This book was pretty good—probably a 4 out of 5. I can’t pinpoint any one thing that bothered me about it, except that it was a little darker/more gruesome than I like. I did love that it was set in Scotland/Skye, and I always like old Gaelic and Viking adventures, but I didn’t connect with it the way I do with other books.

by Alison Gervais

Maya, a Deaf high school senior, has just moved to a new state and a new school. She must navigate the challenges of being Deaf in a school full of hearing kids, while simultaneously dealing with moving, college applications, cute boys, and a brother with a serious health condition.

This was a really sweet high school romance. I enjoyed every minute, and I loved seeing a Deaf person as the main character. It enabled me to see being Deaf or Hard of Hearing from a different perspective and rethink my own preconceived notions and biases.