Death/Dying – Unleashing Readers

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Sequels and Prequels Worth Reading

October 23, 2025 by Ricki

Sofia is a 13-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. Since she was 8 years old, on select weeks, Sofia shares her favorite books with other young people her age! She is one of the most well-read youth that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

Dear readers,

Hello, it’s Sofia again and welcome to another book review! Today I am talking about sequels (or prequels) that I have read that have been as good or better than the original book! I have made this list because I know that when I finish a book, most of the time the sequel hasn’t come out yet and I just forget about the original book. This means that I only learn about the sequel through a book review, or I stumble upon it by chance in the library! I am hoping this book review will make you aware of a sequel to a book you have enjoyed, or just inspire you to start a new duology! Also, all of the original books will have my book review for them linked, just click on the underlined title!

Heist Royale, sequel to Thieves Gambit

Let me introduce you to the book that started this idea… Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis! I have already read and reviewed the first book in the series, Thieves Gambit and I loved it! If you want to learn more about the first book in the series, just click on the underlined Thieves Gambit! Fun fact, this was actually the only sequel I read within a month of it coming out! That is how excited I was for it! Anyway, onto the actual review! I already had high expectations for this book but it surpassed them all. In the book, Ross is pulled back into playing a competition similar to the Thieves Gambit after she and her family are threatened by their enemy, Devroe’s mom. The organization is willing to accept a new leader so Count and Baron step forward. They ask Ross and her friends to pick sides for a new competition between them, splitting them in two. As Ross and her friends are pulled apart from each other, Ross is devastated by her friends leaving her. As she gets sucked into another high-stakes game, she has to figure out the importance of her friends, and her family. You will absolutely love this book if you have read Thieves Gambit, or watched movies like Now You See Me, or the Ocean’s movies, since Heist Royale has the same atmosphere.

The First to Die at the End, prequel to They Both Die At the End and

The Survivor Wants to Die at the End, sequel to They Both Die at the End

Welcome to…The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera! If you have read the original book, you know how sad and emotional this author’s writing is! This book I actually think is better than the original, which is saying a lot because They Both Die at the End was phenomenal! The First to Die at the End is told from many perspectives, but mainly Orion and Valentino, who are the main characters. This prequel is all about the day that the service DeathCast was created, and the havoc that ensued. It shows perspectives from two young adults, the creator of the service, and other people that we meet along the way. This was a very moving book and really emphasizes that any day could be your last and to live life to the fullest. This is a beautiful book and I would highly encourage you to read it! You can also read this without reading the original but it makes more sense if you read They Both Die at the End first!

Since the time of writing this review, I have also read The Survivor Wants to Die at the End, which is an amazing sequel to the first book in the series! It shows you the perspective of a highly suicidal boy named Paz, and the complex perspective of Alano (the Death-Cast heir). As the story continues, you get to see Paz and Alano’s friendship develop, with many sharp bumps along the way. For The Survivor Wants to Die at the End, I would highly recommend reading They Both Die at the End first, since reading this would spoil the first book and also be confusing. In terms of content advisories, The Survivor Wants to Die at the End was the most emotionally intense to me, but all of the books in the series are pretty heavy. Some topics include suicide, self-harm, dealing with mental health, and grief.

Past, Present, Future, sequel to Today, Tonight, Tomorrow

Drumroll please, Past, Present, Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon! Wow, this book really was a rollercoaster of emotions. It is about Rowan and Neil, the two characters who fell in love in the first book, Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, during high school, now managing their relationship while in college. They are both studying in different places on the East Coast, which is far from their homes in Seattle and handling making friends and keeping up with classes. They mostly communicate via technology but they visit each other every couple of months which is hard for them since they are used to being able to spend all of their time with each other. When Rowan starts struggling in her Creative Writing class and questions whether she should be a writer, Neil is also questioning his major, Linguistics. They realize that maintaining a romantic relationship while in college may not be as easy as it seems. When family issues strike Neil, he chooses to distance himself from Rowan and their relationship. Past, Present, Future is a heartfelt, emotional story about two college students exploring and managing their relationship while far away from each other. I highly recommend this book and am honestly mad I didn’t read it sooner. Like the original, this is a book with two perspectives, one from Rowan and one from Neil and it is always so interesting to see their lives from their own and partner’s perspectives.

Kill Joy, prequel/novella to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Please welcome, Kill Joy by Holly Jackson! It is a novella of the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series that takes place before the first book. It is a short read which I quickly finished on my road trip this Spring Break. It is set at one of Pip’s friends’ houses as they are having a murder mystery birthday party, where each friend pretends to be a character in the story while simultaneously trying to solve the murder. In the story, the friends are all on an island to celebrate Reginald Remy’s birthday when he is suddenly found dead! The friends are acting as different people who are attending this birthday party like his sons and the cook. Together, Pip and her friends must find out who the killer is through a series of clues that lead them closer to the answer! Overall, this book is a fun addition to the series, with lower stakes while still being fun and entertaining! I also really enjoyed how the ending of Kill Joy ties right into the beginning of the first book in the series. If you are wondering in what order to read the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, I would read the first book, then this novella and then the rest of the books in their respective order. This way, you already know the characters going into the novella but don’t get too confused by having already read all of the other books.

I hope you enjoy reading these books and the other ones in their series!

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson

September 18, 2025 by Ricki

Dear readers,

Let me introduce you to Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson, a murder mystery about Jet, a woman solving her own murder. You might be thinking, that doesn’t make sense since she can’t find her murderer if she is dead, but when Jet was attacked, she survived with fatal injuries that would kill her in 7 days, hence the title Not Quite Dead Yet. This means that Jet has a week to find out who killed her, before she dies of a ruptured brain aneurysm. Though when she starts digging deeper into her case, she uncovers mysterious secrets that threaten to unravel the way she previously saw the world.

Goodreads Summary

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder-now a hit Netflix series-returns with her first novel for adults: a twisty thriller about a young woman trying to solve her own murder. In seven days Jet Mason will be dead. Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in Woodstock, Vermont. Twenty-seven years old, she’s still waiting for her life to begin. I’ll do it later, she always says. She has time. Until Halloween night, when Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder. She suffers a catastrophic head injury. The doctor is certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm. Jet has never thought of herself as having enemies. But now she looks at everyone in a new light: her family, her former best friend turned sister-in-law, her ex-boyfriend. She has at most seven days, and as her condition deteriorates she has only her childhood friend Billy for help. But nevertheless, she’s absolutely determined to finally finish something: Jet is going to solve her own murder.

My Thoughts

Not Quite Dead Yet is a thrilling book that takes you with Jet as she tries to find who killed her. Jet has always lived in the shadow of her dead sister, trying to be as good as her even though you can’t compete with a ghost. This is very important to Jet since her entire life, she has always had the mindset that there is always “later”, and she ended up dropping out of college, not really doing anything with her life. When she realizes she has 7 days left to live, she wants to finally be able to accomplish something, proving to her parents that she is not a failure like they think she is. While this is a story about Jet solving her own murder, it also shows her journey of forgiveness and growth, which I really enjoyed. Seeing the main character evolve added some depth to the novel and allowed you to connect with Jet.

Something I would recommend is reading this book with other people because there will be a lot to discuss, from shocking discoveries to opinions on Jet and her actions! I read this book with one of my friends in a book club and it was so fun to discuss all of our suspicions about murder suspects and the secrets characters might be hiding. When Jet made important or even controversial decisions, we often asked each other what we would have done, why, and whether Jet made a good choice. I also felt that seeing another person’s perspective helped me better understand the plot and notice things I otherwise would have missed.

While Not Quite Dead Yet is an adult book, I believe it is most likely fine to read if you have read her YA books like Five Survive or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Jet regularly uses strong language unlike the characters in Jackson’s other books, with Jet cussing in her day to day life, which could make it more adult. Also, the concept of a brain aneurysm as a cause of death is a more complex way to die than your average murder book. Just be mindful when reading this book that there is murder, blood, trauma and grief. I hope you read and enjoy this exciting book!

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

September 4, 2025 by Ricki

Dear readers,

Let me introduce you to The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh, an incredibly moving historical tale about the story of three girls during the Ukrainian Holodomor. I picked this book off of the Nutmeg shelf at my local library, which is an award they give to children’s all the way to high school books in Connecticut. There are a few books selected each year in every age category and they tend to be great reads, but this time, I was not ready for the whirlwind of emotions that followed picking this book off the shelf. It is told in three perspectives, Mila, Helen, and Matthew. One day during COVID, Matthew is ordered by his mom to stop playing video games and to help his great grandmother declutter some of the boxes she has in her room. Matthew just wants to play on his Nintendo Switch but after realizing that isn’t an option, he reluctantly agrees to help. His grandmother has never really talked much about her life and all he knows is that she almost starved in some Ukrainian famine but as soon as he opens the first box, he learns much more. The past is told by Mila, who is the daughter of a Ukrainian Oligarch and Helen, who lives in New York as the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants. Both girls are living in the 1930’s while Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, which is where Mila lives. It was so exciting and heartbreaking to watch their stories unravel, I hope you read this important historical tale.

Goodreads Summary

A middle-grade survival story that traces a family secret back to the Holodomor, a terrible famine that devastated Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s. Thirteen-year-old Matthew is miserable. His journalist dad is stuck overseas indefinitely, and his mom has moved in his one-hundred-year-old great-grandmother to ride out the pandemic, adding to his stress and isolation. But when Matthew finds a tattered black-and-white photo in his great-grandmother’s belongings, he discovers a clue to a hidden chapter of her past, one that will lead to a life-shattering family secret. Set in alternating timelines that connect the present-day to the 1930s and the US to the USSR, Katherine Marsh’s latest novel sheds fresh light on the Holodomor – the horrific famine that killed millions of Ukrainians, and which the Soviet government covered up for decades. Inspired by Marsh’s own family history.

My Thoughts

Wow, wow, wow, that is all I can say after reading this masterpiece. This is a book about a horrible time but the story is told beautifully. I usually don’t cry when I read a book, even if they are really sad but I shed a few tears at the end of this novel. So many unexpected things happen and you find yourself on the edge of your seat the entire time, hoping that the characters will be okay. Marsh NAILED Mila’s perspective, making us understand how blinded by Soviet propaganda Mila was. Before this book, I had never even heard of the Holodomor, and it is so powerful that The Lost Year brings to light this disgusting period of human history, which everybody should know about.

Also, heads up, you should read the Author’s Note because it just makes the story so much more special and important. All in all, I think The Lost Year is a book everybody should read because of the beautiful writing and gripping story. I hope you enjoy this book!

I would recommend this book for ages 13+ because of the difficult topics including death, genocide, the Soviet Union and grief.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

Sofia’s YA Book Nook: Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

August 21, 2025 by Ricki

Dear readers,

Let me introduce you to… Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray! A fantastic historical fiction novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat! This book is told from three locations in time, one in a small town in Germany during WWII, another in West Berlin in the 1980s, and the last one in Brooklyn, during COVID. All of these settings are told in third-person omniscient narration, meaning you get to see these worlds through the eyes of, essentially, an all-knowing cloud, which knows all the characters’ feelings and tells the story that way. I read this book with my mom, in our book club, and it was amazing to discuss all of the important events happening in this book! I would highly recommend finding someone to read Under the Same Stars with, since it helps you dig deeper into the themes and meaning of the story. We loved this book and I hope you do too!

Goodreads Summary

It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.

In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom’s Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.

In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.

In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are slogging through the last few months of senior year when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.

My Thoughts

Under the Same Stars is an amazing novel, which led me to think more deeply about how history connects to our current lives, and what we can learn from it. I love that this novel is told from three different perspectives, since it makes the story a lot more interesting and complex, although at the beginning, my mom found the perspectives a bit difficult to follow; though as we kept on reading, this problem went away, as the storylines became more connected and we began to remember the characters better. I love that this book always kept me and my mom on our toes, we were always making theories about what could happen next, and mostly being surprised when something else happened! Out of all of the characters, I think Jenny was the most fun to talk about with my mom. Her actions were always so irrational that we couldn’t help discussing what we would have done, and what potentially caused her to act that way. Along with its detailed characters, Under the Same Stars is also written beautifully. The way that Libba Bray puts moments into words is spectacular, adding complexity and emotion into the story. My favorite quote is “Don’t die in the waiting room of the future”(Bray 68), which I find very inspirational and motivating.

Under the Same Stars was so good that my mom and I took it on vacation and still finished it on time, which is very unusual for us. This book just kept on getting more exciting so we had to keep on reading! Additionally, if you appreciate when a book has a nice cover, when you take the sleeve off of Under the Same Stars, which we did so it wouldn’t get ripped on the flight, there is a beautiful golden tree on the front! The tree is so detailed, and fits with the gorgeous red tree rings on the unbound edges of the book! This book has received a handful of compliments, which has never happened to another book I have read! I will embed a photo below so you can see! Under the Same Stars is an amazing book that both my mom and I loved, so I hope you will enjoy it too!

I would recommend Under the Same Stars for ages 14+, because of the difficult topics, advanced reading level, and the complex storyline. Some of the more difficult topics in this book include WWII, the COVID pandemic, George Floyd, homophobia, violence, and death.

**Thanks so much, Sofia!**

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

January 21, 2025 by Kellee

The Firelight Apprentice
Author: Bree Paulsen
Published October 29th, 2024 by Quill Tree Books

Summary: The bestselling author-illustrator of Garlic and the Vampire, Bree Paulsen, brings her fantastical storytelling and warm, sparkling artwork to this story that celebrates the bond between sisters.

In a city powered by magic and still recovering from a bloody war, Ada is concerned about her younger sister Safi’s developing powers. She understands that Safi could learn how to control her magic under the apprenticeship of a king’s magician. But with the memories of war still fresh, Ada is conflicted by this prospect—despite her knowing that she can’t keep Safi safely at home with the threat of deadly, power-thieving liches prowling the kingdom.

When a traveling group of magicians comes to the city to perform, they immediately recognize Safi’s talents and offer to take her on as an apprentice. Safi is thrilled about her new adventure—even if that means leaving behind Ada and their sickly father. And Ada is right to worry about her sister, for there may be monsters hiding behind friendly faces…

About the Author: Bree Paulsenis a SoCal writer and illustrator who loves spooky monsters, fashion history, and all things autumnal. After graduating from the Laguna College of Art and Design with a BFA in animation, she freelanced on a few independent animation and illustration projects before tuning her focus toward comics. She started her webcomic, Patrik the Vampire, in 2013 and self-publishes its printed volumes. Her first middle grade graphic novel, Garlic and the Vampire, received a starred review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, which called it “folkloric…a down comforter of a graphic novel.” Garlic’s adventures continue in Garlic and the Witch.

Review: This graphic novel, on the surface, is about magic, but if you dig deeper, it is about the impact of war, hidden evils, balancing passion & family, and figuring out how to fit within the world.

The author does a wonderful job of spreading the narrative out between the two sisters so that the reader is aware of all aspects of what is going on. And since the sisters are so very different, it is interesting to experience the switch between the two. Also, though I predicted the twist at the end of the book, I think readers are going to be surprised! I also was impressed with how the author dealt with some tough themes, especially loss and anxiety, in such a developmentally relevant way.

I am hoping this story is a beginning of stories within this world because I want to know more about so much that happened in the past and how our characters move on into the future.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This graphic novel will be a huge hit with middle grade readers–it will be an asset to any school, classroom, or home library.

Discussion Questions:

How does the author use color within the graphic novel?
Why did Ada and her father choose to send Safi away?
Who was destroying Ada’s letters?
Was there any signs of who the antagonist was before it was revealed?
If you were a magician, what magic would you like to learn how to do?
Would you rather there be a sequel or a prequel of this book?
How does Safi’s notice of Elba change his life?

Flagged Spreads:

Read This If You Love: Cat’s Cradle series by Jo Rioux, Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen, Meesh and the Bad Demon series by Michelle Lam, Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol, The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books for providing a copy for review!**

The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond by Christyne Morrell

September 24, 2024 by Kellee

The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond
Author: Christyne Morrell
Published September 17th, 2024 by Delacorte Press

Summary: In this middle-grade mystery, eleven year old Charlie moves from NYC to Florida only to find herself in the haunted Winklevoss Manor. To her surprise, she’s not alone—she’s joined by three mischievous ghosts cursed for snatching a dead man’s diamond.

After twelve-year-old Charlie moves from New York City to sweaty, sticky Florida, she’ll do anything to get back home. Even if it involves ghosts. Winklevoss Manor, Charlie’s new house, is a towering Victorian mansion famous for one thing—it’s haunted. Three ghosts—Ada, Arthur, and Guff—live there, and not by choice. They’re trapped, cursed for stealing a dead man’s diamond. A diamond that, just like the ghosts, is still in the house. And this gets Charlie thinking. . . Maybe if she can find the diamond and sell it, Charlie’s family could have enough money to move back to the city. But lifting the curse isn’t that simple, especially when she’s pitted against the school bully and three unruly spirits. It’s frightening to think about, but what if the only way to get rid of the ghosts and curses is by doing what Charlie fears the most—confronting the past that haunts her?

Praise:

A fun haunted house story full of mystery and heart!”—Lindsay Currie, New York Times bestselling author of The Mystery of Locked Rooms

“Spooky, fun, just a little scary, and full of heart.”—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of Mine and Camp Scare

“The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond is the perfect blend of mystery, treasure hunt, colorful ghost characters, and Florida haunted house setting.”—Fleur Bradley, award-winning author of Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel

“A spirited mystery brimming with heart and souls.”—Jan Eldredge, author of Nimbus and Evangeline of the Bayou

“Ghosts get equal billing with the living in this sweet tale about finding home.” —Kirkus Reviews

About the Author: Christyne’s earliest completed work, written at age 7, told the story of Kermit the Frog meeting Miss Piggy’s parents for the first time. Kermit the Hog was a cautionary tale about pretending to be something you’re not. She still thinks it has potential.

Today, Christyne writes middle-grade novels across a number of genres. Whether they take place in quirky seaside towns or fantastical, faraway kingdoms, her stories all have one thing in common: clever kids accomplishing extraordinary things, like conquering a curse, overthrowing a king, or taking down an evil, brain-hacking corporation. Christyne believes that middle-grade books should challenge, intrigue, and inspire young readers – but above all, never underestimate them.

Christyne is the author of the middle-grade novels Kingdom of Secrets and Trex, which was named an Eleanor Cameron Notable Book for Excellence in Science Fiction and was included on the 2024 Sequoyah Masterlist. Her third novel, THE CURSE OF THE DEAD MAN’S DIAMOND, comes out Fall 2024. Christyne is also the author of the poetry book, The Fool Catcher (2021), and the picture book, Abra, Cadabra & Bob (2019), and her poems and stories have appeared in Highlights, Spider, and The School Magazine.

When Christyne isn’t writing for kids, she works as an attorney. She enjoys reading, baking, and watching home improvement shows. She lives with her husband, daughter, and beagle in Decatur, Georgia.

Review: Too often, I find that ghost stories are predictable and remixes of past tales which make them seem interchangeable; however, Morrell’s ghost story is as unique as her other books, Kingdom of Secrets and Trex. There was much that drew me in: I loved that there were chapters from the ghost’s point of view; I loved that it was more than just a mystery, it was a story of finding home and family; I loved that Charlie is never what is expected; I loved the setting and how it was a character in the story; and I loved how the book hits on so many different emotions, from grief to love. The story is fast-paced and everything comes together in a satisfying way–truly a fun, good read.

Discussion Questions:

Why is Charlie’s dad so different in Florida?
How was Charlie being selfish for much of the book?
Why do you think it was important to have chapters from the ghost’s point of view?
Do you think someone can change?
Why is setting so important to this story?
The bullying subplot wasn’t cleared up completely. What do you think happens next?
Did the ending surprise you?

Flagged Passage: Chapter 1

My cheek was smashed so firmly against the cool car window that it peeled off like a Fruit Roll-Up when I lifted my head. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 2 was still blaring in my earbuds, as it had been ever since we’d stopped for gas two hours ago. As I cracked my eyes open, Dad came into focus, his body twisted around awkwardly in the driver’s seat. He smiled at me, but it wasn’t his usual smile. It was his pretending-everything-is-great-when-everything-clearly-isn’t-great smile. Which I’d come to know well.

Our car was no longer moving. We had arrived. “Welcome home, Charlie!” said Dad, too cheerfully.

I gazed past him at the bizarre color of the sky–a heavy grayish-blue–then rubbed my eyes, wondering how I could’ve slept so long. It took my foggy brain a few seconds to realize that it wasn’t actually nighttime. Those were storm clouds overhead, blocking out the sun. They churned like a wild animal trying to claw its way out of a sack. How appropriate.

But even worse than the angry sky was the house outlined against it, stark black against the ashy gray. Winklevoss Manor–that’s right, our new home had a name–was a towering Victorian mansion, crisscrossed with so many thick vines it looked like clutching fingers were trying to drag the place back into the earth. The paint was faded and chipped and speckled with mold. A row of sharp iron spikes jutted up from the edges of the roof for no reason whatsoever. On the left side of the house, a narrow third story extended into the sky, ringed by a spindly iron balcony. According to my Google research, this charming feature was called a “widow’s walk.”

In other words, everything about the place was creepy, like something out of a ghost story. The classical music in my ears swelled dramatically as I blinked up at it.

“Whaddaya think?” asked Dad as I yanked out my earbuds. “Welcome to Winklevoss Manor! Do you think we should change the name? How about Hess Manor? No–Hess House!”

“It’s . . . it’s . . .” I couldn’t find the words for the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’d expected the move to Florida to be horrible, but this? I dug into the backpack at my feet and removed the crumpled page Dad had printed from the Internet. I smoothed it against my knees and held it in front of my father’s beaming face, confronting him with the breezy blue beach cottage I’d been promised, with its broad front porch and elegant, winding balconies. A real-life dollhouse, only bigger. There was nothing breezy or dollhouse-y about the place in front of me.

“That photograph was taken decades ago,” said Dad, with a literal wave of his hand. “I told you this place was a fixer-upper. That’s why we got such a great deal on it.”

“More like a tearer-downer,” I mumbled.

“C’mon, give it a chance,” he said. “The realtor says it’s got great bones.”

“So did the dinosaurs,” I reminded him, pushing open the car door and unfolding my numb legs. “And look what happened to them.”

As soon as I stepped outside, salt air flooded my nostrils, so tangy it made me cough. The wind whipped my long hair around my head in bright pink swirls.

“Can you believe it?” Dad nudged me with his elbow. “That’s our backyard!” He pointed past the house, where the ocean crashed and gurgled. It sounded like the white noise machine Gran used to use at night, to block out the sounds of the city. But there was no danger of city noise here. Instead, seagulls swooped overhead, their screeches like nails on a chalkboard. Over a ridge of tall, whipping seagrass, I caught flashes of the glinting surf and the grayish, claylike sand. And beyond that, the endless water–foaming and seething. Somehow, it was even angrier than the sky.

“No,” I said sullenly. “I can’t believe it.” It was way too much nature for my taste. I missed New York’s kind of sea–the kind made of glass and steel and concrete. Solid things. Not like the wild, surging force out there. But apparently, I didn’t get a say in the matter.

I trudged behind Dad up the rickety porch steps. The front door of Winklevoss Manor had once displayed a large panel of colorful stained glass, but now it was boarded up from the inside with plywood. Broken shards of the original door gaped like an open mouth with sharp, glistening teeth.

“I guess we know what our first project will be,” said Dad. When he opened the door, it creaked like someone moaning in pain, which seemed about right. The air inside was thick and musty. Years of grime coated the windows, dyeing the light that trickled in a sickly brown color. The wallpaper had yellowed and curled at the edges, and a thick blanket of dust covered every surface. I sucked in a lungful of it and coughed a little more dramatically than was necessary.

Read This If You Love: Ghost stories

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Delacorte and the author for providing a copy for review!**

Educators’ Guide for Promise Boys by Nick Brooks

November 28, 2023 by Kellee

Promise Boys
Author: Nick Brooks
Published: January 31st, 2023 by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary: Promise Boys is a blockbuster, dark academia mystery about three teens of color who must investigate their principal’s murder to clear their own names. This page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson .

The prestigious Urban Promise Prep school might look pristine on the outside, but deadly secrets lurk within. When the principal ends up murdered on school premises and the cops come sniffing around, a trio of students―J.B., Ramón, and Trey―emerge as the prime suspects. They had the means, they had the motive . . . and they may have had the murder weapon. But with all three maintaining their innocence, they must band together to track down the real killer before they are arrested. Or is the true culprit hiding among them?

Find out who killed Principal Moore in Nick Brooks’s murder mystery, Promise Boys ― The Hate U Give meets One of Us Is Lying.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions:

Please view and enjoy the educators’ guide I created for Cake Creative Kitchen:

You can also access the educators’ guide here.

Recommended For: