April and May are rough months here at the house, but I always appreciate people dropping in with their thoughts on my work. There's a wide range of reads this month, from teen romance at theme parks to code-cracking and monster-hunting.

Once the busy season at work is a little more stabilized, I also intend to get back to TBR reviews. Handling the spring and summer rush means I have less time to just sit and read, but I'm hoping to have that in hand soon. I have a lot of recommended books that I very much want to get to—and share with all of you!

Bookish Candle: This month's Frostbeard Candle is Next Chapter: a surprisingly subtle scent that's perfect for the incoming warmer weather. If you (like me) are from a region where it's started getting a little humid and you'd like something a little lighter, this is a perfect one to pick up. Use my link to get 20% off your purchase of this and other book lovers' candles!

Tea Pairing: As Chapters Tea & Co. continues their move, I'm exploring more tea brands. I've found one local to me: Brown Leaf Tea Bar! They're regulars at the weekly farmer's market in my neighborhood. With warmer weather creeping in, I highly recommend their Peach Oolong, iced!

In Wren's world, there are the Primes and there are the Mods. Primes are, well, human. Mods possess supernatural powers—telepathy, healing, and other mind-bending abilities—whose use is evidenced by the activation of silver veins on their arms. Except for Wren: despite her many Mod abilities, her veins do not betray her. This has allowed her to live peacefully, honing her skills and working her way into a role in the Mod Uprising. But all that changes when her guardian is caught and publicly executed, and Wren is taken into custody.

Fortunately, her shielding and deception skills land her not in prison, but in a training camp for the Prime military. Overseen by the handsome Cross and surrounded on all sides by people who would want her dead if they knew her secrets, Wren initially deliberately underperforms in hopes of being let go. But things change: the Uprising challenges her to get accepted into the prestigious Silver Elite when other Mod operatives are taken out. Not only that, but she's taken a liking to Cross. (She's also taking a liking to Kaine, a very forward fellow trainee.) As she attempts to stay alive and navigate her new normal, she keeps a mental link open to "Wolf": an old friend who knows her better than anyone.

While Silver Elite has solid action, worldbuilding, and suspense, it is very much a by-the-numbers dystopian YA romance. Special girl gets involved in dangerous mission, falls for two very different guys, and disrupts the status quo as she does. It goes through the motions to the point that one of the biggest reveals of the book is broadcast from the first handful of chapters for anyone who's ever read something within the genre. The last chapter implies further books to follow, so there is room for Silver Elite to grow beyond the field it's planted in. But, while solidly written and plotted, it brings nothing new to a genre desperately in need of shaking up.

17-year-old Arizona lives a quiet life of exploration on the road with her mother and her dog Mojo. But everything changes on a sightseeing trip: her mother disappears, their camper is invaded, and shadowy figures are sending Arizona strange ciphers. The only way to get her mother back, it seems, will be by cracking these codes.

Fortunately, Arizona is a genius when it comes to ciphers and research. And she has moral support from Lily, a new friend she made before her world was turned upside down. Together, the two (and their dogs) follow a trail of literary codes and alchemical symbols, decoding a seemingly impossible truth about the history of the United States and the "Great Work." Could the ancient philosophers have been on to something? And if so, what did Arizona's late father have to do with it?

So many YA intrigue novels aim low, but The Language of the Birds never underestimates its readers. Even the most astute code-crackers and historians will find themselves stumped as we follow Arizona from campsites to national monuments in search of the truth. This storyline would stand alone just fine on its own, but there's more joy to be found in Arizona's own coming-of-age. As she fights to save her mother, she learns to open up to new friends in a world that until now has been too big, too loud, and too untrustworthy.

14-year-old Coco Cooper has dreamed of working at Wonderland Adventure Park, her family's pride and joy in the Adirondacks. Even being forced to dress as Morty, the park mascot, on her first day can't ruin her vibe. Better yet, Henry is also working there. He's a cute soccer player using the summer to pursue a part-time job while his ankle heals. And while Coco is initially jealous of Henry's astounding work ethic (and the attention it earns him), the two eventually find themselves hitting it off.

There's just one problem: the park has buyers swarming around it, and Henry's businessman dad seems awfully interested in the ins and outs of Wonderland. It's not long before Henry discovers he's been an unwitting pawn in a move that could alter the entire future of the park. And knowing how much of Coco's heart is in the family business, this could spell disaster on multiple levels.

Meet Me at Wonderland is an adorable rom-com for middle readers, and of special interest for anyone who's had a part-time job at (or an attachment to) the local theme park. While older readers will see the plot twist a mile out, younger readers will enjoy following the dramatic plot to its climax high above the park. While the usual "lack of communication for the sake of drama" rules are in effect, those are somewhat counteracted by an ending that is less by-the-numbers than one might expect. 

Cat looks up to her dad, minor league hockey player Dukes, more than anyone. She can't understand why he's yet to make it to the big show yet. But one night, when she follows him to what she assumes is his big night on the ice, she learns the truth: her father is a monster hunter! Wielding a magic sword disguised as a hockey stick, he conquers strange beasts and sends them to their own paranormal time-out box: a glowing cube he terms the Sin Bin.

Now that Cat knows her dad's secrets, she's part of the family business—whether he likes it or not. But her enthusiasm will lead her to dig up secrets he'd much rather leave buried. As it turns out, there's more to her mother's disappearance than Dukes let on. And while Dad may prefer not to know how the Sin Bin actually works, what lies inside could change the world as we know it.

If "father/daughter hockey playing monster hunters" sounds awesome—that's because it is. The Sin Bin is a spirited comic book miniseries full of action, drama, and family secrets. As fun and scary as it is, it's also surprisingly sentimental. And the final pages are packed with extra art and alternate covers—so even if you read this one issue by issue, it's worth getting your hands on the graphic novel version.