ARC REVIEW Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology Book 1) by Ivelisse Housman

Unseelie (The Unseelie Duology Book 1) 

by Ivelisse Housman
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: January 3, 2023
Format: eARC (Courtesy of Publisher and NetGalley) and Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Inkyard Press 

I’d been hearing a lot of hype about a new fantasy book with an autistic main character, and I knew I had to check out what everyone was talking about. Ivelisse Housman’s debut young adult fantasy novel Unseelie is filled with adventure, a strong sense of family, and great worldbuilding. 

Iselia Graygrove, or ‘Seelie’ is a young changeling who has been traveling with her human ‘twin’ sister Isolde for years. Seelie’s family loves her, but her ‘differentness’ has always made her an outcast in every village they traveled to. Once Seelie’s magic starts to become wild and out of control after a heist gone wrong, the sisters are thrust into the middle of a mystery with the potential to affect both fae and humans alike.  

It was interesting to read the author’s note explaining that the stories of changelings were thought to be an early explanation for autistic children. That really helped me relate specifically to Seelie’s character as a reader. Readers got to experience how Seelie reacted to the world differently than the other characters in the story. She has tried so hard to fit into what society considers normal, and her challenges are only compounded by her faerie heritage and her autistic mannerisms (I don’t believe the word autistim was explicitly used in the story). The others do their best, but there are multiple instances where they struggle to understand her neurodivergent experiences from their neurotypical perspectives. As a result, she’s never really fit into either world, and that weighs heavily on her over the course of the book. 

Having a sister of my own, I really connected to Isolde and Seelie’s relationship. They are incredibly close, and Isolde is fiercely protective of her sister against those who would ostracize her for being a changeling. Despite their closeness, there are the inevitable moments where they clash and get into arguments. Said moments only made me relate to them even more (what sibling relationship doesn’t have a few fights now and then?) 

The world-building is well developed. The author takes some of the most famous pieces of faerie lore, and builds that into the story to create the different realms. There’s an obvious nod to the classic fairy tales, but the world is built such that it feels fresh for both die-hard fantasy readers and those new to the genre. I appreciated the vivid and immersive imagery, and how the world was brought to life as the characters went on their travels. The pace was such that the characters kept moving fairly frequently, and that helped introduce the readers to new places and people. 

The only drawback of the book, and why I was unable to give it a full five stars, was how disjointed the plot seemed to be. I could tell you so much about the world, the characters and individual moments but things were so hectic and confusing I can’t actually tell you how those moments connect. The author completely lost me with the transitional moments of the book. The progression of the story is confusing at best, and as a reader it can be overwhelming to have so many moments where you’re not really sure whats going on. The best way I could describe it is a tangled knot of string - you never really know where pulling on one end is going to lead you. 

Overall, this was a very entertaining and insightful novel. There were some minor issues, but not enough to detract from my overall enjoyment of thhe book. Elena Rey does an excellent job bringing the story to life with her performance in the audiobook narration. From what I can tell, the book is set to be part of a duology and I’m excited to (hopefully) get to see more in this world. Readers who enjoy magical fantasy tales full of fun, stellar neurodivergent rep, and unique characters should definitely give the book a chance. 

Thank you to the author, the publisher Inkyard Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Unseelie immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

REVIEW Air by Monica Roe

Air by Monica Roe 
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 15, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) + Hardcover (Giveaway Win)
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (FSG)

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"More than anything, I wish someone had thought to ask me if I needed help before going ahead and planning it all out."

Monica Roe’s newest middle-grade novel Air is an action-packed, thought-provoking contemporary tale full of positive disability representation, empowering messages, and even a bit of first-crush romance and hijinks. Emmie is a twelve-year-old girl affected by spina bifida (a birth defect in which an area of the spinal column doesn't form properly) who largely gets around using her wheelchair and dreams of one day competing in wheelchair motocross (WCMX). In order to do so, she’s been running a side hustle of sorts (making wheelchair armrest bags) to raise money. When her school hears of her plans and offers to fundraise (and make a very big deal out of the situation), Emmie must decide what she wants to do and what she wants her future to look like. 

I really empathized with Emmie in this book. There are a lot of people in Emmie’s life that mean well, but one rule of thumb for interacting with wheelchair users that everyone should observe is to not touch someone’s wheelchair unless they give you permission. Like, ever. There’s also the struggle of all those meaning well when it comes to trying to help with fundraising for her new wheelchair. No one doubts the good intentions (especially Emmie), but I agree with some of the others in her life that the new wheelchair will be more meaningful if she earns it herself (and doesn’t have to ‘march to the beat of another person’s drum’ to do so). I cannot imagine the painful awkwardness that would come with all the media attention that would surround the fundraiser (and it's still shocking to me that they didn’t reach out to her dad about it before setting it up) - I was cringing just reading about the entire situation.  

The disability representation in this book is great (speaking from the viewpoint of someone who is disabled and chronically ill but not wheelchair-bound). It’s obvious that the author did her research (with a lot of it likely coming from her position as a physical therapist). After reading the author’s note at the end of the book, it was even cooler (and not surprising) to learn that this was loosely based on some of the author’s real-life encounters and experiences with a disabled student. I felt that the depiction of how Emmie’s father struggles to balance raising a child, going to school, and keeping a roof over their heads was very authentic. I also appreciate how the author touched on the fight by people with disabilities and their allies to secure equal and accessible facilities at schools and other public locations. It may feel like ages ago, but ADA rules and regulations haven’t actually been around for that long. As 'AKSalmonGrannie' remarks, it doesn't seem like it should be all that special to give students what they need at school. 

While Emmie is undoubtedly the star of the show in this book, there were some side characters that really shined. For example, Mr. Singeltary (the gym teacher) goes out of his way to make Emmie feel comfortable and even does one on one basketball games with her. I was quite amused by his using his desk chair to make things more equal in the game. Mr. Milling, the history teacher has some insightful conversations with EmmieThere’s also Emmie’s best friend Ale, who is a voice of reason and the person Emmie goes to vent her frustrations. I was a bit saddened that Emmie didn’t take more interest in Ale’s hobbies (given how much Ale helps her with training to do tricks). I understand that bees are scary, but the give and take in their relationship is not exactly equal. 

Overall, Air was an entertaining and enjoyable book. Emmie’s story is an inspirational one - not because of all the things she’s able to do in a wheelchair, but because of her mature responses to people’s flubs, her determination to make sure she and others continue to learn and do better, and her genuine enthusiasm for life. It was so exciting to see the representation in this book (I can’t really think of any other contemporary novels I’ve read that have featured the main character in a wheelchair), and I hope I can see similar representation in more books in the future. For those who love audiobooks, Sandy Rustin did a great job with the narration - she really brought Emmie’s personality and perspective to life with her performance. While this book is primarily geared towards a younger audience, I would happily recommend it to young adults and adults alike as I think readers of all ages would be able to take something away from this story. 

Thank you to KidLit 411 for my giveaway copy of the book!  

About the Author

Monica Roe is a writer, physical therapist, beekeeper, and researcher/advocate for the social model of disability and inclusive rural health. A first-generation graduate, Monica studies public health and disability-inclusive disaster preparedness at the University of Alaska. She and her family divide their time between Alaska and their apiary in rural South Carolina.

Website: www.monicaroeauthor.com

Twitter: @monica_roe 

IG: @oldswampapiary 

If very low-key beekeeping videos are your thing, you’re welcome to check out our little apiary over on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeWa5m-udZ-xndpx29PHJEA   Exciting? Not terribly. Calm and pleasantly buzzy? Very much so! ☺ 

BLOG TOUR The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis

 

Hi friends! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS by Michelle Mohrweis Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About The Book:

Title: THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS

Author: Michelle Mohrweis

Pub. Date: September 27, 2022

Publisher: Peachtree

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: 288

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org, Book Depository

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Evelyn strives for excellence. Allie couldn’t care less. These polar opposites must work together if they have any hope of saving their school’s robotics program.

Eighth-graders Evelyn and Allie are in trouble. Evelyn’s constant need for perfection has blown some fuses among her robotics teammates, and she’s worried nobody’s taking the upcoming competition seriously. Allie is new to school, and she’s had a history of short-circuiting on teachers and other kids.

So when Allie is assigned to the robotics team as a last resort, all Evelyn can see is just another wrench in the works! But as Allie confronts a past stricken with grief and learns to open up, the gears click into place as she discovers that Evelyn’s teammates have a lot to offer—if only Evelyn allowed them to participate in a role that plays to their strengths.

Can Evelyn learn to let go and listen to what Allie has to say? Or will their spot in the competition go up in smoke along with their school’s robotics program and Allie’s only chance at redemption?

An excellent pick for STEAM enthusiasts, this earnestly told narrative features a dual point of view and casually explores Autistic and LGBTQ+ identities.

Reviews:

"Full of girl power without ever showing them as outsiders in robotics because of their gender, this brings a diverse team to the page and shows the various skills needed to make a team succeed."—Booklist

"Unsubtle but not overwrought, with genuinely inspiring kindness and collaboration found amid pain."—Kirkus Reviews

REVIEW of The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis
Rating: 5 Stars
Format: ARC (Courtesy of Rockstar Book Tours and Publisher)

Michelle Morhweis’ The Trouble with Robots is a heartwarming and educational contemporary middle-grade STEAM book. Told from two different points of view, readers are treated to a story that’s empowering, celebrates differences, and champions teamwork and cooperation. 

Allie and Evelyn couldn’t be more different. Allie lives with her Grandma and has been struggling in school as a result of her parent’s death. Evelyn, on the other hand, is autistic and lives with her two Moms. Robotics is her passion, and she’s driven to do things right the first time. When Allie is forced to join the class and the two girls meet they realize that have a lot to learn (and lots of room to grow). 

The characters are the heart of the story. Building a robot is a team effort, and everyone has a role to play and a way to contribute. At the beginning of the book, there was a lot of friction and butting heads, especially as Evelyn tried to micromanage everything. But when Allie joined the group, it helped smooth things out and their efficiency skyrocketed. For example, Allie took over the creation of the team notebook, lending her artistic skills to the effort. Varsha got to exercise her creative writing skills and write the team descriptions. Evelyn got to lead the team still and utilize her extensive robotics knowledge, but her team developed some ways to gently nudge her when she was being too pushy. I was amused by the small drawings Allie would hold up as a sort of silent signal. The children on the team truly gelled into a cohesive unit that valued everyone’s individual contributions and skills by the end of the book, and the adults (and their high school-level idols) saw that. As a reader, it was so rewarding to be a part of this journey. Go Barton Team B! 

On another level, there is also a lot of diverse representation in this book. There’s a wide range of cultures and backgrounds represented in the team and the other students. Many of the characters are members of the LGBTQ+ community (Evelyn is bisexual, she has two moms, Allie is aro/ace, Santino and Alex are dating). You also have some neurodivergent representation (Evelyn is on the autistic spectrum) and some disability representation as well (DJ has cerebral palsy). I really appreciated how the strengths of each person were acknowledged, and not just the areas they struggle. For example, DJ can’t really draw that well due to his cerebral palsy but he’s a top-notch driver. Evelyn struggles to cope with loud situations (which she manages with headphones) but she’s a kick-butt problem solver. It’s so important for readers, especially at the middle-grade level, to learn that there’s no one way to do life and this book champions that idea. 

The Trouble with Robots was a fantastic debut novel, and I’m so excited to see what the author will publish in the future. Readers young and old who want a book that’s inclusive, heartwarming, and filled with character growth should definitely check this one out! You may even learn a couple of things about robots in the process. 

Thank you to the author, the publisher Peachtree Publishing/Holiday House Books, Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours, and Edelweiss for providing me a complimentary review copy of the book as part of my participation in the tour. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review The Trouble with Robots immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Bullying, Car Crash (Historical, Not on Page), Parental Death (Historical), Grief, Anger, Verbal Abuse, Money Insecurity

About Michelle Mohrweis:

Michelle Mohrweis is a STEM Educator and space enthusiast. When not writing, they can be found launching paper rockets down the middle of their street. They live with their husband and two dogs in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking and hogging all the best spots beside the heater when it gets too cold. Follow them on Twitter @Mohrweis_Writes and visit them on the web at MichelleMohrweis.com.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon

 

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS, US Only.

Ends October 4th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/19/2022	Ya Books Central	Excerpt
9/19/2022	@allyluvsbooksalatte	IG Spotlight
9/20/2022	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
9/20/2022	BookHounds YA	Excerpt/IG Post
9/21/2022	Lisa-Queen of Random	Excerpt
9/21/2022	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Excerpt
9/22/2022	A Dream Within A Dream	Excerpt
9/22/2022	Kait Plus Books	Excerpt/IG Post
9/23/2022	Eye-Rolling Demigod's Book Blog	Review/IG Post
9/23/2022	GryffindorBookishNerd	IG Review

Week Two:

9/26/2022	Nonbinary Knight Reads	Review/IG Post
9/26/2022	The Momma Spot	Review/IG Post
9/27/2022	Nerdophiles	Review
9/27/2022	Rajiv's Reviews	Review/IG Post
9/28/2022	Laurenreads._	IG Review
9/28/2022	Because I said so -- and other adventures in Parenting	Review
9/29/2022	@jacleomik33	IG Review
9/29/2022	One More Exclamation	Review/IG Post
9/30/2022	Two Points of Interest	Review
9/30/2022	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt

REVIEW One for All by Lillie Lainoff

One for All by Lillie Lainoff
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Release Date: March 8, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library) + Hardcover (Personal Library)
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR)

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I kept hearing about Lillie Lainoff’s novel One for All on social media, and I’m so so happy I took the time to read it. It’s a powerful young adult historical fiction debut, complete with themes of female empowerment, found family, and many layers of political intrigue. It’s also a beautiful example of positive disability representation that’s needed in books today. 

Tania, like the author, has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (though there is no official name for it in the book). As a result, she is sometimes affected by lightheadedness, bouts of fainting, and increased heart rate. I loved how supportive the other girls were of Tania. They promised to not let her fall or let her condition affect her ability to serve as a Musketeer, and they kept their word. Every person with a disability needs friends like these in their life. I’m not affected by POTS, but I am chronically ill and disabled and I felt so seen by this book. I want to note that while the support of the female musketeers covers Tania and her disability, it also extends to other aspects of life (like how Aria and Portia end up acting on their feelings for each other). A found family tale at its best!

I’m not familiar with the original The Three Musketeers story, but that didn’t interfere with my ability to follow and enjoy the events of the book. I could see where the influences from the original novel came into play. The worldbuilding was *chef’s kiss* beautiful. The setting was awesome - Ms. Lainoff did a great job with painting the picture and never bordered on info dumping. She also wove a story that made sense for the chronological setting but could still be understood and appreciated by modern readers. For example, given the time period that the story is set in, it was not “proper” for females to wear trousers. The musketeers made it work though (and all of their rationales and methods made sense). I thought it was cool how the girls made Tania special leggings to help with her condition, and how they designed their dresses to hide their weapons. I’ve always thought the dresses of the time period were unnecessarily poofy (I would never be caught dead in one), but now I know the true purpose of all those layers is to hide your fencing sabers (which, for the record, is an amazing reason to tolerate dressing up like that). 

The narrator Mara Wilson did an amazing job with the audiobook. As a side note unrelated to my rating of the book, I absolutely love the story of how she became the narrator (she was the author’s dream narrator from the start, and so many things worked out to make it happen). 

Overall, a fantastic debut novel from Ms. Lainoff! If a gender-bent version of a classic tale (The Three Musketeers) sounds like something you would enjoy, then go pick up the book and join the Sisterhood of the Stab Stab today! Fingers crossed this book gets picked up for a full series, because I would love to see what happens next for Tania and the other Musketeers. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Death of a Parent, Grief, Brief References to Pedophiles, Attempted Assault, Ableism, Bullying

About the Author

Lillie Lainoff is a writer, a fencer, and now, a writer who writes about fencing. She doesn’t understand why her parents gave a clumsy eight-year-old a saber, but she’s thankful for it every day. She grew up in Washington D.C. and graduated from Yale University in 2018, where she was managing editor of the Yale Daily News Magazine and a writing partner at the Yale Writing Center, as well as a Div I athlete and NCAA Championship competitor. She is the founder of Disabled Kidlit Writers. Her writing has received awards from the Los Angeles Review, Glimmer Train, and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, and has been featured in The Washington Post Outlook and Washington City Paper, amongst other places. She received her MA in Creative Writing Prose Fiction from the University of East Anglia. One for All, her debut novel, will be published by FSG in 2022.

Check out my interview with the author here!

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REVIEW A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers Book 1) by Brigid Kemmerer

A Curse So Dark and Lonely (Cursebreakers Book 1) 

by Brigid Kemmerer 
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Format: eBook (Personal Library) + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA 

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Beauty and the Beast retellings are a dime a dozen these days, so it’s very hard for a book to capture my attention and maintain it. It’s even harder to impress me, and come up with some unique and innovative when there are so many different versions floating around. Brigid Kemmerer’s A Curse So Dark and Lonely, the first book in The Cursebreaker series, is one retelling that both excited me and exceeded my expectations. If you’re a fan of Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles or Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series, you should definitely give this book a try! 

At its heart, this book (and series) is recognizable as something inspired by the original Beauty and the Beast fairytale, but it still felt original and unique. I loved Harper, Grey, and Rhen’s characters. I loved the world of Emberfall. The enchantress in this book, Lilith, felt especially unique in the way she interacted with Rhen (and how the curse came into being). Lilith is different in that she takes immense pleasure in taunting Rhen about all that’s happened in the past and what will happen if he fails in getting someone to fall in love with him yet again. My only complaint is that there were times many times when things felt predictable. I wanted to be surprised, and unfortunately, I didn’t get that in this book. On a slightly different note, this is not a light and happy Disney-esque fairytale. It’s on the darker side, and as such should not be read by anyone below the young adult audience level (anyone at that level or above should be fine). 

I bought this book because it was so popular on Instagram (and on sale), so I didn’t really read much of the blurb beforehand. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the heroine of the story, Harper, is affected by cerebral palsy. While the condition does create some obvious symptoms (she walks with a noticeable limp), she refuses to let it define her or limit her. The author added another layer of authenticity to her character by writing about her disability such that it's an intrinsic part of her character, not something to overcome or something “wrong” with her. There are also a lot of great discussions about how people treat those with disabilities that everyone should take a moment to read (I personally enjoyed them immensely). Given that I can count on one hand the number of fantasy books I’ve seen with disability representation, I hope to see it become more common in the future. 

All three of the main characters are lovable, but Grey was by far my favorite. Rhen definitely didn’t deserve the amount of loyalty Grey has shown him over the years; I wish he had shown more appreciation. One thing I was majorly confused about (and part of the reason why I was unable to give the book a full five stars) was the romance. There were times it seemed like the author was trying to make it into a love triangle (and not some one-sided thing like Gaston’s “affection” for Belle) - I never really bought into it. Overall, I was more connected to the overall storyline and the individual characters rather than any budding romance between them. With regards to the audiobook, each of the narrators (Davis Brooks, Kate Handford, and Matt Reeves) did a great job bringing their various point of view characters/narrators to life. I would definitely listen to anything they narrate in the future. 

In terms of worldbuilding, it was super cool how Ms. Kemmerer wove together our world (Harper is from DC) and the fantasy world of Emberfall. It was a treat to get to experience the world of Emberfall through Harper’s eyes. Everything seemed vividly imagined and well thought out; the scenes that were heavy on description never felt too “info-dumpy”. 

Overall, A Curse So Dark and Lonely was a very entertaining read. That cliffhanger was brutal - I’m very happy that the sequel, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, is already out so I don’t have to wait to figure out what happens next. This is my first Brigid Kemmerer book, but it definitely won’t be my last! I would recommend this book to fans of high fantasy and fairytale retellings. I’m also curious to see how Ms. Kemmerer’s next book, Forging Silver into Stars, connects to the storyline of this series as it is supposed to be set in the same world.

About the Author

Brigid Kemmerer is the New York Times bestselling author of dark and alluring Young Adult novels like A Curse So Dark and Lonely, More Than We Can Tell, and Letters to the Lost (Bloomsbury), as well as paranormal YA stories like The Elemental Series and Thicker Than Water (Kensington). A full time writer, Brigid lives in the Baltimore area with her husband, her boys, her dog, and her cat. When she’s not writing or being a mommy, you can usually find her with her hands wrapped around a barbell.

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Secrets of the Book by Erin Fry

Secrets of the Book by Erin Fry
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Format: Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Two Lions (eBook) + Brilliance Audio (Audiobook)

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Erin Fry delivered a magical and entertaining middle-grade fantasy read with Secrets of the Book. It’s reminiscent of a kid-friendly version of Night at the Museum, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, or Jumanji, where a group of children must contend with a book that can bring dead historical figures back to life and keep said book out of evil hands. 

Spencer Lemon (it’s pronounced LEH-mon, not like the citrus) has a degenerative eye disease that will take his sight later in life. His mom has him volunteering at a nursing home, where he encounters Ed. Ed later presents him with “Pandora’s Book”, a magical treasure that has the power to bring figures from history to life. Ed disappears before he can teach Spencer how to use the book the next day, and Spencer and his best friend Gregor must struggle to figure out how to put the historical figures back in the book before things go even more wrong. 

I couldn’t stop laughing at Spencer’s narration. He regularly breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience, and his remarks are hilarious. If you have a chance to listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend it. Narrator Todd Haberkorn did a fantastic job - his performance was very light-hearted and fun, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face while I was reading. 

Both main characters have disabilities - Spencer’s eye condition will eventually leave him blind, and his best friend Gregor is autistic. Some books may have relegated these characters to the sidelines (or to positions as lovable but very underqualified sidekicks), but Ms. Fry places them front and center and I loved that. I also enjoyed that they helped each other overcome the various challenges that come with their conditions. For example, there are a couple times where Spencer gets frustrated with one of Gregor’s episodes. Despite this frustration, he never sees Gregor as a nuisance or problem like many would. I wish more people took after this example in their interactions with the disabled community. Even without their disabilities, Spencer and Gregor are characters you can’t help but root for. I wanted them to figure things out, and cheered when they did.

Fans of middle-grade fantasy with historical twists should enjoy Secrets of the Book. If you or a young reader in your life enjoyed movies like Night at the Museum, Jumanji, or Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, then you have to check out this novel as soon as you have a chance.

About the Author

Erin Fry's first middle grade novel, LOSING IT, was published in 2012 by Amazon Children's Publishing and has been well-received by librarians and teachers, in addition to being dubbed "an energizing and ultimately uplifting tale of the power to change" by Kirkus. Her second novel, SECRETS OF THE BOOK, hits shelves in 2014 while her first YA serial, THE BENEFACTOR, is set to release in September, 2013.

For over a decade, Fry has taught 6th grade language arts and history at a middle school in southern California. She also coaches cross country each fall, which gets her in shape to run an occasional half marathon or marathon. Since 2003, she has reviewed children's books for Publishers Weekly. This past year, she and a fellow curriculum developer co-founded Common Core Curriculum Specialists, through which they create CCSS-aligned Teachers’ Guides for authors and publishers. She lives in southern California with (and frequently runs alongside) her husband, three children, and their golden Retriever.