When You're Brave Enough by Rebecca Bendheim

MMGM Review: When You’re Brave Enough by Rebecca Bendheim

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When You’re Brave Enough
Rebecca Bendheim
Viking Books for Young Readers
Published April 7, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About When You’re Brave Enough

A heartfelt, gorgeously written debut middle grade novel about best friends, first crushes, and coming out—perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Jake Maia Arlow.

Before she moved from Austin to Rhode Island, everybody knew Lacey as one half of an inseparable duo: Lacey-and-Grace, best friends since they were toddlers. Grace and her moms were practically family. But at school, being lumped together with overeager, worm-obsessed, crushes-on-everyone Grace meant Lacey never quite fit in—and that’s why at her new middle school, Lacey plans to reinvent herself. This time, she’s going to be cool. She’s going to be normal.

At first, everything seems to go as planned. Lacey makes new friends right away, she finds a rabbi to help her prepare for the bat mitzvah that got deprioritized by her parents in the chaos of the move, and she even gets cast in the lead role of the eighth-grade musical. Which is when things start to get stressful, because it turns out the students at her new school have a long-standing, unofficial tradition: No matter what the show is, in the final performance, the leads always kiss for real.

Lacey’s never kissed anyone before—she’s not even sure she’s ever had a crush. And in Bye, Bye, Birdie, there are a few different co-lead kiss possibilities for Lacey to choose from. There’s confident, cocky Andre. There’s sweet, friendly Jaden. And then there’s the other new girl at school: dryly funny, impossibly cool Violet.

But while her new friends and older sister create whiteboard wall charts and botched field trip schemes to help her decide, suddenly Lacey can’t stop thinking about Grace, who she was so sure she wanted to leave behind. When Grace comes back into her life, Lacey needs to decide if she’s brave enough to be who she really is, in front of the person who matters most.

My Review

I enjoyed so many things about this book. Lacey’s quest to reinvent herself was nicely done. I’ve seen a lot more middle grade books that focus on the friend who is being left behind instead of the friend who is plunging ahead, wanting to embrace a new middle school identity.

Bendheim allows readers to realize Lacey’s feelings gradually, almost as if we figure things out right along with Lacey. I also like that Lacey is at a different school, far from Grace. This creates a buffer between the girls and gives Lacey space to try out her new identity without hurting or rejecting Grace. I think it might have been harder to admire Lacey and root for her if she was unkind to Grace in order to fit in with new friends.

Lacey also has to navigate her feelings about her role in the family. Sometimes her family feels like too much. Sometimes what she wants gets pushed to the side. Part of reinventing herself involves figuring out how to support and celebrate her family while speaking up when they hurt her, too.

I also enjoyed that the story explores Lacey’s preparation for her bat mitzvah and what that means to her. Lacey reads Anne Frank’s diary as she tries to figure out what she believes and who she is. She lingers on certain passages and rereads sections that stand out to her. I liked the way that the author included this experience and related it to Lacey’s faith journey.

All in all, I absolutely agree with the comparison between this book and books by Kyle Lukoff. I also think readers who enjoy books by Claire Swinarski will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Lacey prepares to celebrate her bat mitzvah. She memorizes a part of the Torah and writes a speech about what the passage means to her.

Violent Content
Brief homophobic comments. Some brief bullying or meanness.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Beautiful Country: A Memoir of an Undocumented Childhood
Qian Julie Wang
Doubleday
Published September 7, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Beautiful Country: A Memoir of an Undocumented Childhood

In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, Qian’s parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive.

In Chinatown, Qian’s parents labor in sweatshops. Instead of laughing at her jokes, they fight constantly, taking out the stress of their new life on one another. Shunned by her classmates and teachers for her limited English, Qian takes refuge in the library and masters the language through books, coming to think of The Berenstain Bears as her first American friends. And where there is delight to be found, Qian relishes it: her first bite of gloriously greasy pizza, weekly “shopping days,” when Qian finds small treasures in the trash lining Brooklyn’s streets, and a magical Christmas visit to Rockefeller Center — confirmation that the New York City she saw in movies does exist after all.

But then Qian’s headstrong Ma Ma collapses, revealing an illness that she has kept secret for months for fear of the cost and scrutiny of a doctor’s visit. As Ba Ba retreats further inward, Qian has little to hold onto beyond his constant refrain: Whatever happens, say that you were born here, that you’ve always lived here.

Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.

The moving story of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world — an incandescent debut from an astonishing new talent.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for years. I first heard about it because the author shared a painful experience at a speaking engagement, and others started talking about her book and encouraging people to buy a copy. I bought one, but it took me a long time to finally get to reading it. My mom read this book long before I did.

I’m not sorry that I read the book now, as it’s about the author’s experiences as an undocumented child in an undocumented family. It’s far too easy for us to read headlines and get lost in emotions about the issues, rather than stopping to examine the stories of people who are actually living those experiences.

Some of the things Qian Julie Yang describes are heartbreaking. The effect of being perpetually hungry on her body. The loneliness. Her desire to protect the cat her family briefly adopts. Her fear for her mother while she’s in the hospital.

Reading each chapter felt like watching the author wrestle with her memories and the innocence of her younger self. That struggle felt so authentic, and it made me hold my breath sometimes, as each scene unfolded.

This year, I’ve also been making my way through the Front Desk series by Kelly Yang. While the experiences Yang describes are different than Wang’s, there are some noteworthy parallels, too. Both emphasize the struggle to learn not only to speak English but also to write it. They reflect on the pressure they feel to assimilate into American culture while also remaining connected to their heritage.

While those books aren’t intended for the same audience, I think they would make interesting side-by-side reads. There are some big differences between them, but some striking similarities as well. I highly recommend Beautiful Country if you’re looking for a compelling childhood memoir.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A white man takes an interest in Qian and her family. Nothing overt happens, and Qian is never along with him, but he’s definitely creepy. A young woman tells Qian’s mom that this man has sexual thoughts about all girls and women and warns her never to be alone with him.

Spiritual Content
References to beliefs about luck and curses. For example, Qian’s parents believe that the family cat, which has a lot of black fur and an asymmetrical face, will bring a curse on their family.

Violent Content
Some misogynistic and racist comments against Qian. At one point, a woman confesses that she considered jumping to her death. A man slaps a woman.

Drug Content
Reference to walking past teenagers who are smoking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Review: Library or Lattes? by Lila Hazell

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Library or Lattes? (Love in Oak Falls #1)
Lila Hazell
Pixel + Ink
Published August 25, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Library or Lattes?

A cozy, swoony autumn romance with a Sliding Doors twist, perfect for readers of Jenny Han and Lynn Painter. Like Pumpkin Spice & Everything Nice for this fall!

One season, two choices for love…

Willa’s small town is at its best in the fall. Think crisp air, golden leaves, bonfires, hayrides, and pumpkin spice. It’s cozy and comforting, pretty much perfect, but sometimes Willa wonders if she’s destined for more.

Then she’s left some money by a distant aunt, with one condition: It must be used to see the world. The rest of the book unfolds in alternating chapters where she makes one choice or another about this inheritance.

In one strand, Willa decides to study travel journalism, but she has to hit the books if she wants to be accepted into a program. That why she spends her weekends in the library, where Theo, a grumpy out-of-towner, also hangs out. He may think everything in this town is beneath him, but… there’s something irresistible about him when he smiles.

In the other strand, Willa begins planning a perfect round-the-world trip. Meanwhile, she’s working at her favorite coffee shop… where she suddenly gets a new boss, monosyllabic James, who’s back in his hometown to nurse a broken heart.

Each potential choice leads Willa to love, and the final chapter is classic happily ever after.

My Review

This sweet fall romance follows two possible paths that Willa’s life could take, leading her to two different romances. In effect, we get to watch her fall in love twice.

The chapters alternate between “Library” and “Lattes” timelines. The Library timeline shows what happens when she gives in to her feelings for the surly architect research student who shows up at the library just when Willa needs extra study time. The Lattes timeline follows Willa’s adventures when she winds up working with her boss’s son to save their coffee shop.

Some elements remain largely the same between the two timelines. Willa’s quirky best friend Lennie appears in both timelines, and both are set in the same small town over the same time period. Willa and Lennie’s friendship faces challenges in both versions of the story as well.

I was surprised that both stories take place in the same town. For some reason, I expected at least one to be about Willa traveling, since a letter from her aunt challenging her to travel beyond the small town she’s always known is what sets the whole story in motion. It might have been easier to differentiate between the two timelines if they were set in different places as well.

That said, I thought both romances were compelling. I liked the fact that the story treated both relationships as equal possibilities for Willa.

One thing that gave me pause is Willa’s reaction when she outs someone. She makes a comment in public about a relationship that’s not public because she got flustered and forgot for a moment. She really wants to pass this off as a mistake, which I found hard to stomach. Yes, it was absolutely a mistake, but she had been told that one person in the relationship did not feel safe coming out. The choice to remain closeted wasn’t about preference; it was about safety. I didn’t feel like Willa really grasped what she’d done. Late in the story, the person she outed confronts her about it, and I think she seemed to realize the gravity of her mistake then. So, eventually, she understands and apologizes to the person she hurt.

Overall, this is a sweet romance that will make a cozy read this fall.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Willa outs someone (accidentally).

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams by Michelle Kulwicki

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams
Michelle Kulwicki
Page Street YA
Published April 21, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams

In this adventure-packed portal fantasy, three teens discover a gateway to a mythical Labyrinth in the Appalachian Mountains

Barren’s Peak, West Virginia, is not a place anyone would call magical, but Thea LaGuerre calls it home. A high school drop-out whose mother died in an accident, Thea is stuck working part-time jobs just to make ends meet. The most she has to look forward to are barn parties where she can make out with Callum, the one interesting boy who moved to town six months ago.

Thea doesn’t know it yet, but Callum was sent to Barren’s Peak to watch her. He was raised within the magicians’ order, a shadowy organization meant to keep humanity safe from an underworld of monsters. Callum would sacrifice anyone, including himself, to help their cause, but he still can’t help falling into Thea’s orbit. She’s the first person he’s felt seen by since his childhood sweetheart, Oliver—who he hasn’t seen since Oliver’s banishment from the order.

But Oliver hasn’t given up on Callum or on magic. Following a magical creature’s trail to Barren’s Peak, Oliver happens upon Callum and Thea at a barn party that turns into a monster-overrun massacre. To save Callum and the girl he’s protecting from a wave of deadly fairies, Oliver opens a portal for the three of them to flee into the Labyrinth.

To get home again, Thea, Oliver, and Callum will have to work together to survive the Labyrinth’s trials and discover the threads that brought them there.

My Review

This one has a lot of elements that usually appeal to me. Unfortunately, I think I’m not the right audience for this portal fantasy.

The story alternates between Thea, Callum, and Oliver’s points of view. Each viewpoint is well-developed and has a unique voice. I felt like I understood each of them really quickly– in a good way.

The story sets up or passes through a love triangle. I have mixed feelings about that. Like, it was an interesting way to justify using all three points of view. I think the weakest character was at the center of the triangle, though. I never really grew to like this character, so it was sometimes challenging to endure the other characters describing their longing.

The fantasy world is interesting. The story reveals more information about the fantasy world and its history at a good pace. Every time I thought I had all the pieces of the puzzle, new information emerged that made me have to revise what I thought. I like that the story kept me guessing.

On the whole, I think maybe I just didn’t connect enough with the characters. They’re well-constructed. I think a lot of people will love this book, so if a portal fantasy series with a love triangle appeals to you, definitely check it out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can perform magic. A magical plane exists and has inspired all religious practice and stories in the human world.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Descriptions of dangerous insects and small creatures harming or killing someone. Battles with magical creatures.

Drug Content
References to a party where teens drink alcohol and smoke marijuana.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Creepy Kid by Caleb Roehrig

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, , , , ,

Creepy Kid
Caleb Roehrig
HarperCollins
Published August 25, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Creepy Kid

A hilariously creepy middle grade novel from award-winning author Caleb Roehrig! Poe has spent his whole life wishing he could meet a ghost, but when he moves into a real-life haunted house, he discovers that communing with the other side might be a little more than he bargained for.

Twelve-year-old Edgar Alden, also known as “Poe,” has always been an outcast. Obsessed with the macabre, he’s never remotely hit it off with other kids. Only Grandma ever really understood his love for the supernatural, but when she dies and his parents move into a dilapidated house on the other side of town, things for Poe quickly go from bad to worse.

You see, Poe has a roommate. A dead one. A 12-year-old ghost named Violet, who’s been stuck haunting Poe’s room for longer than she can remember. Violet is territorial, kind of annoying, and tethered to the human world by her doll, Baby Jessica.

But Poe quickly discovers that Violet isn’t the only spirit haunting his house. There’s a vengeful, violent entity in his basement. And it’s up to Poe to find a way to help them both cross to the other side.

Creepy Kid is a heartfelt but page-turning exploration of grief, moving on, and finding one’s place in the world—sure to make middle grade readers laugh, cry, and wonder about the mysteries that might lie on the other side.

My Review

This is the first middle grade novel by Caleb Roehrig that I’ve ever read. I have enjoyed several of his young adult mysteries, though, so my expectations were pretty high going into this one.

One of the things I think he really captures in this story is Poe’s relationship with his grandma. It’s so clear that her death has thrown him for a loop, and he’s struggling with his grief. She understood and celebrated parts of Poe’s personality that no one else did, and he’s really missing that, especially at his new school.

His connection to ghosts was interesting. I liked how integrated that is into the story as a whole. This isn’t strictly about him helping Violet, though that’s kind of where his ghostly adventures begin. It was also nice to see a story featuring a kid with a really specific temperament that doesn’t resolve with him learning to socialize better. He does grow, especially in understanding himself. But he still remains true to himself, even if that means being an oddball that most people don’t understand.

Poe’s close circle broadens a bit, and the story leaves room for a possible unexpected friendship, which makes for an uplifting ending.

I could see readers who enjoyed Ghoul Summer by Tracy Badua liking this one. It’s a good pick if you are looking for a grumpy narrator who must help ghosts find peace.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None

Spiritual Content
Some characters are ghosts. Poe learns that he can see and interact with them.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of bullying.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Leak by Kate Reed Petty

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , ,

The Leak
Kate Reed Petty
Illustrated by Andrea Bell
First Second
Published March 16, 2021

Amazon | Goodreads

About The Leak

In this middle-grade graphic novel, Ruth, a young journalist, is determined to uncover a secret that threatens her town.

Ruth Keller is brash and precocious; she argues with her dentist, her parents, and her teachers. So, when she discovers a strange black slime in the man-made lake of her suburban neighborhood, she decides to investigate. Fortified by the encouragement of those around her, Ruth seeks the truth at all costs, even if it means taking on the rich local country club owner, who she believes is responsible for the pollution.

Between the teasing of former friends, and a sudden viral spotlight, Ruth discovers how difficult it is for a journalist to take a stand for what’s right in the face of critique and controversy.

My Review

The fact that this book was inspired by the Flint water crisis intrigued me. My daughter picked up this book at the library and really wanted me to read it, so that also helped. Ha!

Ruth is a middle school student and an aspiring journalist. She writes her own newsletter, which had only a few friends and family members as subscribers at first. As she develops her skills as a journalist, her readership grows. An older journalist mentors her, encouraging Ruth to keep her personal biases out of her writing, to gather important research, and to ask questions rather than lob accusations.

In the midst of this adventure, the girls at school pressure Ruth about a boy she likes. They push her to define their relationship, to kiss him, and to prove that the two are dating. At first, Ruth is not interested in changing who she is or what she wants to gain the approval of these girls. She doesn’t always make the best choices in response to the pressure (which seems pretty realistic to me), but she ultimately strives to be true to herself and honor her values.

Give this book to aspiring journalists, young readers interested in ecology, or high achievers who march to the beat of their own drums.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Reference to a graffiti drawing of male anatomy.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Some of Ruth’s friends pressure her to show more interest in a boy than she feels, so he doesn’t “lose interest” in her.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed this book from my public library. All opinions are my own.