This was a sweet story about death and life and the beauty in both. The sweetness of life’s little moments and memories made more precious in loss. A reminder to treasure all the love you can find in life.
The Leaving Room by Amber McBride, (List Price: $19.99, Fiewel & Friends, 9781250908087, October 2025)
Reviewed by Victoria Thatcher-Milton, The Bottom in Knoxville, Tennessee
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The Poet X is a piece of Acevedo’s heart that we cradle in our hands, an intimate portrayal of someone who isn’t quiet and easy and is all the more beautiful for her sharp edges. Every stanza, Acevedo seemingly challenges herself to improve on what was written before, creating a brutally bittersweet story of what it means to find your voice, both on and off the page. From my first read five years ago to my last, Xiomara continuously inspires me to occupy the spaces I’m told I cannot with my pen, and more importantly, my voice.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, (List Price: $15.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062662811, April 2020)
Reviewed by Sydney Mason, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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Loved this book. It had a really engaging plot and it is my favorite realistic fiction book I have ever read. This book is great for older teens and young adults. This book did a really good job of keeping the reader engaged and entertained. Whether you like cliffhangers or not, you’ll love this book! I can not wait for the sequel to come out, and I definitely recommend this book to all young adult readers.
Sync by Ellen Hopkins, (List Price: $13.99, Nancy Paulsen, 9780593463260, August 2025)
Reviewed by Suzanne Lucey, Page 158 Books in , North Carolina
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The Black Flamingo is a poetic look into the coming of age and coming out stories of a young biracial teen in England. When he goes off to university, he explores who he is through the beauty of drag. This novel is a raw look at the complexity of identity with the beauty of poetry.
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta, (List Price: $15.99, Balzer + Bray, 9780062990303, April 2021)
Reviewed by Nannette Matthews, Story on the Square in McDonough, Georgia
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All the Fighting Parts is a much needed book. The verse format makes it a quick read, but it spares no punches, delving deep into the heart of one sexual assault survivor’s journey through grief, guilt, resistance, and reclamation. Healing is a journey through, not a journey’s end; and while the powers of her local church are stacked against her, her loved ones (whom she withdraws from in the aftermath) learn how to support her through every step. It’s poignant and oh-so relevant. Amina’s story is unlike anything I’ve read before, and I hope with all my might that All the Fighting Parts falls into the hands of those who need it most.
All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr, (List Price: $19.99, Amulet Books, 9781419762611, September 2023)
Reviewed by Isabel Agajanian, Oxford Exchange in Tampa, Florida
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Beautiful coming of age story that follows a teenager in Harlem as she copes with questions around family, religion and relationships through finding herself in poetry.
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo, (List Price: 15.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062662811, March 2020)
Reviewed by Melissa Summers, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina
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Kip Wilson’s novel in verse about photojournalist Gerda Tardo captures her passion for revealing truth through photography. It sweeps the reader from Gerda’s school days in Germany to the front lines in the Spanish Civil War. A compelling read.
One Last Shot: Based on a True Story of Wartime Heroism by Kip Wilson, (List Price: $17.99, Versify, 9780063251687, January 2023)
Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee
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Lovers of history, poetry, and myth will find themselves in awe of R.M. Romero’s young adult debut. The story of Ilana Lopez, a Jewish Latina from Miami sent to stay with her aunt in Prague, is inspired by the author’s very real time spent restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe, and rings true because of this even through its layers of story magic. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is by turns glittering, dark, enchanting and haunting.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero, (List Price: $18.99, Peachtree Teen, 9781682633380, May 2022)
Reviewed by Cristina Russell, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida
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A beautiful story about love and loss, and how sometimes those things can be really complicated. Acevedo is obviously a master storyteller in both prose and verse. Clap When You Land is no exception to her brilliance. More than anything, I appreciate the reverence with which Acevedo writes. You can tell how important it is to her to tell stories about and for girls who are underrepresented in YA. Honestly, she is one of my author crushes (and I will read anything she writes).
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (List Price: $12.99, Quill Tree Books, 9780062882776 May 2020)
Reviewed by Asia Harden, Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi
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