Review: Worst-Case Scenario by Ray Stoeve

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Worst-case Scenario by Ray Stoeve

Worst-Case Scenario
Ray Stoeve
Amulet Books
Published January 20, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Worst-Case Scenario

New from Ray Stoeve comes an enemies-to-lovers romance about nemeses who are forced to share their school’s Queer Alliance presidency following a tie in the election.

Sidney has one goal for their junior year. Well . . . two, if they’re being honest. Number become president of their school’s Queer Alliance club. And number keep their self-diagnosed anxiety in check so their grades don’t tank like they did last year.

But when the election results in a tie with none other than Sidney’s arch nemesis, the class clown Forrest, the two are forced to share the presidency until a revote at the end of term. Sidney expects Forrest to be insufferable, but it turns out that working together is . . . kind of nice?

As surprising feelings for Forrest emerge, Sidney’s techniques for managing their anxiety stop working. With the reelection approaching and assignments starting to pile up, will all this pressure be too much for Sidney to handle on their own?

My Review

I felt Sidney’s emotions throughout this story. Their fear was palpable. I could see them slip into hamster-wheel thinking, where their thoughts spiral, and they couldn’t stop. Stoeve did an incredible job bringing these experiences to the page. I was absolutely lost in the story and desperate to see Sidney get the help they needed.

The characters had a lot of life in them, too. Sidney, their moms, their dad, their friend Anna, and Forrest all have really distinct personalities and characteristics. When a character entered a scene speaking or texting, I knew immediately who it was. Sidney also has a lot of layers, too. I like that the story never reduces them to their mental health issues. Their hopes, relationships, and other feelings consistently drive the story forward.

The development of the relationship between Sidney and Forrest is so sweet. I like that they both had misconceptions about one another, but they both have to give and grow to find their way to romance.

I’m loving that more authors are writing novels that include their own mental health experiences now. I think this can’t help but make it easier for kids to understand what it’s like to have a mental illness or to help them feel less alone and potentially find the courage to speak up about what they’re going through.

Readers who enjoy books by Sonora Reyes or Adam Silvera should pick this one up.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to making out.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Sidney remembers some intense arguments between their parents.

Drug Content
Sidney’s dad is a recovering alcoholic. Sidney remembers him behaving badly while drunk in the past.

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.

MMGM Review: The Big Bad Wolf Murder by P. G. Bell

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The Big Bad Wolf Murder
P. G. Bell
Feiwel & Friends
Published January 20, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Big Bad Wolf Murder

A girl accused of killing a famous wolf must solve his murder while on the run, in this twist on Little Red Riding Hood!

At twelve years old, Ruby Calvino is the youngest human player in the Tooth & Claw championships. It’s her fast legs and even faster mind that leaves her as the last player left during the final game, and she’s ready to claim victory. But when the undefeated Alarick— the wolf player hunting her— is finally upon her, he…drops dead?

With poison found in Ruby’s bag, all fingers (and paws!) point to her. Desperate to prove her innocence, she teams up with a young wolf accused of helping her commit the crime. But figuring out who killed Alarick certainly won’t be easy while on the run from cops and another vicious wolf.

Luckily, Ruby’s Tooth & Claw training just might come in handy!

My Review

This is the first I’ve read of P. G. Bell’s books, but I will absolutely read more. I loved this mystery-laced twist on Little Red Riding Hood and the game the characters compete in during the book. The Tooth & Claw Championship is a little bit like capture the flag. One team’s goal is to cross the field without being captured and to raise their flags, while the other team (made up of anthropomorphic wolves) wins by capturing all players. Alarick’s murder interrupts Ruby’s team’s potential championship win.

The elements of the championship and the game were easy to understand and very well integrated into the story. In order to track down Alarick’s murderer, Ruby even had to use some of her best Tooth & Claw moves. I also enjoyed Ruby and Fillan as a team. They have very different backgrounds and personalities, and it takes them some time to learn to trust one another. Once they do, though, they make a powerful team.

At 224 pages, this fast-paced story is easy to read. Give this to readers who enjoyed The Great Texas Dragon Race by Kacy Ritter or who enjoy stories where fantasy and sports themes or mysteries intersect.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Ruby witnesses a wolf dying from poisoning. A wolf bites a girl in an attempted robbery. A wolf hunts Ruby and Fillan, clearly intending to kill them. Ruby and Fillan face other potentially fatal threats.

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.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.

Review: Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo

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Lunar Boy
Jes and Cin Wibowo
HarperAlley
Published May 14, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Lunar Boy

For fans of The Witch Boy and Squished, Lunar Boy is a must-have heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo.

Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn’t belong. He hasn’t since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship—their home—to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he’s weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn’t seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can’t even talk to his mom about how he’s feeling because she’s so busy.

In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. And against all odds, the moon hears him and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. But as the promised day draws nearer, Indu finds friendship in unlikely places and discovers that home is more than where you come from. And when the moon calls again, Indu must decide: Is he willing to give up what he’s just found?

My Review

I’m sure I saw a review of this book somewhere or saw someone posting about it on social media, but I’m terrible at keeping notes on that, so I can’t remember who told me to read this book. If it was you, thank you.

Lunar Boy is an unusual story. Indu begins alone on the surface of the moon. He hears a voice in his head that he identifies as belonging to the moon. The voice warns him that being alone is safe, and that forming connections to others opens a person up to the possibility of pain and heartache. Indu decides to leave anyway and lives as a part of a blended family. He and his mom move to a newly colonized planet where he learns a new language and attends school.

He faces some big adjustments, and learns to navigate different conflicts, both external and internal. He also explores his identity and encounters others coming to terms with their own identities. The book handles this very gently. There is one spot where someone misgenders Indu. He apologizes and is supportive after the fact, though.

I really liked the elements of found family/adoption in the story. It was also interesting that Indu faced being part of a blended family after acclimating to a smaller family with just him and his adopted mom.

I could see readers who enjoyed The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu or The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang liking this one a lot. I’m eager to see these authors create more books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to an older couple in a dating relationship. One panel shows two characters kissing.

Spiritual Content
Indu hears the Moon speaking to him about the risks of forming relationships with others and living in community (loneliness and pain). At one point the Moon tells Indu he can come home at a certain cycle of the moon. References to ceremonies to honor coming-of-age for boys and girls.

Violent Content
Some homophobic or transphobic statements. One instance of misgendering. (The person apologizes and promises to do better in the future.)

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: I, in the Shadows by Tori Bovalino

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

I, in the Shadows
Tori Bovalino
Page Street
Published January 13, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I, in the Shadows

Liam has been dead for ten months, haunting the house he used to share with his family, and facing intermittent and terrifying encounters with an eldritch entity called The Beast, who seems determined to consume his soul. Besides that complication in Liam’s new existence, he’s actually adjusted well enough to boredom. But all of that changes when a new family moves in and Liam finds himself sharing a room with Drew Tarpin, who is all of the things Liam never was when he was athletic, queer, and effortlessly cool.

Except, Liam and Drew do have something in their hopeless attraction to Hannah Steward, the nerdy captain of the school mock trial team. After Drew stands in to protect Liam from the Beast, he agrees to help her win Hannah over if Drew keeps Liam from spending the entirety of his afterlife as demon food. It shouldn’t be hard, since Liam was in unrequited love with Hannah for his entire natural life, and her best friend until his untimely death. But the Beast will not be satisfied no matter how much Drew fights back on Liam’s behalf—and when Hannah catches on that Liam might not be totally gone, it puts all of their lives at risk.

My Review

I kept seeing books by Tori Bovalino around, so I’ve been wanting to read one, and I’m excited that I finally did.

The ghostly parts of this story follow a pretty well-traveled path. Drew can see ghosts, and so can other family members. Her sibling has been a lot more involved in helping ghosts move on. Usually, Drew steers clear of ghost work, but she’s now the only child at home, and the ghost lingering in the house is attracting dangerous creatures.

Once she agrees to help the ghost, Liam, move on, she becomes entangled in Liam’s old friend group. The group felt like a cohesive unit, and Drew’s experience hanging out with them reminded me of similar experiences I’ve had as an outsider with a group like that, so I thought it was pretty realistic.

I also liked the slow development of Drew’s feelings for Hannah. Drew’s promise to help Liam move on quickly complicates Drew’s possible relationship with Hannah. I liked that the feelings didn’t trump the mistakes made. I thought Bovalino did a nice job making space to address the conflicts.

Readers who enjoy stories about ghosts and falling in love will definitely want to check out this supernatural mystery-slash-romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Someone shares their romantic (unreciprocated) feelings with a friend. A girl describes feeling pressured to have a romantic relationship with a boy because of a loss they share and his strong feelings for her.

Spiritual Content
Drew and a few other family members can see and interact with ghosts. They’re supposed to help ghosts move on to the afterlife. If ghosts linger in this world too long, they become husks, hollowed-out, hungry, ghostly creatures with no memories of their previous existence. An octopus or spider-like creature made of shadows appears to devour husks. Husks and this shadowy creature can harm living things, too.

Violent Content
References to a car accident that killed a teenage boy. Journal entries reference the death of another family member.

Drug Content
References to drug addiction. (Not shown on the page.) References to a party where teens drank alcohol that happened before the story began. Teens drink alcohol at a party.

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.

6 Favorite Quotes from Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne

Anthology or Collection, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , ,

The 100th Anniversary of Winnie-the-Pooh

October of this year marks the 100th anniversary of the beloved classic, Winnie-the-Pooh. I grew up with Pooh stories and Milne’s poetry (my mom used to quote his poem about turning five pretty regularly).

Simon & Schuster sent me a really nice copy of the 100th Anniversary edition, which has a soft, flocked cover with a simple illustration of the bear himself. It’s a great size for little hands, and the cover has a great texture. The inside features the original illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard.

In honor of this new edition and 100 years of Winnie the Pooh, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite quotes from Winnie-the-Pooh and The House Around Pooh Corner.

The quote that inspired this post, it turns out, isn’t from the book at all but from the Disney movie. I have a small frame with the quote inside that was on a table at my wedding. Between the time my partner proposed and we married, three of our grandparents passed away, and the remaining grandmother was too ill to attend the ceremony. We placed the quote on a table with photos of our grandparents.

6 Favorite Quotes from Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner

“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” – A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“Poetry and Hums aren’t things which you get, they’re things which get you. And all you can do is to go where they can find you.” – A. A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

“Wherever they go, and whatever happens to them on the way, in that enchanted place on the top of the forest, a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.” – A. A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner

Winnie-the-Pooh 100th Anniversary Edition (Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner)
A. A. Milne
Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard
Aladdin Books
Published January 6, 2026

About Winnie-the-Pooh 100th Anniversary Edition (Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Reviews

Celebrate the 100th anniversary of everyone’s favorite bear-of-little-brain with this special bind-up edition of A. A. Milne’s classic novels Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner—featuring a flocked cover that’s soft to the touch.

The story of the honey-loving, bumbling bear Winnie-the-Pooh has been a staple in children’s libraries since its original publication in the 1900s. Venture into the Hundred Acre Wood and join sweet Pooh, understanding Christopher Robin, timid Piglet, downcast Eeyore, impatient Rabbit, loquacious Owl, loving Kanga and Roo, and bold Tigger on their exploits.

In each chapter, they have a new adventure, from searching for honey or celebrating birthdays to hunting Heffalumps or navigating a flood. Complete with the original black-and-white interior illustrations by Ernest Shepard, this edition is the perfect way to experience the children’s classic that has captured imaginations for the past century.

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.

What are your favorite quotes from childhood books?

Are there quotes from your favorite childhood books that immediately take you back to the moment you read them as a little kid? What books stand out in your memory as favorites? Leave a comment and let me know.

Review: A Barista’s Guide to Love and Larceny by Caroline Bonin

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

A Barista’s Guide to Love and Larceny
Caroline Bonin
Feiwel & Friends
Published January 13, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Barista’s Guide to Love and Larceny

This cozy fantasy romance combines magic, college life, and first love into a sweetly brewed and delicious read about a girl roped into investigating a company’s dangerous product!

Dani Lionet is no stranger to working hard. But now she’s attending her dream university, and must manage classes, shifts at the local cafe, and maintaining her partial scholarship—all while trying to keep her unique ability under wraps. That way, no one else can take advantage of it like her parents used to.

So when a visiting professor calls Dani out on her ability, she’s terrified. Yet, it seems Professor Silva just wants to pay her to use it to help investigate a soon-to-be-released lucid dreaming product with horrible side effects. Dani is hesitant, but she needs the money, and it would help her new friend who was part of the product’s clinical trials. Meanwhile, she has a swoony distraction in Kass, her endearingly cute new regular at work.

But then Silva’s plan evolves into stealing the formula. Can Dani help with this “group project,” learn to embrace her ability, and get to know Kass? Or will it all fall apart?

My Review

I really enjoyed the magical college atmosphere of this book. It’s set in the real world, but with magical abilities and disciplines. The main characters attend a magical college, which I love as a concept. Dani also works at a coffee shop, which added even more cozy vibes.

My favorite thing about the book is how well all the different elements integrate into the story. Truthfully, I’d call the romance part of the book more of a subplot compared to the heist/group project that Dani and her friends commit to. I love that Dani’s romantic relationship doesn’t eclipse her other friendships. The story strikes a great balance, showing Dani falling head over heels while still anchoring her in other relationships, in part because she’s on this heist team and they have a tight deadline.

Dani has an unusual magical gift, which she feels ashamed of early on in the story. As the book progresses, though, she learns to think about her ability differently. Her feelings were so relatable. How often do we have a weird talent that seems useless or embarrassing? It takes courage and effort to reframe how we feel about that stuff, and her journey with that was really cool.

I almost wish this book had come out in November, since the story wraps up at Christmas. It would have been a really fun one to read leading up to the holidays. That said, I think it works perfectly as a cozy story to read on a chilly day or evening while bundled up with a mug of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.

If you’re looking for a wintry, magical heist in a college setting with a strong romance subplot, definitely put A Barista’s Guide to Love and Larceny on your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can do magic. One character has fae ancestry.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A few scenes show characters trapped in their nightmares, acting out what happens in their dreams.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at a bar and at a party.

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.