Tag Archives: middle grade contemporary

June 2025 Reading Round-Up

Posted in Books by

Hello dear readers!

I can’t believe it’s July already!  This year has gone by so fast, and I can’t believe we’re half-way through the year.  Reading this month was weird for me.  I felt like I started and stopped a ton of books, and some of the ones I did read, I barely remember, so I don’t have much to say about some of the books I read.  And I have quite a few ARC’s to get through, so over the next few months, you’ll be seeing some longer, individual reviews come through.  I’ll still talk about them in my monthly recaps, but they won’t be super detailed.  Not that I’m super detailed in these posts to begin with, but I definitely won’t be talking about them in the same way as the other books.  Let’s get to the books I read last month!

  • The Moth Girl by Heather Kamins.  I liked this YA contemporary!  Though Anna is diagnosed with a fictional illness, everything that Anna experiences is very real as she adjusts to a life-changing diagnosis.  It’s also nice to see chronic illness that’s not mental illness in a book, and I think that’s something we don’t see a lot of, especially in YA.  I loved the setting, though I’m curious about when the book takes place.  I’d say 90’s, based on the mixtapes and calling people on their home phone, and I can imagine that a mysterious illness pre-internet would be especially scary.  If you’re looking for chronic illness rep, this is a good one to check out.
  • Fools In Love: Fresh Twists On Romantic Tales edited by Rebecca Podos and Ashley Herring Blake.  This YA contemporary anthology was okay.  There’s a wide variety of stories, but as I read the stories in this anthology, I found that I felt ambivalent about most of the stories.  Even though I like some of the authors featured, the two stories that I really liked were authors who were new to me: Boys Noise by Mason Deaver and Disaster by Rebecca Podos.  I love that each story focused on a different idea.  Boys Noise was one bed at the inn and Disaster was second-chance romance, but also had themes like fake dating and mutual pining.  It’s cute and great to read around Valentine’s Day, but maybe I just didn’t read it at the right time.
  • Wishing Upon The Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman.  I loved this Middle Grade contemporary!  I loved Yasmeen and her family, and I really felt for them.  I understood where her parents were coming from, particularly with some of their neighbors, but I also understood where Yasmeen was coming from as well.  She had a lot going on, from moving to bullying to racism, and I just wanted to give her a hug!  She found some great friends along the way, and I enjoyed seeing her give San Antonio a chance.
  • Fit For The Throne 3: The Season Finale by S. McPherson.  I liked this Adult Romantasy.  Things ended the way I thought they would, but it was a fun read and a pretty good conclusion to this trilogy.  I had a little trouble getting into the book at first, and I had a hard time remembering who a lot of the supporting characters were.  But that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book, and it’s a pretty entertaining series to read.  Varialla was great, and I really liked seeing her journey throughout the series.  I think she’s going to do a lot of good in this world, and I’m glad that things worked out between her and Exequiel.  There was no doubt in my mind it was going to work out, but it’s still good to see them get their happily ever after.
  • Shadow City by Francesca Flores.  This YA fantasy was okay.  I read the first one a long time ago, and re-read before picking this one up.  I didn’t like it as much as I thought it would, but I loved the world.  Maybe it’s another one that I didn’t read at the right time, but maybe it’s just not for me.  It is a good sequel to the first book, and I liked Aina, who was just trying to get by.  I get why she worked with Kohl, but he is not a good guy.  Other than that, I don’t have a lot to say about this one, because I don’t have a lot of strong feelings either way.

  • Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli.  I really liked this YA contemporary!  After reading Break The Fall, I knew I had to read this one.  This book focuses on an ice-skater, and it’s definitely not as technical as Break The Fall, but it was still enjoyable as someone who watches ice-skating every few years during the Olympics.  There’s drama and romance and family issues, and I loved every second of it.  If you like cute, YA romance, this is a good one to check out!
  • Lore Of The Wilds & Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana.  Lore Of The Wilds was a re-read for me, and I wanted to re-read it before reading the ARC of Lore Of The Tides.  I’m not going to talk much about Lore Of The Tides here, since I plan on a doing a longer review in the next few days, but I will say that this is a great duology, and the world is amazing!  I also loved the characters, and I’m so excited that Sbrana is coming to San Diego for one of her bookstore stops.  This Adult Romantasy is worth reading!
  • An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew.  I got an ARC of this YA dystopia, and like Lore Of The Tides, a longer review will be coming.  This book comes out in October, so that review will be coming out sometime in the next few months.  This is a world ravaged by climate change, which doesn’t surprise this Southern California girl.  It shouldn’t surprise any of us, but there are people who would find it surprising.  It’s a future I can envision, because we’re already living it to some degree, and this world was so easy to picture.  I’ve already pre-ordered this book, which comes out October 15, 2025.
  • Exactly Where You Need To Be by Amelia Diane Coombs.  I loved this YA contemporary!  I was absolutely crying by the end of the book, and I loved seeing Florie stand up to her mom and take control of her life.  Though I understand why her mom acted the way she did, there were times were I absolutely hated her, starting in San Francisco and up until the end of the book.  I was glad Florie’s therapist was able to help mediate some of the issues, and advocate for her.  I was sad that Florie made it all the way to San Francisco for the live show of a My Favorite Murder-type podcast, and didn’t get to meet the hosts, but I was glad that there was an open invitation for tickets at a future stop.  I was hoping that would happen for her, and I’m glad it did.  I really felt for Florie, and she has a good friend in Kasey, and I’m glad they got to go on an epic road trip together.
  • The Art Of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson.  I loved this Adult Contemporary Romance.  I don’t normally read sports romances, especially ones written for adults, but I saw this one of the displays at the library, and decided to pick it up.  I’m glad I did, because I loved Daphne and Chris.  There’s miscommunication and secrets, of course, but I loved seeing how both of them felt about things, and how they met!  It’s such a cute book, and the romance between them was so fun to read.  And it is incredibly sweet, if you ask me.  While Chris didn’t find out about Daphne’s hidden identity in the best way, I also understood why she kept not telling him.  I think that’s why I was glad that we got both of their perspectives.  It’s a super-cute romance, and the perfect book for summer!

That’s all for today!  A longer review for Lore Of The Tides will be coming soon, and I’m thinking about doing a mid-year recap, so you’ll be getting an extra post or two from me soon.

See you around!

May 2025 Reading Round-Up

Posted in Books by

I can’t believe May is over!  It went by so fast, and it was full of bookish fun!  I made it to YALLWEST, which I talked about here, and I have a few ARC’s that I’m excited about.  I already talked about And They Were Roommates by Page Powars here, so I won’t be including it in this round-up, but it was cute.  Speaking of books, let’s get to the other books I read last month.

  • If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal.  I loved this YA contemporary!  I loved everything about this book: the romance, the movie theater and the characters.  I hope the Horizon is around for a long time, and that they were able to figure out who was behind all of the pranks.  It’s the perfect book for summer!
  • Daughters Of A Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O’Neil.  This YA historical fiction is a re-telling of Anastasia.  This book focuses on her survival after the murder of her entire family, and it was interesting to see her travel across Russia to reunite with her remaining family.  I loved her friendship with Evgenia, and how meeting each other really changed things for both girls.  We don’t know what happens to her later on, but I would definitely be interested in a sequel to see what was in store for her.
  • Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice by Anna Lapera.  This middle grade contemporary is a must-read!  I loved seeing how Mani questioned the misogynist policies at her school, and seeing her find her voice to stand up for all of the girls in her school.  I also loved how that connected to her family, and all the secrets and heartache they had to deal with.  I could relate to Mani in a lot of ways, and I loved seeing her find her voice.
  • Better Left Buried By Mary E Roach, narrated by Casey Holloway.  I liked this YA mystery!  It worked really well on audio, and I’m glad I listened to it, because I’m not sure if I would have finished it otherwise.  This Mary Roach is not the Mary Roach that has written books like Stiff, Gulp, and Spook, which is what I initially thought when I got this book.  Anyway, there’s a creepy small town that’s full of secrets, and ruled by an extremely wealthy family who will cover up their wrong-doings at any cost.  I was frustrated by Katie, Lucy’s mom, and how she refused to tell her daughter anything about her past.  I understand her hesitance but also, don’t bring your daughter to your hometown if you’re not willing to answer her inevitable questions.  She didn’t want Lucy to do any investigating but also left her alone pretty much the whole time, so what else was Lucy going to do?  It was pretty slow-paced and then everything happens at once, which wasn’t surprising.  If you like small-town mysteries, this is a good one to check out.
  • Loteria Cards And Fortune Poems: A Book Of Lives, Poems by Juan Felipe Herrera, Linocuts by Artemio Rodriguez.  I was intrigued by this poetry collection because I love Loteria.  If you’ve never played, I highly recommend it.  I especially recommend reading the introduction to this book, since it goes into a lot of detail about Loteria itself.  I loved El Jorobado, La Muerte, El Murcielago, La Mano and El Angel De La Guarda.  While I wish these illustrations were as colorful as the the actual loteria cards, they are pretty detailed and they go well with the poetry.
  • Fit For The Throne 2: The Royal Games by S McPherson.  I liked this adult romantasy, though I didn’t like it as much as the first book in this series.  I am curious to see how things go in the next book, especially with how the book ended.  I liked seeing the relationship that Varialla has with both Exequiel and Loch.  Loch is absolutely terrible, and I find myself wanting to skim the scenes with him and Varialla because of how manipulative and controlling he is.  And I understand why Exequiel doesn’t trust Varialla, though they manage to work together to get through the games.  If you like romantasy that’s more romance than fantasy, this is a good series to check out.

  • Notes On The Assemblage by Juan Felipe Herrera.  This is another great poetry collected from Herrera.  This one is significantly shorter than his Loteria poetry collection, and some of the poems are in both English and Spanish.  We Are Remarkably Loud Not Masked and Poem by Poem are the two that you absolutely need to read from this collection.  I love the way he touches on current events in those poems.  I also recommend I Am Kenji Goto, Song Out Here, Borderbus, The Soap Factory, and Notes On The Assemblage.  I liked this one slightly more than Loteria, because the images are a little more vivid, but they’re both good.  It just depends on what you’re looking for.
  • I’m Not Supposed To Be In The Dark by Riss Neilson.  I liked this YA Romance!  It has magic, ghosts and family secrets that get uncovered.  It has an absolutely beautiful cover too, and I can’t stop looking at it!  I wasn’t interested in the romance, and I found the magic and ghosts to be much more interesting.  I’m intrigued by what Aria can do, and it seems like there are quite a few people who have their own abilities as well.  I get why her grandpa and her mom had her drink a special tea twice a day, and why they didn’t tell her anything about her abilities, but it was something I disagreed with because she got into some unfortunate situations because of it.  I’m glad I read it, and I’m looking forward to reading Neilson’s other books!
  • The Jump by Brittney Morris.  I liked this YA Contemporary!  I haven’t read anything like it before, and I love the idea of groups doing really cool scavenger hunts.  There is a pretty interesting mystery in this book, and I liked seeing this group of teens figure out the puzzles we see throughout the book.  I can definitely understand why they’d want in on the scavenger hunt we see in the book, and it seems like everything works out okay for them.  It is pretty short, so there’s a lot that happens in a short amount of time.  I kind of wish that it had been a little bit longer, just so we had some time to breath, and to explore some of the issues a little more as well.  It was a fun, action-packed book, though, and a pretty fun read.
  • How To Survive A Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans.  I thought this YA horror was okay, but it was interesting to hear what my book club thought about it.  I’ve read similar books (You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron and There’s No Way I’d Die First, which are both great), so this story wasn’t anything new to me.  It actually felt more true crime adjacent than horror because of the story itself.  I liked that CJ talked about how it wasn’t just something that happened in her town, because she had a direct connection to everything that happened, and it’s a good reminder that that are real people behind the true crime stories that are so popular.  While not for me, I think it’s a great introduction to slashers and YA horror in general.
  • Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert.  This adult contemporary romance was okay.  I’m curious to see how things turn out for Olympus, and I’m looking forward to getting Hera’s story, as well as Hermes.  I was interested because of how the last book ended, and because Poseidon isn’t a character that we’ve seen a lot of in the previous books.  I found that I didn’t particularly care about Poseidon and Icarus, and their relationship was definitely built more on physical attraction than anything else.  This one, along with Dark Restraint, are the ones where I cared more about the plot and what was going on with Olympus than the romance…which is weird considering the genre.  But since this series is going to be 10 books (11, if you count the prequel novella), it makes sense that I wouldn’t care for all of the couples.  That was definitely the case with this book, but at least I have Hera and Hermes to look forward to.
  • We Are The Beasts by Gigi Griffis.  I thought this YA historical fiction was okay.  I wasn’t sure about it for most of the book, but I did end up liking it by the end.  It’s an interesting take on the Beast Of Gevaudan, and this book does a great job at showing how men are the real monsters.  I really felt for the girls we met, and how they had no options to leave.  Using the beast was a pretty good idea, in my opinion, and I’m glad that this group of girls got out.  I hope things go well for them, wherever they end up.

That’s all for this month, and I’ll be back soon!  See you around!

February 2025 Reading Roundup

Posted in Book Review Round-Up, Books by

Hello again!  I’m back with another book review round-up.  I actually took some notes on the books I read, and what I thought, which made writing this a lot easier!

I also focused on reading black authors since February was Black History Month.  Reading books from marginalized communities should absolutely be year-round, not just for a month, because they deserve our support every month!  There were only a two exceptions to this (The Fervor and Sky Island), but I found so many books I wanted to read that I’ll be reading them over the coming months.

  • The Fervor by Alma Katsu.  I really enjoyed The Deep and The Hunger, and this adult historical horror is no exception!  It’s very different from her other books, and while I initially struggled with it, once it got going, it was hard to put down.  It’s set in during World War, after Pearl Harbor, and Japanese internment camps are a prominent part of the book.  As far as the horror goes, it is psychological.  And I can see the parallels between what happened in this book, set over 80 years ago, and what’s happening today with the Trump administration.  That made it hard to read, but it was absolutely worth it, in my opinion.
  • Dead Girls Walking by Sami Ellis.  This YA horror was just okay for me.  I would describe it as a horror movie in book form.  Picture the Friday the 13th movies, but at a camp for horror obsessed queer girls.  I liked the premise, and Temple was interesting.  I would describe Temple as morally grey, which is refreshing for a female character, and particularly one in YA, because that’s not something I’ve seen before.  The story was a little confusing at times, and it was hard for me to keep track of what was in the past and what was in the present.  Also, the campers blended together, and I had some trouble telling them apart.  It wasn’t for me, but it has a great setting and an interesting premise.
  • Sky Island by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee.  I really liked this Middle Grade contemporary graphic novel.  It’s a great sequel to Sea Sirens, and we have more adventures with Trot, Cap’n Bill, and Trot’s grandpa.  I loved seeing Sky Island, and it looks like a pretty cool place.  It looks like there’s only two books in this series but I think there are a lot of stories Chu and Lee could tell.  Like the first book, I loved the relationship between Trot and her grandpa.  I didn’t mention it when I reviewed Sea Sirens last month, but I loved the art in both books, and the colors are beautiful.
  • The Return by Nenny Mae.  This YA mystery was okay for me.  I liked the idea of a group of high school teens solving a Prom Night mystery from a few years earlier.  I also liked that there is a lot in terms of second chances, forgiveness, and moving on.  The dual timeline was interesting: we see Holly in the present and Scarlett in the past.  It was hard to tell the two timelines apart, as it wasn’t always immediately clear which timeline we were in.  There were a lot of people to keep track of as well, which didn’t help, and even by the end of the book, I couldn’t tell some of the characters apart.  Also, I was not thrilled with what happened between Scarlett and her English teacher.  High school me would not have minded it, but as an adult, I have no patience for when things between teacher and student move beyond that relationship.  It wasn’t for me, but I see why people like it!
  • Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.  I saw someone talking about this middle grade historical fiction on Threads, and decided I needed to re-read it.  The last time I read it, I was a kid, and that is the only thing I remember about it.  I loved it, and if, like me, you haven’t read it in decades, I recommend picking it up, because there were so many things that still ring true today.  The ending broke my heart, though I wasn’t surprised by the violence the characters witnessed and experienced.  There were two moments that really stood out to me.  One was when Cassie and her mom were talking about how some people have to think white people are better to make them feel big, which makes me think of, well, the last 8 years or so.  The other moment that really stood out to me was when Cassie’s mom was talking about how Cassie and her classmates don’t have to accept books in poor condition, which was in response to Cassie’s teacher basically saying they should be grateful for whatever they get.  I was glad that her mom said that they shouldn’t have to receive throwaways.  All students deserve to have a great education, with supplies and equipment in good condition.
  • The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann.  I loved this adult contemporary romance!  This book came up at my book club last year, when we read Dear Wendy, and I finally got around to reading it.  I loved that we have a main character who’s ace, because it’s not something I’ve seen in a lot of books (Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao, Rick by Alex Gino, and Let’s Talk About Love, also by Kann) are the only ones I know of.  I wasn’t a fan of Malcolm, her best friend, mostly because Joy and Malcolm seem like polar opposites.  I don’t know how I feel about Summer, though I appreciate she actually talks to Joy, and understands she and Malcolm are a package deal.  Fox was interesting, and I think he and Joy really balance each other out.  I liked seeing their relationship develop, and I hope things work out for Joy in everything she does.

  • The Davenports by Kayla Marquis, narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt.  I loved this YA Historical Fiction, based on C.R. Patterson and his family.  We have Olivia, her sister Helen, Olivia’s best friend Ruby, and Amy-Rose, the childhood friend turned maid for Olivia’s family.  I loved Helen and Amy-Rose the most, because they both had dreams they were working so hard for, and things might have been different for them, had they been born several decades later.  I have the sequel on hold at the library, and I can’t wait to see what happens next for these 4 young women.
  • The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin.  This nonfiction memoir was an interesting read.  I’ve never read Baldwin before, but decided to pick this one up after seeing it at the library.  I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I think it’s worth reading.  I loved seeing his thoughts on race, religion, and racial injustice, and I agree with his thoughts on Christianity and hypocrisy.  There’s a lot to think about, especially as a white woman, and this book is one I want to revisit.  There was one quote that really stood out, which I’m going to leave here for you: “Color is not a human or a personal reality; it is a political reality.”
  • Blood At The Root by LaDarrion Williams.  I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about this YA fantasy.  I love the idea of a magical HBCU, and I think there’s a lot of potential with the magic.  Malik had a lot to deal with, and one thing that was particularly frustrating was how we were told his neighbors blamed him for his mother’s death, which happened when he was 7.  I was also frustrated by his relationship with Alexis, mostly because it came across as him thinking she was the one, even though he only knew her for 6 months when they were 7.  I was looking at some of the reviews, and I get why people have their issues with it but I can also see why people love it.
  • MapMaker by Lisa Moore Ramee.  I really liked this middle grade fantasy, and I think it’s the perfect book for anyone who loves maps, particularly the maps in fantasy books.  I loved that Walt could bring a whole world to life, but also have the power to destroy it.  I really wanted to know more about his ability, and I don’t know if there will be more books set in this world, but I really hope there are.  It definitely hinted at that there are more abilities than to bring worlds to life, and that his twin sister has her own abilities, but we didn’t really get much more than that.  I know I’d read more books set in this world.
  • Twice As Perfect by Louisa Onome.  I really liked this YA contemporary.  I really felt for Adanna, especially because she had a lot to deal with.  There is a lot in terms of family expectations, family estrangement, and family secrets.  There’s a lot in terms deciding what you want, instead of doing what others expect you to do, and I found that very easy to relate to.  I’m really glad I read this one.
  • Josephine Against The Sea by Shakirah Bourne.  This middle grade contemporary is such a good book.  I loved Josephine, and I knew the second that we met Mariss, she was u  p to no good!  I ended up liking her backstory, and I understood her more, but I also understood why Josephine didn’t like her.  I probably would have felt the same way Josephine did, and I’m glad everything worked out for Josephine and her dad.  I liked the magic, and how Josephine and her dad dealt with their grief over losing Josephine’s mom.  This is another one I’m glad I read.

All in all, it was a good month for reading, though reading was a struggle towards the end of the month.  I have some books I’m looking forward to reading for this month, so I’m hoping that will help me get past this little slump I’m in.

I’ll see everyone next month!

January 2025 Book Roundup

Posted in Books by

Hello there!  It’s been ages since I’ve posted, and by ages, I mean it’s been almost four years. What I thought was going to be a short break turned out to be much, much longer. It’s good to be back, and while I don’t want to promise that I’ll be back to posting full-length reviews the way I used to, I am going to see how doing a monthly round-up works out.

Last month, I read 12 books, everything from YA contemporaries to adult horror to middle grade graphic novels.  You can check out all 12 books below!

  • Six Stunning Sirens by Lynn Cahoon.  I really like this series, and this was a good addition to the Kitchen Witch books.  If you like cozy mysteries, this series is a good read.  You can’t go wrong with a kitchen witch living in a small town who’s helping out with a beauty pageant that goes terribly wrong.
  • The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.  I saw this one when I was at Meet Cute, a romance bookstore in San Diego.  The staff recommendation card is what sold me: angry sapphics in space caves.  And the book definitely lived up to that!  It’s creepy and unsettling and there is something suffocating about the setting.  It’s not surprising, considering we’re in a cave for most of the book.
  • The September House by Carissa Orlando.  This one is an adult horror and I thought it was okay.  It’s definitely creepy, and I liked seeing the mystery unravel.  I love the concept of a haunted house that comes to life only in September, but it wasn’t for me.  
  • A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen was so good, and I absolutely loved it!  It’s a super-cute YA contemporary, and one of my favorites from January.  It’s a really cute romance set in Vietnam that’s also about family, history and the trauma that’s a result of history.  All of the food sounded so good, and if you’re a foodie, this is an especially good book to read!
  • The Electric Heir by Victoria Lee, which is okay for me.  It’s a YA sci-fi that has some fantasy elements.  I honestly couldn’t tell you much about this book, even though it’s only been a couple weeks since I’ve read it.  If you’re (understandably) trying to avoid dystopia and overthrowing the government, this series is definitely one to skip, at least for the foreseeable future.  On the hand, if that’s what you’re looking for, definitely check it out.  
  • The Lumbering Giants Of Windy Pines by Mo Netz is a super cute middle grade contemporary.  It has Gravity Falls vibes, and I love the mystery in the book.  Plus, it’s set in a creepy motel on the edge of the woods, and we see how motels are really accessible for Jerry (a wheelchair user) and her mom, which is why they move from motel to motel.  

  • Love and Other Conspiracies by Mallory Marlowe is my other favorite book from January.  It’s an adult romance featuring a believer in all things paranormal and weird and a non-believer in the paranormal.  Hallie and Hayden work on a web series for a Buzzfeed type company, and I loved seeing them fall in love.
  • I read Ex Marks The Spot by Gloria Chao, which is another YA contemporary.  It’s pretty similar to A Banh Mi For Two, in terms of family history and adventure in another country.  I wanted to like Chao’s book more, and I really think that if I hadn’t read the two so close together, I would have like Ex Marks The Spot More.  
  • Next is Moon Blooded Breeding Clinic by C.M. Nacosta.  I don’t normally read monster romances, but I really like this book, and the series it’s a part of.  I may have to do another post about this series, because each book focuses on a different couple.  This one is a werewolf and human romance (the first one featured a minotaur and the second had mothman), and I’m looking forward to reading the next one.  
  • House Of Hunger by Alexis Henderson was okay.  It’s adult horror, and very creepy and very gothic.  I love the idea of bloodmaids, and I wanted a little bit more of the world, since we’re confined to Lisabet’s house.  It’s would have been nice to see the world outside of that house.
  • Somewhere In The Deep by Tanvi Berwah.  I liked this YA fantasy.  It’s underwater, which you don’t see a lot of, and it has the same creepy claustrophobia that you get in House Of Hunger and The Luminous Dead.  There are legendary creatures, clashes between people who work in the mines and the people who live on land, and a teen left to deal with the terrible legacy of her parents.  Clearly, family history has been a running theme for January, which wasn’t intentional, but still interesting.  I would definitely recommend this one.
  • Sea Sirens by written by Amy Chu, illustrated by Janet K. Lee.  This was a cute middle grade graphic novel about a Vietnamese-American surfer, her cat Bill, and her grandpa.  I love seeing grandparent-grandchild relationships, because I was close to my own grandparents, and this book was no exception.  I loved that her grandpa was so prominent (though he needs a lot of care since he has dementia), because I feel like we see a lot of grandmas.  Listen, grandma are awesome, but I think we could see a few more grandpas.  They definitely go on an adventure, and I have the sequel next to me, so I’m looking forward to reading that one.  

That’s all for today.  I hope you enjoyed this reading round-up, and I’ll for sure be back next month with another one!  See you around!

Book Review: Something To Say by Lisa Moore Ramee

Posted in Books, diverse books by

Book: Something To Say by Lisa Moore Ramee

Published July 2020 by Balzer + Bray|304 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

From the author of A Good Kind of Trouble, a Walter Dean Myers Honor Book, comes another unforgettable story about finding your voice—and finding your people. Perfect for fans of Sharon Draper, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds.

Eleven-year-old Jenae doesn’t have any friends—and she’s just fine with that. She’s so good at being invisible in school, it’s almost like she has a superpower, like her idol, Astrid Dane. At home, Jenae has plenty of company, like her no-nonsense mama; her older brother, Malcolm, who is home from college after a basketball injury; and her beloved grandpa, Gee.

Then a new student shows up at school—a boy named Aubrey with fiery red hair and a smile that won’t quit. Jenae can’t figure out why he keeps popping up everywhere she goes. The more she tries to push him away, the more he seems determined to be her friend. Despite herself, Jenae starts getting used to having him around.

But when the two are paired up for a class debate about the proposed name change for their school, Jenae knows this new friendship has an expiration date. Aubrey is desperate to win and earn a coveted spot on the debate team.

There’s just one problem: Jenae would do almost anything to avoid speaking up in front of an audience—including risking the first real friendship she’s ever had. 

Something To Say was really cute!  I really liked it, and I’m glad I read it.

I really liked Jenae, and she was very easy to relate to.  I always hated talking in front of an audience and I could relate to doing anything possible to not do it.  I never went to the lengths she did, but I completely understand why she’d do anything she could to not do it.

I loved her relationship with her family, but especially her grandpa.  It made me think of my grandparents, and how I grew up with them.  I really do love books where we see the characters have relationships with their grandparents.  When her grandpa has a stroke, I felt how much it affected her- I think a lot of it was because my grandma had a stroke when I was in high school, and I knew what she was going through.  I really was reminded of my own relationship with my grandparents when I read this book.

I liked that she did speak up at the meeting regarding the name change for her school.  I don’t think it was easy for her, but she did it anyway.  It was a pretty important part of the book, and it’s something I can see happening today.  If it’s not happening somewhere, I’d be really surprised.  But I am glad they changed the name of her school.  There are people who aren’t going to like it, but there are also people who are happy about it, and are glad the name of the school reflects the community that it’s a part of.

This book was great to read, and I not only liked the story but the characters!

4 stars.  I really liked Something To Say, and I’m glad we saw Jenae learn to speak up when she really needed to.  I loved the family relationships we saw in the book too!

Book Review: My Fate According To The Butterfly by Gail D Villanueva

Posted in Books, diverse books by

Book: My Fate According To The Butterfly by Gail D Villanueva

Published July 2019 by Scholastic Press|240 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade

When superstitious Sab sees a giant black butterfly, an omen of death, she knows that she’s doomed! According to legend, she has one week before her fate catches up with her — on her 11th birthday. With her time running out, all she wants is to celebrate her birthday with her entire family. But her sister, Ate Nadine, stopped speaking to their father one year ago, and Sab doesn’t even know why.

If Sab’s going to get Ate Nadine and their father to reconcile, she’ll have to overcome her fears — of her sister’s anger, of leaving the bubble of her sheltered community, of her upcoming doom — and figure out the cause of their rift.

So Sab and her best friend Pepper start spying on Nadine and digging into their family’s past to determine why, exactly, Nadine won’t speak to their father. But Sab’s adventures across Manila reveal truths about her family more difficult — and dangerous — than she ever anticipated.

Was the Butterfly right? Perhaps Sab is doomed after all!

I liked My Fate According To The Butterfly!  It’s a cute and heart-warming middle grade book that’s worth checking out.

I really liked Sab, and her connection to butterflies.  It’s an interesting story, and I never thought of butterflies as being a sign of death before this book.  For me, the black butterfly wasn’t literal, in terms of how it relates to the story.  She learns a lot about her dad and family and how things aren’t what she thought they were.

Maybe that’s what the butterfly represents- learning something about your family and how things aren’t what they seem.  It also seemed to give her something to focus on and it seems to set things in motion for her and her family.

I do get why her mom didn’t say anything about what was really going on with her dad.  I didn’t get why her sister didn’t talk to their dad, but I do understand why she wouldn’t say anything to Sab.  It makes total sense they’d want to protect her from that, and it must have been hard to hear what had really happened.  But hopefully Nadine will be able to make amends with their dad, and hopefully things will eventually be okay.

Sab definitely has an adventure going all over Manila with her best friend Pepper, and I wish we got to see more of it.  I liked what we saw, but I did find myself wishing we saw more.  It seems like Sab is pretty sheltered, and we see that she has to be pretty careful when she leaves her quiet neighborhood.  It’s a world she isn’t used to, that’s for sure.

Something I did find confusing was her relationship with her sister.  It’s a minor thing, I guess, but for most of the book, I kept forgetting Nadine was her sister and not her aunt or an older cousin.  She’s actually called Ate Nadine throughout the book, and for some reason, it made me think of aunt or someone who taking of care of her.  Her sister does, because her parents aren’t together and her mom travels a lot but I found that it threw me off a little bit.

3 stars.  I did like this book, and I liked seeing Sab’s learn more about her family, but I didn’t love it.  It’s still worth reading, though!

Book Review: Honeybees And Frenemies by Kristi Wientge

Posted in Books by

Book: Honeybees And Frenemies by Kristi Wientge

Published June 2019 by Simon Schuster Books For Young Readers|256 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

Twelve-year-old Flor faces a bittersweet summer with a pageant, a frenemy, and a hive full of honey.

It’s the summer before eighth grade and Flor is stuck at home and working at her family’s mattress store, while her best friend goes off to band camp (probably to make new friends). It becomes even worse when she’s asked to compete in the local honey pageant. This means Flor has to spend the summer practicing her talent (recorder) and volunteering (helping a recluse bee-keeper) with Candice, her former friend who’s still bitter about losing the pageant crown to Flor when they were in second grade. And she can’t say no.

Then there’s the possibility that Flor and her family are leaving to move in with her mom’s family in New Jersey. And with how much her mom and dad have been fighting lately, is it possible that her dad may not join them? Flor can’t let that happen. She has a lot of work to do.

Honeybees And Frenemies was a really cute read, and I’m glad I read it.  I ended up really liking it!

This book was really cute, and I really felt for Flor, who is teaming up with a former friend to win the summer pageant.  Something about all of the festivals mentioned made me think of Gilmore Girls, where they have random festivals and town events throughout the years.

It was interesting to see them team up, but I’ll admit to wanting more of why Candice was horrible to Flor.  I mean, I get being bitter about losing the pageant crown…but they were seven, and I kind of think it would have made more sense had they been older.  But this is also middle grade, so I guess it had to happen earlier?

Anyway, I liked seeing them work together.  They both realize they have their reasons for wanting to win, and even though their talent gets them into trouble, it was still pretty cool, and I’m glad it didn’t get them disqualified.  Saving the bees is pretty important to Candice too, and she would be a great bee ambassador.  Plus, winning helps Candice a lot more than it helps Flor, but I think things will work out for Flor.  I know she had a lot going on, but the book ended on a hopeful note.  I really felt like things were going to be just fine for everyone.

I also liked the facts about bees at the beginning of each chapter.  That was a really cute tie-in, and it makes me want to learn more about bees.  I wasn’t paying enough attention to see if the facts actually tied into what happened in each chapter, but either way it was cool.

I did think helping out at her family’s mattress store and her best friend going away to summer camp would be more of a thing than it really was.  Maybe that’s just me, thinking things mentioned in the summary are going to be more important than they really are.  We do get a little bit of it, though we get bits and pieces of the family stuff throughout the book while the best friend stuff is pretty much towards the end of the book.

I also wanted a little more to the ending, and while things are pretty wrapped up, I still wanted to go a little past where the book actually ended.  Still, it’s a pretty good ending point, so I’m not going to complain too much about it.  I think it’s just wistful thinking on my part.

4 stars.  I really liked Honeybees And Frenemies!  It’s a super cute middle grade and worth checking out.

Book Review: Summer Of A Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway

Posted in Books by

Book: Summer Of A Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway

Published April 2019 by Balzer + Bray|378 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

When twelve-year-old Cady Bennett is sent to live with the aunt she didn’t even know she had in the quaint mountain town of Julian, she doesn’t know what to expect. Cady isn’t used to stability, or even living inside, after growing up homeless in San Diego with her dad.

Now she’s staying in her mother’s old room, exploring the countryside filled with apple orchards and pie shops, making friends, and working in Aunt Shell’s own pie shop—and soon, Cady starts to feel like she belongs. Then she finds out that Aunt Shell’s pie shop is failing. Saving the business and protecting the first place she’s ever really felt safe will take everything she’s learned and the help of all her new friends. But are there some things even the perfect pie just can’t fix?

Summer Of A Thousand Pies is a super-cute middle grade, and I really liked it!

Definitely don’t read this while hungry, because the book is centered around a pie shop.  I was super tempted to actually drive to Julian to get some apple pie…maybe one of these days, I’ll make the drive up there for pie.  I love that the book is set in Julian, and that it’s about pie.  I mean, when I hear Julian, I think of apple pie, and it’s only about an hour or so drive for me, so I really will have to one of these days.

I didn’t like Cady at first, but she grew on me.  She didn’t seem to have the most stable living situation, and I definitely understand why she acted the way she did.  Cady didn’t have a safe space, and with what we learn about her mom and dad, I can understand why she’d think that it might get taken away.  And with everything going on with the pie shop her aunt has…Cady has a lot going on.  I’d probably act the same way if I were her.

It’s definitely more structured environment than what she’s used to, and it seemed like she had a hard time with it at first.  I think she did get used to it by the end of the book, and she was definitely more settled by the end of the book.  I think learning to bake and having a stable environment really helped her.

I loved the moment when the title made sense, and the title was one of the things that drew me to the book.  Plus, that cover is really cute, and it makes me think of a hand-lettered sign you’d see hanging up in a pie shop or one of those signs you’d see on the sidewalk outside.

Also cool was the recipes at the end of the book!  I had to return the book to the library so I didn’t even think to make any of the pies at the back of the book, but maybe when it starts to cool down a little, I’ll get the book so I can try them out.

I really liked the relationships they had with some of the customers and business owners.  They really came together to help out the shop when it was needed and there’s a sense of community that they have.  It was nice to see, and I hope things work out for all of these fictional characters.

4 stars.  Summer Of A Thousand Pies is really cute, and I loved seeing Cady open up and have a little more stability.  I also loved that it was about pies and baking and seeing Cady experiment with different pies was really fun too!

Book Review: Just South Of Home by Karen Strong

Posted in Books by

Book: Just South Of Home by Karen Strong

Published May 2019 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers|320 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

Cousins Sarah and Janie unearth a tragic event in their small Southern town’s history in this witty middle grade debut novel that’s perfect for fans of Stella by Starlight, The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing, and As Brave as You.

Twelve-year-old Sarah is finally in charge. At last, she can spend her summer months reading her favorite science books and bossing around her younger brother, Ellis, instead of being worked to the bone by their overly strict grandmother, Mrs. Greene. But when their cousin, Janie arrives for a visit, Sarah’s plans are completely squashed.

Janie has a knack for getting into trouble and asks Sarah to take her to Creek Church: a landmark of their small town that she heard was haunted. It’s also off-limits. Janie’s sticky fingers lead Sarah, Ellis and his best friend, Jasper, to uncover a deep-seated part of the town’s past. With a bit of luck, this foursome will heal the place they call home and the people within it they call family.

I really liked Just South Of Home!  It’s cute and Sarah and Janie have a lot of adventures.  I’m glad I read it!

Janie and Sarah were really interesting characters.  I wasn’t sure about Janie at first, but I would honestly probably act the same way if I were her.  I really liked Sarah and how much she loved science.  She and Janie are very different and they have their differences but they work it out and things definitely get better between them.

I really liked the connection to the history of Sarah’s town and I wish we saw more of it.  I feel like we only touched the surface, but with a middle grade book, I can see why it wasn’t focused on more.  I liked the connection there was to the curse, and how Sarah and her family tried to help the town move on.

A lot of people saw it as just history, but it clearly wasn’t.  Not for the haints who were still there, waiting to move on.  It definitely made me think of how important it is to remember history.  While some of the people there wanted to forget, remembering and acknowledging what happened decades earlier was the only way to move forward.

The family relationships were great, and that was really cool to read.  Especially the relationship between Sarah’s mom and grandma.  I kept forgetting that her grandma was in the book, because Sarah didn’t call her grandma, or any other common variation on it.  It took most of the book for me to remember that Mrs. Jones was grandma.

I think one reason why I like middle grade is that you see characters figure out who they are while still being to connected to their family, and you definitely see family connections in this book.

4 stars.  I really liked Just South Of Home, and there’s a really spooky element that works well with the setting and the history of the town.

Book Review: A Good Kind Of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

Posted in Books, diverse books by

Book: A Good Kind Of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

Published March 2019 by Balzer + Bray|368 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary

From debut author Lisa Moore Ramée comes this funny and big-hearted debut middle grade novel about friendship, family, and standing up for what’s right, perfect for fans of Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the novels of Renée Watson and Jason Reynolds.

Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh, and she’d also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.)

But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. Wait, what?

Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn’t think that’s for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum.

Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn’t face her fear, she’ll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real.

I really liked A Good Kind Of Trouble!  There’s a lot of heart in this book, and if you like The Hate U Give or All-American Boys, you’d really like this one.

I really liked Shay, and how scared she was to do the wrong thing but also scared to do the right thing.  It was interesting to me that her hands felt really itchy, whenever she had to face her fears, and I wish it were explored a little more.  It wasn’t, of course.  I don’t know if it’s because it’s middle grade, and there just wasn’t the time to explore it more.  But there were so many other things going on that I didn’t mind it wasn’t explored in depth.

I liked seeing Shay navigate middle school and changing friendships and being a part of the track team.  There are a lot of changes in her life, and she really does open up to new things and new people.  I loved how her parents encouraged her to use her voice instead of ignoring it, even when it would have been easier for them to do the opposite of what they did.  She has a great family, and I wished we saw more of them.

I really came around to Bernard, and he ended up being a great character.  He wasn’t what I thought at all, and I’m glad Shay gave him a chance, and saw he wasn’t as bad as she thought he was.

I wasn’t a big fan of her friend Julia, but I am glad that they worked things out.  Julia did want to fit in, and I can see how she got caught up in that.  I really liked Isabella as well, and she’s so sweet and thoughtful.  All three girls really seem to balance each other out.

A Good Kind Of Trouble is a great middle grade book!  It has some of the issues we see on the news and in YA, so it’s great to have a middle grade book that’s about social justice and standing up for what you believe in.  It’s worth reading!

4 stars.  I really liked A Good Kind Of Trouble, and it’s perfect for fans of Angie Thomas and Jason Reynolds.