Category Archives: By Age Range

Review: She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

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She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

She Gets the Girl
Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published April 5, 2022

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About She Gets the Girl

Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of flirt. She knows how to get the girl. Keeping her on the other hand…not so much. Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.

Alex and Molly don’t belong on the same planet, let alone the same college campus. But when Alex, fresh off a bad (but hopefully not permanent) breakup, discovers Molly’s hidden crush as their paths cross the night before classes start, they realize they might have a common interest after all. Because maybe if Alex volunteers to help Molly learn how to get her dream girl to fall for her, she can prove to her ex that she’s not a selfish flirt. That she’s ready for an actual commitment. And while Alex is the last person Molly would ever think she could trust, she can’t deny Alex knows what she’s doing with girls, unlike her.

As the two embark on their five-step plans to get their girls to fall for them, though, they both begin to wonder if maybe they’re the ones falling…for each other.

My Review

This one started a teeny bit rough for me. I don’t know if it was the writing or the fact that I’d just read two other books in which a parent was an alcoholic, so I was kind of worn out on that idea? It didn’t feel quite authentic in those opening chapters, but maybe that’s because at that point, Alex was her most inauthentic self.

At any rate, once I was three or so chapters into the book, I felt like things smoothed out and I started to really like both Molly and Alex a lot. I loved watching their friendship develop and watching Molly find her confidence and Alex find the ability to open up and let herself genuinely care about someone.

One of the things I think SHE GETS THE GIRL does really well is deliver complicated relationships. Natalie isn’t the perfect girlfriend, so Alex’s goal of reuniting with her isn’t as simple as it looks, and I found I had a lot of feelings about that, in a good way. I also thought the relationship between Alex and her mom was well done. At first I thought it would be kind of one-dimensional, but I liked that Alex began to unpack her feelings about her relationship with her mom and how she was responding to her mom’s behavior.

Molly also had a complex relationship with her mom. I felt like there was a good balance there, too, of giving enough time and space in the story to bring up some of those issues without it dominating or taking over the whole book.

On the whole, I can say this wife-wife duo delivered exactly the sweet romance I was looking for. I really enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Molly is half Korean American. Both she and Alex are self-described lesbians.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. References to sex between two girls.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Molly tries out for a rugby club and gets flattened when another girl tackles her.

Drug Content
Molly attends a party where people are drinking alcohol. Alex and Natalie get drunk after a show. Alex’s mom is an alcoholic.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SHE GETS THE GIRL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum

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Year on Fire
Julie Buxbaum
Delacorte Press
Published April 5, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Year on Fire

Can a single kiss change everything?

It was a year on fire. They fell in love. Someone was bound to get burned.

The Spark: Just days before the start of junior year for twins Arch and Immie and their best friend, Paige, a spontaneous kiss shakes the very foundation of their friendship. But some ties run too deep to be broken by accidental betrayal.

The Fuel: Enter Rohan, new to Wood Valley High by way of London, who walks into school on the first day completely overwhelmed by his sudden move halfway around the world. When Paige calls dibs on him—he’s too cute to ignore—Immie is in no position to argue, certainly not after taking the fall for the disloyal kiss. Too bad for Immie that Ro feels like the best kind of familiar.

The Kindling: Former lab partners Arch and Jackson, Paige’s ex-boyfriend, have never considered themselves more than friends. But sometimes feelings can grow like wildfire.

The Flames: When the girls’ bathroom at Wood Valley is set ablaze, no one doubts it’s arson. But in this bastion of privilege, who’d be angry enough to want to burn down the school? Answer: pretty much everyone.

YEAR ON FIRE explores the blinding power of the lies we tell others and those we tell ourselves, the tight grip of family secrets, the magic of first love, and the grounding beauty of friendship.

My Review

I loved this book for its complicated relationships, the unspoken fears, the drama of falling in love unexpectedly, and the celebration of the close bond of siblings. The writing also swept me away. It’s lyrical and gorgeous and there were so many lines I wanted to sit and savor.

I can’t even choose a favorite character because I liked them all. Ha. I loved the way that Arch and Immie related to each other. It was so comforting to them when they were on the same page about something and so frightening when they weren’t. I was captivated by Ro’s feelings about his parents and the uncertainty of their future as well as feeling helpless and like he had no say in moving to Los Angeles from London.

The whole story sort of circles around fires at school and rumors about who set them. I liked the way that plot slowly unspooled in the midst of all the friendship drama and tension. I felt like it was paced really well– this was a book that I read in two sittings but would have read in one if I hadn’t started the first few chapters at midnight the night before I finished it.

All in all, I think fans of WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart or WE ARE THE GOLDENS by Dana Reinhardt will love this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
YEAR ON FIRE is told from four points of view: Immie and Arch are twins. Arch is gay. Paige is “three quarters Jewish American and a quarter Chinese American.” Rohan is from England and is maybe Indian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. Kissing between a girl and boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Someone starts several fires at school. Arch and Immie’s dad becomes violently angry at home.

Drug Content
References to teens drinking alcohol.

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

Review: The Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina

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

The Silent Unseen
Amanda McCrina
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published April 5, 2022

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About The Silent Unseen

A mesmerizing historical novel of suspense and intrigue about a teenage girl who risks everything to save her missing brother.

Poland, July 1944. Sixteen-year-old Maria is making her way home after years of forced labor in Nazi Germany, only to find her village destroyed and her parents killed in a war between the Polish Resistance and Ukrainian nationalists. To Maria’s shock, the local Resistance unit is commanded by her older brother, Tomek―who she thought was dead. He is now a “Silent Unseen,” a special-operations agent with an audacious plan to resist a new and even more dangerous enemy sweeping in from the East. When Tomek disappears, Maria is determined to find him, but the only person who might be able to help is a young Ukrainian prisoner and the last person Maria trusts―even as she feels a growing connection to him that she can’t resist.

My Review

I found this book to be really compelling, especially the relationship between Kostya and Maria. I don’t know anything about the real history of the time period (1944) or how realistic the events in the story are, but I found THE SILENT UNSEEN to be really moving.

There were a couple of weird things about it to me, though. The title and cover copy kind of make it sound like Tomek is a major character, and he really wasn’t? It would make more sense if this is the first book in a series, and the Silent Unseen become a more major part of the story across multiple books, but I don’t see anything stating that this is anything other than a standalone novel.

The story was also a lot darker than I expected. Kostya joined the Ukrainian nationalists unwillingly, and was pretty severely tortured during his service with them. I liked his character a lot, though. His whole goal is to find his way back to his mother and sister and protect them. He seems young and somehow innocent despite everything he’s been through.

On the whole, I liked this book. I feel like it ended in kind of a weird place, like I feel like I’m still waiting for some shoes to drop? So again, it feels like this should be a series, but I don’t see anything about that being the case. If it’s a standalone, I feel weird about the way it ended because so much was still up in the air. In any case, I enjoyed reading THE SILENT UNSEEN, and it made me want to read more of the real history of what happened in Poland following the end of World War II.

If you liked THE GIRL IN THE BLUE COAT by Monica Hesse, check this one out.

Content Notes The Silent Unseen

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Maria is Polish. Kostya is Ukranian. Kostya has experienced some pretty horrific torture and that effects his behavior in some PTSD-like symptoms.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to rape. Maria has had experiences in which favors come with a price, and she’s afraid she’ll have those experiences again. Kiss between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Kostya keeps a statue of St. Constantine in his room.

Violent Content
Maria escaped from a labor camp. References to and descriptions of torture and war crimes. Maria shoots and kills several men. Soldiers wound Kostya.

Drug Content
Captors used morphine as part of torturing Kostya.

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

Review: Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community by Lois Peterson

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Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community
Lois Peterson
Illustrated by Taryn Gee
Orca Book Publishers
Published October 12, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Shelter: Homelessness in Our Community

There are 150 million people experiencing homelessness worldwide, and that number is increasing every year. Homelessness is not a choice, yet it exists in almost every community. But why are people homeless? Who are they? What can you do? In SHELTER: HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, readers will get answers to these complex questions. They’ll learn about the root causes of homelessness and its effects, and what people and organizations around the world are doing to address the problem.

It shares the personal stories of people who live on the street and the adults and kids who work with them. As a former homeless-shelter worker, author Lois Peterson encourages young people to approach the issue with knowledge and compassion. She dispels some of the myths about homelessness and makes the case for why everyone deserves a safe, permanent place to call home.

My Review

The author of SHELTER has been both a librarian (where she encountered homeless people regularly) and the executive director at a homeless shelter. So, she brings a lot of personal experience to the book. She also includes bits of stories about different people she’s met and their situations. This helps to illustrate some of the information and statistics presented about the homeless.

Since the author is Canadian, a lot of the information relates to how homelessness is viewed and handled there. She also includes statistics and information about homelessness in the United States. The book is full of facts and ideas for how to help. It discusses what kinds of interventions have been shown to work and how people can help in their own communities.

Possibly one of the coolest parts of the book is that over and over the author tells about kids who’ve been inspired by volunteer work to create their own charities or inventions to help homeless people receive care and services. I thought that was particularly inspiring. There are also some great lists, both for additional nonfiction resources and fictional stories highlighting the challenges of poverty and homelessness.

This book would make a great resource for a classroom, public or home library. It would also serve as a helpful resource guide for youth at religious institutions. I think it’s a great way to begin to get more educated about homelessness and learn ways to help in a local community.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
The book includes short snippets of stories from people who are or have been homeless, including Indigenous and Black interviewees.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some references to churches and other spiritual centers offering support or services for homeless people.

Violent Content
Brief references to risks associated with homelessness, such as being assaulted or robbed.

Drug Content
Reference to some homeless people struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of SHELTER: HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY in exchange for my honest review.

Review and Blog Tour: A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

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

A Forgery of Roses
Jessica S. Olson
Inkyard Press
Published March 29, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Forgery of Roses

Myra Whitlock has a gift. One many would kill for.

She’s an artist whose portraits alter people’s real-life bodies, a talent she must hide from those who would kidnap, blackmail, and worse in order to control it. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone.

But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. Desperate, Myra ventures to his legendary stone mansion.

Once she arrives, however, it becomes clear the boy’s death was no accident. Someone dangerous lurks within these glittering halls. Someone harboring a disturbing obsession with portrait magic.

Myra cannot do the painting until she knows what really happened, so she turns to the governor’s older son, a captivating redheaded poet. Together, they delve into the family’s most shadowed affairs, racing to uncover the truth before the secret Myra spent her life concealing makes her the killer’s next victim.

From SING ME FORGOTTEN author Jessica S. Olson comes a gothic fantasy murder mystery perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco and Erin A. Craig.

My Review

Last year I read and loved DOWN COMES THE NIGHT, which also has a creepy, murder mystery in a mansion feel to it. I hoped to find a similar vibe in A FORGERY OF ROSES, and it definitely hit a lot of those notes for me, so I really enjoyed that.

I’m also a huge fan of sister books, so the fact that Myra’s driving goal is to save her sister was also something that drew me to this book. I liked that Lucy is portrayed with a chronic illness. I think she’s also sort of this angelic character– she’s super smart, incredibly supportive of her sister and rarely complains about her own discomfort. I think she would have read as a more real character if she’d at least been grouchy sometimes, or if there was something the sisters consistently argued about or disagreed on.

I liked the way Myra and August’s relationship developed. There were some really fun moments between them, like when they’re exploring a place they shouldn’t be and nearly get caught, so of course they have to cram themselves into a tiny closet together. Ha.

The only thing that I struggled with was that there are a couple moments where characters seemed to suddenly become different than they’d been all the way up to that point in the story. Those caught me by surprise (which is good) but also left me thinking, wait, where did this come from?

Despite that, I enjoyed seeing Myra figure out how to trust others and keep fighting for her family. I think readers who like slow burn romance and fast-paced mysteries in a fantasy world will enjoy this story.

Content Notes for A Forgery of Roses

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Myra’s sister is chronically ill. August has anxiety.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Characters believe a great painter they call the Artist painted the world, and his Lady was so moved by it that he made the world real for her. Her tears upon first seeing the painting became a roses with special powers.

Violent Content
Someone attacks Myra. She also finds portraits that seem to indicate people were tortured.

Drug Content
Myra attends a party where guests drink champagne.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of A FORGERY OF ROSES in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author

Instagram | Twitter | Website

Jessica S. Olson claims New Hampshire as her home but has somehow found herself in Texas, where she spends most of her time singing praises to the inventor of the air conditioner. When she’s not hiding from the heat, she’s corralling her four wild—but adorable—children, dreaming up stories about kissing and murder and magic, and eating peanut butter by the spoonful straight from the jar. She earned a bachelor’s in English with minors in editing and French, which essentially means she spent all of her university time reading and eating French pastries. She is the author of SING ME FORGOTTEN (2021) and A FORGERY OF ROSES (2022).

15 Highly Anticipated YA Books Coming Spring 2022

Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Spring is here and it’s very much past time to talk about what I’m most looking forward to reading this season. My last anticipated books post covered books coming out in January to late March, but there were a couple books I must have added to my TBR after I made that post, so I’ve included the few that I missed in this list.

Spring 2022 looks like another great season for YA books. Genre-wise, I’m looking forward to books that are kind of all over the map, from a couple historical books to RomComs to fantasy, and even a novel in verse! I’m particularly excited to read THIS REBEL HEART by Katherine Locke and YEAR ON FIRE by Julie Buxbaum as I’ve heard amazing things about both authors and have wanted to try books by them for a while.

Note: I finally went back to my Anticipated Books List from last season and updated the list with links to any of the books that I reviewed. So far I’ve read 13 of the 16 books on my list. Another is my next up to read (the publishing date got pushed back a bit, so I also pushed back my plans to read it.). A second one is on my bedside table and my blog calendar as a book to fit in the second I have a spare moment. The last book is on my library reading list, so hopefully I’ll be able to get that one read soon, too.

Also Note: This post contains affiliate links which don’t cost anything for you to use. Shopping from those links supports my blog. Thanks in advance!

15 Highly Anticipated YA Books Coming Spring 2022

A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A stunning novel in verse about two trans boys who discover the story of Revolutionary soldiers who may have been transgender.

Release Date: March 22, 2022 | My Review

A Forgery of Roses by Jessica S. Olson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A gothic fantasy murder mystery. An unusual pick for me, but I’m hoping for some DOWN COMES THE NIGHT but gothic vibes??

Release Date: March 29, 2022 | My Review

This Rebel Heart by Katherine Locke

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A magic river kept a girl’s family safe in WWII Hungary. Now she must decide whether to finally take her chance to escape to safety or fight for revolution.

Release date: April 5, 2022 | My Review

The Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl returning home after surviving forced labor under the Nazis is caught in a war between Polish resistance and Ukrainian nationalists. Looks tense and hopeful.

Release Date: April 5, 2022 | My Review

She Gets the Girl by Rachel Lippincott and Alyson Derrick

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A hate-to-love YA sapphic romantic comedy– which sounds like exactly the kind of story that I need in my life right now.

Release Date: April 5, 2022 | My Review

This May End Badly by Samantha Markum

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Fake dating/rivals to romance set in an elite boarding school. Looks like lots of pranks and antics and romantic sparks. I’m excited for this one.

Release Date: April 12, 2022 | My Review

Gone Dark by Amanda Panitch

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: No electricity due to a malware attack. A girl who thought she’d put her survivalist history behind her now needs it in order to survive. Looks dark, and intense. I’m hoping for something along the lines of ALONE by Megan E. Freeman.

Release Date: April 12, 2022 | My Review

Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Twin sisters plus a best friend. A betrayal in the form of a kiss. Arson. New boys. Surprise romance. Sounds like lots of tension and drama. I’m so in.

Release Date: April 12, 2022 | My Review

Forging Silver Into Stars by Brigid Kemmerer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: More stories from Emberfall and Syhl Shallow! Tycho is a Lord?! Two friends who must risk everything to save their families, even if it means helping destroy their new king (Grey!). Yes, please. I’m all over this one.

Release Date: May 3, 2022 | My Review

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow and Liz Lawson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two girls desperate to solve a mystery in a town full of secrets armed with the complete works of Agatha Christie. I’ve read books by Glasgow and Lawson before and enjoyed them, so I’m super excited to read this one.

Release Date: May 3, 2022 | My Review

Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The prequel to WE WERE LIARS, which if you know me, you know was the book that made me stand up a date once because I could. Not. Put it down. Totally lost track of time, like lost two hours of time. Oopsy. (It’s okay; he forgave me. We are married now.)

Release Date: May 3, 2022 | My Review

See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl having a Groundhog day experience, but with her nemesis. Sounds like lots of antics and laughs and swoony romance. I’ve been told I’m on the ARC list, but haven’t received a copy yet, so I might have to wait until this one is in print to read it.

Release Date: May 3, 2022

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A flamenco dancer who must turn dragon hunter to save her father and her inheritance. Looks like an incredible story.

Release Date: May 31, 2022 | My Review

Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A self-professed teen love doctor with a radio show. A girl who has zero time for love. Three dates to convince her he’s worth a chance. Can you see my heart eyes from there?

Release Date: May 31, 2022 | My Review

Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A summer road trip turns best friends to rivals and possibly… to lovers? Sounds like a perfect summer read.

Release Date: May 31, 2022 | My Review