Aladdin M!X Books

Gutknecht, Allison. Spring Break Mistake
March 7th 2017 by Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Avalon gets accepted into a week long spring break photography program in New York City, run by PhotoReady, the app that she and her best friend Celia use to post all of their pictures. Celia doesn't get in, so Avalon considers not going to the program, even though that means spring break at her grandparents' retirement community. She decides to go, and is glad that she and her roommate, Sofia, hit it off so well. Unfortunately they also get the cynical Kensington assigned to their room. Kensington is from New York City, so when the girls are allowed to travel about (trailed by a chaperone), she takes them to the "untouristy" areas. To complicate the week, there is the super cute Tate who seems to like Avalon, but who gets kicked out of the program. He still seems to be posting pictures from the city, so Avalon and her new friends try to track him down. She ignores Celia's calls, however, imperiling their friendship. Can she have fun and keep her friend?
Strengths: Friend drama, boy drama, family drama, "who am I and what do I want to be?" drama-- this has it all AND is set against a chaperone-lite NYC setting. Brilliant!
Weaknesses: Avalon was a little annoying. And what was with all the luggage for a one week stay? That didn't make sense at all. I did one week camps a lot at this age, and you took one suitcase.
What I really think: This will soon be dated (think computer dating!) , but it will be fun until it falls apart!

Callaghan, Cindy. Sydney MacKenzie Knocks 'Em Dead
March 7th 2017 by S&S/Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Sydney's family has to sell their failing sporting goods business in California but are lucky that they have inherited a cemetery in Delaware. Sydney doesn't want to move, but thinks that everyone will think she's cool because she is from California. She's concerned that they will think she's weird because of the cemetery, but she's got it backwards-- they don't care about California but think the cemetery is cool. Kids from school hang out with her, they try seances, and work on a mystery involving the house's past use on the Underground Railroad.
Strengths: This author's Lost in... books are HUGELY popular. I like her easy writing style.
Weaknesses: I hated Sydney. She was snotty and stuck up and had no patience for her family's situation. Her mother was the same way. Dad came around. Also, they seemed like rather insensitive people to run a cemetery.
What I really think: May have to buy this for this author's fans, but it wasn't a personal favorite.