Kimberly Giarratano

YA FictionYA

Tea leaves and life lines

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

For 16-year-old Marnie Wells, reading tea leaves is a party trick—a kooky hobby she picked up from an old book of her grandmother’s. And although Marnie doesn’t take her tea-leaf reading seriously, the kids at her high school sure do. Matt Cotrell, a popular athlete whose best friend, Andrea, disappeared last year, is particularly interested in Marnie’s hobby.

Matt begins to seek out the introverted Marnie for fortune telling, but is it really to help find Andrea? Marnie isn’t sure, even as she and Matt spend more time together. But anonymous emails, a missing drug dealer and suspicious circumstances at a party compound the mystery, placing Marnie in the center of it all.

Marnie is a cynical and perceptive character, but she struggles to fit in. Grappling with her sense of identity, Marnie longs to escape the rundown home she shares with her troubled brother and loving grandmother. And she’s unsure how to navigate her new romance with Matt—a boy she doesn’t wholly understand.

Emily Arsenault, known for weaving haunting tales in adult mysteries, brings her knack for subtle suspense to a younger audience in this rewarding YA debut.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

For 16-year-old Marnie Wells, reading tea leaves is a party trick—a kooky hobby she picked up from an old book of her grandmother’s. And although Marnie doesn’t take her tea-leaf reading seriously, the kids at her high school sure do. Matt Cotrell, a popular athlete whose best friend, Andrea, disappeared last year, is particularly interested in Marnie’s hobby.

Mystery & SuspenseYA FictionYAMystery

Murder in detention

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

If John Hughes turned The Breakfast Club into a murder mystery, it would be this delicious page-turner. Five teens enter detention, but only four come out. Simon, who runs a gossip app, dies from a suspiciously timed allergic reaction. He has made a lot of enemies in his San Diego suburb, but none with more motive than these four: Bronwyn, the straight-A good girl; Cooper, the unassuming baseball star; Nate, the drug-dealing slacker; and Addy, the enviable pretty girl. At first glance, they seem like high school clichés, but each is hiding a life-altering secret they’d do anything to protect. Either they’re all innocent, or one of them is lying, and it’s up to readers to find out.

Told in four alternating points of view, One of Us Is Lying is more than just a feisty whodunit—it’s an insightful look at high school life. Nothing drags in this fast-paced story, so give it to even the most reluctant reader and dare them not to devour it in one sitting.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

If John Hughes turned The Breakfast Club into a murder mystery, it would be this delicious page-turner.

YA FictionYAHistorical Fiction

The making of a legend

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

BookPage Teen Top Pick, May 2017

Before the start of World War II—years before the events of Printz Honor-winning Code Name Verity, which tells the story of Julie Beaufort-Stuart’s capture by the Gestapo in occupied France—Julie was an unsure but privileged 15-year-old girl on break from school. In June of 1938, Julie arrives at her late grandfather’s Scottish estate to help her mother and grandmother pack up the contents of the house in preparation for its sale. But she is inexplicably attacked on a nearby riverbank and left for dead. She is rescued by two Travellers, a brother and sister from a nomadic group native to Scotland, who are treated cruelly by Julie’s own friends and neighbors. Julie remembers little of the attack, but she believes it may have something to do with the mysterious disappearance of the archivist from her grandfather’s estate. Throw in a washed-up body, priceless river pearls and an unexpected romance, and readers will come to understand how Julie became a tenacious and brave British spy years later.

Elizabeth Wein masterfully weaves a story of friendship, love and loss against the backdrop of the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. The descriptions of the Scottish burns, the melodic dialect and the shared culture between the Scottish gentry and Travellers will make readers think they’ve been transported back in time. For readers who haven’t already been introduced to Wein through Code Name Verity, The Pearl Thief is a beautiful starting point.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the May 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Elizabeth Wein masterfully weaves a story of friendship, love and loss against the backdrop of the breathtaking Scottish Highlands. The descriptions of the Scottish burns, the melodic dialect and the shared culture between the Scottish gentry and Travellers will make readers think they’ve been transported back in time. For readers who haven’t already been introduced to Wein through Code Name Verity, The Pearl Thief is a beautiful starting point.

YA FictionYAThriller

A deadly pattern

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

In an isolated Idaho town, 16-year-old Min Wilder and Noah Livingston share both a birthday and a secret: Every two years, they are murdered by a strange man only to awake the next day miles from their homes, alive and well. They’ve never revealed their secret to one another. The only one who knows is a local psychiatrist who convinces Noah that these are simply hallucinations. But Min isn’t convinced she’s crazy, and a slew of events—including an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, a suspicious military presence in the area and unexplained natural disasters—have assured Min that her hunch is correct. After breaking into her psychiatrist’s office, Min discovers that she and Noah are part of a global conspiracy that starts with her sophomore class.

Brendan Reichs, who penned the popular Virals series with his mother, Kathy Reichs, knows how to build plot twists and dynamic characters. Min, the daughter of a struggling single mother, is sharp and intuitive, while Noah, the son of an affluent businessman, is lonely and insecure. There’s also a protective best friend, a surly bully and a shady principal. Everyone’s a cog in this well-plotted machine. Readers who get hooked must be warned: This isn’t a standalone. A sequel is likely underway.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the April 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

In an isolated Idaho town, 16-year-old Min Wilder and Noah Livingston share both a birthday and a secret: Every two years, they are murdered by a strange man only to awake the next day miles from their homes, alive and well. They’ve never revealed their secret to one another. The only one who knows is a local psychiatrist who convinces Noah that these are simply hallucinations. But Min isn’t convinced she’s crazy, and a slew of events—including an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, a suspicious military presence in the area and unexplained natural disasters—have assured Min that her hunch is correct. After breaking into her psychiatrist’s office, Min discovers that she and Noah are part of a global conspiracy that starts with her sophomore class.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Caring for another amid sorrow

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Sussy introduces readers to her best friend, Guy, as he valiantly runs to her house to retrieve her jacket on a cool fall morning, even if it means missing the bus. Four years later, when they are both 10 years old, their friendship still endures. They decide to adopt a leopard gecko and name her Matylda. It’s Guy who knows all about lizards and how to feed them live crickets. It’s Guy who is kind, inquisitive and thoughtful and by whom Matylda feels most understood. And so, when a freak bicycle accident takes his life, the readers, as much as Sussy, are devastated by the loss. Guy always put Sussy first, and now Sussy is trying her best to take care of Matylda while grieving the one person she cared for most —an incredible task for any child.

Matylda, Bright & Tender is a heartbreaking story about loss and grief narrated by Sussy with childlike honesty and openness. Sussy’s response to her grief is to funnel her anger and guilt over Guy’s death into the care of this lizard, which consumes her. Although Guy’s accident is neither graphic nor drawn-out, parents will want to read this book along with their child to aid discussion and to respond to questions about life and death.

This is a beautiful story told with hope and light exploring how life endures despite loss.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

Sussy introduces readers to her best friend, Guy, as he valiantly runs to her house to retrieve her jacket on a cool fall morning, even if it means missing the bus. Four years later, when they are both 10 years old, their friendship still endures.

YA FictionYA

A strong teen chases her magic

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

“And this makes me wonder if a black girl’s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone.” The latest novel from Renée Watson captures the poignant story of a black teenage girl struggling to navigate a world that doesn’t appear to accept her.

Jade Butler lives in an impoverished area of Portland, Oregon, and is raised by a single mother who works tirelessly so that Jade can attend a prestigious private high school. There, Jade is given lots of opportunities, such as free SAT prep classes and tutoring jobs. When Jade is invited to participate in a mentorship program for African-American girls, she is disappointed. She’s tired of being selected for programs where the only criteria is being black and poor. She just wants to be nominated for the study abroad trip to Costa Rica, but it’s difficult to refuse these opportunities when so much is riding on her success.

Piecing Me Together is a beautifully written story told through the first-person narration of a girl who, despite being smart, strong and artistic, still feels like she has to overcome her race, gender and socio-economic status. This has as much to do with the actions of the adults in her life—as well intentioned as they may be—as it does with the undercurrent of racism and classism. There’s a lot to unpack here, and readers will finish the story with more questions than answers—a testament to the novel’s complexity and nuance.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the February 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

“And this makes me wonder if a black girl’s life is only about being stitched together and coming undone, being stitched together and coming undone.” The latest novel from Renée Watson captures the poignant story of a black teenage girl struggling to navigate a world that doesn’t appear to accept her.
YA FictionYA

Piecing together a friend’s disappearance

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Despite the title, this engaging mystery from debut author Chelsea Sedoti isn’t about the popular, enviable Lizzie, but about 17-year-old Hawthorn Creely, the lonely outcast who becomes obsessed with Lizzie’s disappearance. Hawthorn has always been a loner. Her sarcasm, dry wit and occasional rudeness have left her with only one friend, and even that relationship hangs by a thread. So when Lizzie is reported missing, Hawthorn inserts herself into Lizzie’s old life by taking over Lizzie’s former job and hanging out with Enzo, Lizzie’s sulky artist boyfriend. As Hawthorn and Enzo connect over Lizzie, Hawthorn is enlivened by her new adventures, but they come at the expense of a tragedy.

Hawthorn is one of the most relatable characters in recent young adult literature. Her unhappiness stems from her inability to connect to people her own age and her subsequent boredom. She lives mostly in her own head, choosing to find magic in movies, books and her imagination rather than the world around her. 

This mystery is less about finding a missing girl as it is about finding happiness and purpose in a complex, often contradictory world.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the January 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Despite the title, this engaging mystery from debut author Chelsea Sedoti isn’t about the popular, enviable Lizzie, but about 17-year-old Hawthorn Creely, the lonely outcast who becomes obsessed with Lizzie’s disappearance. Hawthorn has always been a loner. Her sarcasm, dry wit and occasional rudeness have left her with only one friend, and even that relationship hangs by a thread. So when Lizzie is reported missing, Hawthorn inserts herself into Lizzie’s old life by taking over Lizzie’s former job and hanging out with Enzo, Lizzie’s sulky artist boyfriend.

Science Fiction & FantasyYA FictionYAScience Fiction

An ambitious sci-fi tackles tough social issues

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Set in distant space in a galactic empire, The Diabolic is narrated by Nemesis, a humanoid teenage girl born and bred to be a weapon. Her only job is to protect Sidonia, a senator’s daughter, which she will do at any cost. When Sidonia’s father is suspected of treason, the Emperor orders Sidonia to the capital as a hostage, but Nemesis goes in her place. Upon arrival, Nemesis quickly makes enemies, but she also forms a shaky alliance with the enigmatic Tyrus, who is playing his own dangerous political game. After a tragedy, Nemesis must put her life—and the fate of the empire—into the hands of people she doesn’t fully comprehend.

Nemesis isn’t the most compelling character here. That distinction goes to Tyrus, who has been brought up in a royal household lorded over by a ruthless grandmother akin to King Richard III. His methods of survival and his ability to strategize are impressive, leaving readers to wonder if he can really be trusted.

Like a Primanti Brothers sandwich, there’s a lot stuffed inside the covers of this book: political sabotage, intergalactic travel, planetary negotiations, chemical warfare, feminism, murder, romance and religion. This isn’t science fiction with an emphasis on science, even though a major theme of the book is how the empire manipulates religion and withholds technology in order to subjugate its people. It’s an ambitious page-turner fueled by plot twists, character deaths and high-stakes action.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the November 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Set in distant space in a galactic empire, The Diabolic is narrated by Nemesis, a humanoid teenage girl born and bred to be a weapon. Her only job is to protect Sidonia, a senator’s daughter, which she will do at any cost. When Sidonia’s father is suspected of treason, the Emperor orders Sidonia to the capital as a hostage, but Nemesis goes in her place. Upon arrival, Nemesis quickly makes enemies, but she also forms a shaky alliance with the enigmatic Tyrus, who is playing his own dangerous political game. After a tragedy, Nemesis must put her life—and the fate of the empire—into the hands of people she doesn’t fully comprehend.
YA FictionYAMystery

The Mystery Club takes its first case

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Fifteen-year-old Benny Flax and Virginia Leeds are the only two members of Mystery Club, an extracurricular group that is sorely lacking in both participants and crimes to solve—until the Friday night football game when cheerleader Brittany, dressed as the school’s mascot, inexplicably runs off the field and jumps off a bridge. The police are quick to rule Brittany’s death a suicide, but Benny and Virginia think differently after they discover camera footage of both the cheerleaders’ locker room and the apparent suicide. With Benny’s keen level of observation and Virginia’s ability to go unnoticed, the two decide to investigate the mystery themselves, even if it means lying to police and breaking the law. Because for Benny and Virginia, Mystery Club is all they have.

Maggie Thrash, author of the graphic memoir Honor Girl, has penned a kooky mystery that should be read through the lens of an Amy Schumer skit. The characters and the school itself are clever caricatures, and readers shouldn’t expect a lot of depth. Benny is analytical and clever, but he struggles to connect socially, while Virginia makes meek attempts to transform her reputation as a gossip and busybody (what better way to do that than to investigate your fellow classmates for murder?). There’s a healthy dose of humor with the crime, although the satire may not resonate with all readers.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Fifteen-year-old Benny Flax and Virginia Leeds are the only two members of Mystery Club, an extracurricular group that is sorely lacking in both participants and crimes to solve—until the Friday night football game when cheerleader Brittany, dressed as the school’s mascot, inexplicably runs off the field and jumps off a bridge.
YA FictionYA

Welcomed into a mysterious family of witches

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Pitched as We Were Liars meets 1996’s The Craft, The Graces is the story of a trio of witches, told through the viewpoint of an outsider who wants to be like them. After 15-year-old River’s father disappears, she and her mother move to a small, coastal town. River quickly becomes obsessed with siblings Thalia, Fenrin and Summer Grace, who rule their high school with an unspoken power. Although the Graces don’t often get close to their classmates, they inexplicably welcome River into their inner circle. Soon, she’s being included in spells and invited to parties at the Grace’s exclusive home. River eventually discovers why the family has embraced her so willingly—they understand River in a way no one else does.

While author Laure Eve does a fair job of creating a mysterious air in River’s first-person narration, The Graces is a story that relies heavily on ambiguity and a major plot twist. The surfing town setting isn’t well drawn, and it isn’t until the teens use British slang (“take the piss”) that readers get a sense of place. The characters, as seen through River’s viewpoint, are enigmatic beings that River idolizes—but are they to be feared or worshipped? Readers will sense that River isn’t who she claims to be (River isn’t even her real name), and for that reason, they’ll anxiously flip through pages, trying to pinpoint her angle and motives. The payoff of the twist ending will be determined by the reader.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

Pitched as We Were Liars meets 1996’s The Craft, The Graces is the story of a trio of witches, told through the viewpoint of an outsider who wants to be like them. After 15-year-old River’s father disappears, she and her mother move to a small, coastal town. River quickly becomes obsessed with siblings Thalia, Fenrin and Summer Grace, who rule their high school with an unspoken power.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Mysteries in Roanoke

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Nell Dare is a young city girl with big plans for her summer vacation in New York City. She and her best friend are interning as junior zookeepers in Central Park, but when Nell's father mysteriously goes away, Nell must accompany her botanist mother to Roanoke, North Carolina, to study an ancient grapevine. At first Nell is upset by the change of plans, until she and her mother settle into a seaside cottage and Nell meets Ambrose, a local boy who dresses in period costume. Ambrose teaches Nell about Roanoke’s unusual history, including the story of the lost colonists, a group of English settlers who went missing in the late 16th century. While hunting for ancient artifacts, Nell and Ambrose evade Lila, a Roanoke native with a know-it-all attitude, who is on her own quest to uncover evidence of the lost colony. Then Nell and Ambrose embark on a dangerous course for answers that may cost Nell her life.

Summer of Lost and Found is about a young girl trying to navigate around her parents’ problems. When Nell’s father abruptly leaves, and Nell’s mother refuses to disclose why, Nell conjures up her own solution to her family’s unusual separation. Her friendship with Ambrose is built on mutual sadness as Ambrose’s father had also left the family, albeit under much different circumstances. Ambrose is the more compelling character in this story, and savvy readers will figure out his secret early on, although that won’t dilute the fun of this enjoyable mystery.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

Nell Dare is a young city girl with big plans for her summer vacation in New York City. She and her best friend are interning as junior zookeepers in Central Park, but when Nell's father mysteriously goes away, Nell must accompany her botanist mother to Roanoke, North Carolina, to study an ancient grapevine.

YA FictionYAThriller

Two friends revisit a scarring childhood event

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Ten years ago, a serial killer in rural Pennsylvania lured Lori Cawley from the home where she was babysitting two 8-year-old girls and murdered her. Best friends Tessa and Callie were those two girls. Manipulated by police and their parents into testifying against the suspected killer, the girls have always wondered if they sent the wrong man to death row. They haven’t spoken since Tessa moved away after the trial. Now 18, Callie relies on alcohol to suppress her anxiety, and Tessa, who has been abandoned by both her mother and sister, returns to Pennsylvania to say goodbye to her dying father. Tessa’s visit stirs up questions, sending her on a dangerous hunt for answers.

The Darkest Corners is a suspenseful ride that’s really two mysteries in one: the location of Tessa’s sister and what really happened the night Lori was killed. Could Tessa’s sister be involved? A thriller at its core, the novel presents a layered view of how family, friendships and even the flawed judicial system can tear people apart if they let it.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the May 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Ten years ago, a serial killer in rural Pennsylvania lured Lori Cawley from the home where she was babysitting two 8-year-old girls and murdered her. Best friends Tessa and Callie were those two girls. Manipulated by police and their parents into testifying against the suspected killer, the girls have always wondered if they sent the wrong man to death row. They haven’t spoken since Tessa moved away after the trial.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A boy immigrant makes his way in the new world

Review by Kimberly Giarratano

Set in 1887 against the bleak backdrop of New York City tenement living, A Bandit’s Tale is the story of a plucky Italian boy and his adventures in a new world. After 11-year-old Rocco Zaccaro disgraces his impoverished family, his parents lease him to an unscrupulous man and send him to America to work as a street musician. Without any knowledge of English or how to play an instrument, Rocco is forced to earn money for his boss, the padrone. Rocco eventually gets mixed up with a pickpocketing gang and is arrested. After a daring prison escape, Rocco meets an Irish girl named Meddlin’ Mary and begins assisting the famous journalist and photographer Jacob Riis. Rocco morphs from a thief to a reformer as he tries to improve the lives of vulnerable kids like him.

Although Deborah Hopkinson acknowledges in an author’s note that the chronology and Rocco’s interactions with real-life figures Riis and Jewish reporter Max Fischel have been fictionalized, A Bandit’s Tale is historically accurate. Interspersed in the book are Riis’ photographs depicting the harsh living conditions of immigrants. Rocco’s lively narrative keeps the book from being morose, but parents may want to read along to help kids digest the history.

 

Kimberly Giarratano is the author of Grunge Gods and Graveyards, a young adult paranormal mystery.

This article was originally published in the April 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Set in 1887 against the bleak backdrop of New York City tenement living, A Bandit’s Tale is the story of a plucky Italian boy and his adventures in a new world. After 11-year-old Rocco Zaccaro disgraces his impoverished family, his parents lease him to an unscrupulous man and send him to America to work as a street musician. Without any knowledge of English or how to play an instrument, Rocco is forced to earn money for his boss, the padrone.

Sign Up

Stay on top of new releases: Sign up for our newsletter to receive reading recommendations in your favorite genres.

Sign up now

Trending Features

All Features