It's a new month... well, it has been for a bit. And a new month means new books! This month is full of YA reads ranging from romance at the gaming table to baseball history and finding your family through dog-walking. Plus, a new Arkham Horror novel, and (appropriately for the middle of the month) a courtroom drama starring Julius Caesar.

Thanks as always to the authors and publishers who send their books my way for consideration!

THE NO-GIRLFRIEND RULE
Christen Randall
Available now

Hollis Beckwith's main—and initially only—reason for seeking out a Secrets & Sorcery group is so she and her boyfriend Chris can have something else in common. She'd play at his friend group's table, but they have a strict "no-girlfriend rule." Unfortunately, her first foray into playing with a new group goes poorly... but a well-placed tear sheet guides her to the table of Gloria and her all-girls S&S campaign.

Soon, Hollis finds herself at home with this new friend group. In particular, she becomes close with Aini Amin-Shaw, who's playing the dashing bard Umber. Before long, Hollis is drawing art for the group and building playlists for "Steadfast," the ship for Umber and Hollis's paladin Honoria. But as her new friend group is thriving, her relationship with Chris and her old group is falling apart. It's almost as though he resents her finding "her people." Not only that, but Hollis finds herself wondering how much of Steadfast is really just in-character.

The No-Girlfriend Rule is a cute teen romance, but it's a lot of other things, too. As a person with anxiety who loves dramatic tabletop games, I was comforted to see the intersection of mental health and gaming handled. (There are many points at which Gloria's table is shown to be supportive and communicative, including what happens when a story beat triggers a panic attack for Hollis.) Little things like dice shopping and playlist building felt familiar. More than anything, it presents a healthy view of choosing your gaming group: rejecting the idea that there are "right" and "wrong" ways to play, and instead embracing the idea that there are groups that are right for you.

I AM ROME: A NOVEL OF JULIUS CAESAR
Santiago Posteguillo
Available now

If you're anything like me, you spent a good portion of high school up to your ears in the history of Julius Caesar. Even if you didn't, history and literature both remember him for his many achievements. But I Am Rome brings him and his family to life in an intriguing way: through the trial of Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella.

While extremely non-linear in nature, I Am Rome uses this historic trial as a centerpiece. Caesar, then an untested prosecutor, steps up to bring Dolabella to justice for extortion and other crimes. As Caesar prepares his case, we witness the building blocks of his genius approach: the influence of his uncle Marius, his relationship with his wife Cornelia, and the wisdom of his mother Aurelia, to name a few. From tricking his opponents into underestimating him to combating very real threats against his life and the lives of his witnesses, Caesar battles his way to the end of the case. But whether he wins or loses, his loved ones know he has a target on his back.

I Am Rome is, understandably, a dense read—something to bear in mind on approach. While there are plenty of footnotes and the final edition will have historical endnotes, it's something to bear in mind. If the Roman Empire isn't, well, your Roman Empire, the convoluted timeline of the book may not hold your interest. However, the core of the book is fascinating, especially in its humanization of its many legendary historical figures. I was hoping to give credit to the translator, but sadly have had difficulty finding their name. They do, however, deserve credit for a job well done here.

SONG OF CARCOSA: AN ARKHAM HORROR NOVEL
Josh Reynolds
Available now

Just now, Pepper Kelly isn't quite sure who she is. Usually, she's the assistant of reformed thief Alessandra Zorzi, traveling the world in search of occult artifacts. But other times she's Camilla, lover of Cassilda and resident of the twin-sunned city of Carcosa. As time goes on, the boundary between these two worlds begins to blur. And if Alessandra can't acquire the Zanthu Tablet soon, all hope for Pepper is lost.

Thus, the two venture to Venice, where an artist is preparing to stage a new production of the infamous King in Yellow. Allies and enemies shift roles almost as much as the players in the play itself, and battles take place in the street and in Pepper's mindscape. As the performance approaches and King's reign becomes ever-more inevitable, Pepper has a revolutionary and dangerous idea that could either save or doom them all.

In this house we love and respect Josh Reynolds, and Song of Carcosa continues that admiration. This take on The King in Yellow and its mind-bending story is a fascinating one, leaning into just how it influences its reader... but, more importantly, how a reader could potentially influence the play itself. The characters are weird and wonderful, and the story leans into its source material without leaning on it. Even if you haven't read these characters' previous outing, it's a fantastic read for any fans of eldritch horror and historical adventure.

WARRIOR ON THE MOUND
Sandra W. Headen
Available now

The year is 1935, and ten-year-old Cato has one dream: play professional baseball. While pitching for his small North Carolina town's team, he aspires to join a Negro League team like his late father before him. And when the opportunity arises to practice on a local field, the team jumps at it. There's just one problem: another team, an all-white team, plays there. And many of the members don't take kindly to Cato and his family and friends.

Despite the help of an unlikely family friend and the growing admiration of his son Trace, Cato and his friends find themselves fighting an uphill battle. A series of games played to increase goodwill in the community soon turns dangerous—even more so when Cato learns the truth of how his father died. Not everyone sees the Rangers' aspirations as "just a game," and fighting for their right to play baseball quickly turns into a fight for their lives.

This is not an easy or lighthearted read, but it is a very good one. Warrior on the Mound confronts the good and bad of the history of baseball: the many talented Black players who populate its history (with people and places bearing their names), as well as the challenges and dangers they faced. But for as much unpleasantness as it lays bare, this book also demonstrates its fair share of courage and compassion in the face of that unpleasantness. There are plenty of positive role models for young readers to look to and (hopefully) emulate, even in the book's darkest moments.

WALKIN' THE DOG
Chris Lynch
Available now

Louis, unlike his mother, is known for being an "inactivist." It's not that he doesn't acknowledge the bad things happening in the world; he just isn't convinced he can do much about them. But with his mother away from home receiving care and a friend of his father's in need of assistance, there's only so much longer he can remain inactive. So begins an unexpected summer gig as a dog walker, starting with the smelly hound Amos and branching out into other clients.

Along with this growing clientele comes a growing friend group. As Louis's mother urges him to become more aware and active, he reconnects with Cy, one of her more accomplished tutees. He also crosses paths with the strong-willed but personally reticent Agatha. Balancing this new social life, work, and an incoming shift from homeschooling to "real" school would be enough for one inactive kid. But there's also his violent older brother Ike to deal with, as well as the looming specter of his mother's mental health. And, as it happens, dog-walking isn't always a walk in the park. We invest a lot of emotion in our furry friends, but they can't be with us forever.

I'm a firm believer that books for young readers deserve to be just as artfully written as books for adults, and Chris Lynch goes above and beyond in Walkin' the Dog. His writing style is engaging and clever without ever feeling quippy or overshadowing the growth of his characters. Louis, for all his inactivism, is a likable character, and we want to watch him grow and mature. It's a meaningful, delightful read that's about so much more than dog-walking.