Ben Y and the Ghost in the Machine (The Kids Under the Stairs, #2) by K. A. Holt

Ben Y and the Ghost in the Machine by K.A. Holt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved the kids under the stairs and this 2nd in the series brings back Ben Y, Ben B, Jordan and Javier as the divergent learners and friends who is led by the greatest teacher in the world, Ms J and the new after school club, Newspaper Typing Room which accomplishes 2 things- playing in the Sandbox and now because of the heinous principal---they have to write newspaper articles. While all of this is going on, Ben Y (Benita) misses her dead brother, Benicio, desperately--they were very close and used Sandbox (Benicio's invention) to talk, fight, argue, and remember. The bullying still continues and there is a new weird kid, Ace that Ben Y has mixed feelings about. This book is as strong as the first, using text messages and emojis, and her awesome novel in verse! A must read!

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Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this book for #BitAboutBooks Spring Reading Challenge because the book has a Color in the title. Wow, this YA retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story was nail biting. Bisou is a young girl who is raised by her grandmother after her mother is brutally murdered and it is not until one fateful night with a wolf chasing Bisou that her world changes. I loved how Arnold used female characters coming together and working together as a strong force for women. A great retelling!

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