Category Archives: By Age Range

Review: Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

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Defend the Dawn by Brigid Kemmerer

Defend the Dawn (Deft the Night #2)
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published September 20, 2022

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About Defend the Dawn

To save their kingdom, they must embark on a dangerous journey…

The kingdom of Kandala narrowly avoided catastrophe, but the embers of revolution still simmer. While King Harristan seeks a new way to lead, Tessa and Prince Corrick attempt to foster unity between rebels and royals.

But the consuls who control the Moonflower will not back down, and Corrick realizes he must find a new source for the lifesaving Elixir.

When an emissary from the neighboring kingdom of Ostriary arrives with an intriguing offer, Tessa and Corrick set out on an uncertain journey as they attempt to mend their own fractured relationship.

This could be their only chance to keep the peace and bring relief to the people of Kandala, but danger strikes during the journey to Ostriary, and no one is who they seemed to be. . .

My Review

I love this series, but I don’t know that I would truly classify it as young adult. The issues that Tessa and Corrick deal with are more adult– figuring out your career path and relationships– rather that the more figuring out who you are and what you believe about the world stuff typical of YA.

That said, I’d probably also call it a crossover because Brigid Kemmerer has written other young adult novels and has a pretty significant (well-deserved) following among YA readers.

Okay, so onto the book itself. The story of DEFEND THE DAWN is divided into three points of view: Tessa, Corrick, and an Outlaw. Tessa and Corrick face challenges to their relationship and doubts about each other’s feelings and values. The Outlaw has to navigate his dual roles as a masked helper to the poor by night and a powerful man by day. I found it easy to invest in all three characters, and some of the side characters kind of stole the scene a few times, too. Lochlan, the rebel leader, Quint, the king’s right-hand man, and Rian, the captain of the ship all had some great moments. I’m really excited to see what happens with each of them in the next book.

In terms of the plot, I felt like the pacing moved really nicely. I felt like there was a bit of a lull around the middle where Corrick and Tessa kind of rehash the same conflict they’d been having, while I was ready to move on.

I really liked the directions that DEFEND THE DAWN flowed in, though. We learn so many new things about the kingdom and the politics between the crown and the consuls. We also learn some things connecting events of the past, when Corrick and Harristan’s father was king, to issues in the present. I felt like that painted a much bigger picture of what was going on and why some things had happened earlier on in the book and series.

Reading the next book will be easy– I really want to know what happens next! Waiting for it to come out will be a little harder.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
The Outlaw character (a man) is attracted to men.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some derisive comments insinuating that a girl is only useful because she sleeps with a powerful boy. Kissing between boy and girl. Flirting between two boys. In one scene, a boy opens a girl’s top and touches her. In another, a couple spend a night in his bed, just sleeping.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to torture and execution. Situations of peril. Some battle scenes in which characters receive injuries.

Drug Content
Some discussion of which plants are used to poison and which to heal.

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 DEFEND THE DAWN in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Direwood by Catherine Yu

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

Direwood
Catherine Yu
Page Street Kids
Published September 20, 2022

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About Direwood

In this velvet-clad 1990s gothic horror, Aja encounters a charming vampire who wants to lure her into the woods—just like her missing sister.

No one ever pays attention to sixteen-year-old Aja until her perfect older sister Fiona goes missing. In
the days leading up to Fiona’s disappearance, Aja notices some extraordinary things: a strange fog
rolling through their idyllic suburban town, a brief moment when the sky seems to rain blood, and a
host of parasitic caterpillars burrowing their way through the trees. Aja’s father, the neighbors, and
even her ex-friend Mary all play down this strange string of occurrences, claiming there must be some
natural explanation. It seems everyone is willing to keep living in denial until other teens start to go
missing too.

Aja is horrified when she meets Padraic, the vampire responsible for all the strange occurrences. His
hypnotic voice lures her to the window and tells her everything she’s longed to hear—she’s beautiful and
special, and he wants nothing more than for Aja to come with him. Aja knows she shouldn’t trust him,
but she’s barely able to resist his enthrallment. And following him into the woods may be the only way
to find Fiona, so she agrees on one condition: He must let her leave alive if she is not wooed after one
week. Though Aja plans to kill him before the week is out, Padraic has his own secrets as well.

In the misty woods, Aja finds that Padraic has made his nest with another vampire in a dilapidated
church infested by blood-sucking butterflies. Within its walls, the vampires are waited on and entertained by other children they’ve enthralled, but there is no sign of Fiona. Before her bargain is up, Aja must find a way to turn her classmates against their captors, find her sister, and save them all—or be forced to join the very monsters she wants to destroy.

My Review

I have some mixed feelings about DIREWOOD. It definitely had a lot of creepiness to it, which I enjoyed. Even though the vampires weren’t around during the day, the caterpillars/butterflies became this constant threat and reminder that they were there and that nothing was okay. I like how they were connected to the vampires’ existence, too.

The blood rain was kind of weird, though. It’s never really explained, and it kind of gets lost in the other things happening at the end of the book.

Strangely, I think Padraic was my favorite character. I loved the way we’re never sure what to make of him. Like, obviously he’s dangerous, but he seems to take steps to protect Aja at cost to himself. I liked that my feelings about him were as mixed up as Aja’s. That felt really realistic.

On the other hand, I was frustrated by Aja’s feelings about other characters, especially her sister Fiona and her best friend Mary. I liked that her feelings were complex and the fact that she had kind of a love-hate thing going on, but it was sometimes hard for me to follow her reasoning. Sometimes she forgave things super easily that I was like wait, what? And other times she held onto things that didn’t seem fair.

On the whole, I’m glad I read DIREWOOD. I love sister books, so this definitely scratched that itch for me, even though their relationship was complicated. I also thought the spin on vampire stories with the blood-sucking butterflies was really cool. Readers who enjoyed THE IMMORTAL RULES by Julie Kagawa will like this one.

Content Notes

Content warning for violence and some body horror.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Aja and her sister are Chinese American. Other characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to romance between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Some characters are vampires.

Violent Content
The vampires feed on the humans they’ve lured into the woods. Blood-sucking butterflies drink from wounds left by the vampires. Two girls discover the body of another teenager. A vampire tortures a girl, letting caterpillars eat into her body. A girl stabs another girl.

Drug Content
None.

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 this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R. M. Romero

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The Ghosts of Rose Hill
R. M. Romero
Peachtree Teen
Published May 10, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Ghosts of Rose Hill

Magic will burn you up.

Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.

When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.

But Benjamin isn’t the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.

With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

My Review

What an amazing novel-in-verse. It’s part fairy-tale, part love story, part celebration of history and culture and faith. I fell into this book right from the first chapter and didn’t surface until the last page. I loved the Prague setting and the way Ilana cared for the graveyard out of reverence for her faith and the impact that it had on the people around her.

Lots of things about the story surprised me– in good ways. I loved Ilana’s relationship with her aunt. I didn’t expect some of the conversations they had, and I loved the ways her aunt shared her own stories.

And Benjamin. I loved him, too. I knew he was going to break my heart, and he did, but I loved the journey anyway.

THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL is the kind of book that’s going to stick with me awhile. I already want to go back and read it again. It reminds me a little bit of THE BOOK THIEF in its other-worldly-ness. Or VASILISA by Julie Mathison. I think it’s a perfect fit for readers who are aging out of middle grade but not ready for upper YA just yet. And perfect for anyone who enjoys a modern fairytale.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Ilana is Jewish and Cuban American. Other characters are Czech.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Ilana meets a boy who is a ghost. He lives with three other ghost children and a man who has some magic abilities.

Violent Content
Ilana learns of a monster that eats memories.

Drug Content
None.

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 this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Reign Returned by Katie Keridan

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

Reign Returned
Katie Keridan
Sparkpress
Published September 13, 2022

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About Reign Returned

Kyra Valorian is the most gifted Astral healer the golden-blooded realm of Aeles has seen in ages. When tragedy strikes, Kyra discovers she possesses a life-changing gift: she’s a Recovrancer, able to enter the realm of the dead and recover those who’ve died before their time. Unfortunately, recovrancy is outlawed in her realm. Desperate for answers, Kyra will do anything to get them . . . even partner with a dangerous enemy.

Sebastian Sayre is the most sought-after Daeval assassin in all of Nocens. A silver-blooded Pyromancer, he wields fire and dreams of finding Rhannu, a legendary sword that makes its holder invincible. Since the sword was long ago stolen from Nocens and hidden where no Daeval can retrieve it, however, such a dream seems impossible . . . until he encounters the one Astral who might be both able and willing to help him.

As Kyra and Sebastian work together to uncover the secrets of their realms, they also uncover secrets within their own pasts–pasts that are far more intertwined than they ever imagined. Ultimately, in this tale of discovery, destiny, and a love strong enough to outlast time, remembering the past just may prove to be the only way to change the future.

My Review

I have some mixed feelings about this book.

The thing that drew me to REIGN RETURNED was the enemies to lovers trope, which I love. I also love the fact that Kyra and Sebastian have this shared secret history they’re rediscovering. That was more than enough to make me want to read the book.

I don’t know if I’ve gotten spoiled by contemporary books or if this would have always been my preference, but I am discovering that I tend to like books with shorter paragraphs and at least some shorter sentences. REIGN RETURNED has longer paragraphs and most of the sentences are long, even in the action scenes. I think that’s a recognized fantasy style, so I’m not saying it’s wrong or badly written. Just that it’s not my preferred style, so that was a bit of a challenge for me as a reader.

I liked Kyra’s character a lot. Her loyalty to her family and her consistent desire to help others definitely won me over and kept me rooting for her. Sebastian was a bit of a harder sell.

The cover copy describes Sebastian as an assassin, and he calls himself that in the book. I think I expected something more along the lines of GRACELING or THRONE OF GLASS. In both of those I believe assassination is kind of the role the character was thrust into or where they are ordered by law to take out certain enemies.

Sebastian works for two powerful merchants who are maybe more like mob bosses? They use Sebastian to punish their enemies, usually people who’ve stolen from them. In one scene, Sebastian murders the wife of the offender because, as he puts it, he’s learned that’s more effective in making people regret their choices. He’s pretty cold-blooded.

In that same scene, after he has murdered a woman in her kitchen, he sees a kitten on the floor and worries that it hasn’t been fed yet and might be hungry. That seemed strange to me– to be heartless one minute and then, “Oooh, kitty!”

There’s some backstory that reveals his own past trauma which impacts our view of his behavior as an assassin. I felt like no one addresses that behavior satisfactorily in the book. Kyra doesn’t like what he does, but she kind of just shrugs and moves past it because she promised to help him.

That was probably the hardest part of the book for me to get past. I would have enjoyed the story a lot more if Sebastian had come to feel some guilt or remorse for what he’d done, especially to potentially innocent people.

Aside from that, I thought the story world was interesting and unique. I liked the idea that these two kingdoms believe they’ve always been separate, but their true shared history has been hidden from them. I loved Laycus, who ferries someone’s spirit to the afterlife. He was a great minor character. I hope that he has more involvement in the next book.

On the whole, I think readers who enjoy enemies to lovers stories and descriptive fantasy should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Kyra is described as having brown skin. Sebastian is blonde. There are minor characters in same-gender relationships.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Kyra has the ability to visit the place where someone’s spirit goes before they journey to the afterlife. If a person dies before their time, she can bring them back to life. Other characters have individual magical abilities. Kyra can also heal. Sebastian is able to create portals and fire.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. In one scene, someone dies in an earthquake. References to torture. Several scenes show or reference Sebastian murdering someone.

Drug Content
None.

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 REIGN RETURNED in exchange for my honest review.

17 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2022

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17 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2022

Some of my most-anticipated middle grade books coming out this fall are written by familiar authors like Tricia Springstubb and Arnée Flores. I’ve also got a bunch of new authors on my list. A few of these books are debuts, some by authors who’ve written YA and are branching out into middle grade fiction.

Since I’m a little late posting the list, you’ll see some review links already in the descriptions. I’ll update the post as I read and write more reviews, too, so bookmark it and check back if you want to see what I thought of a particular title.

I’m hoping to start doing a seasonal recap post where I talk about what I read and my favorites. That’s still a bit in the works, but hopefully I’ll have figured out a format that I like by the end of the fall.

For now, please enjoy this list of the 17 middle grade books I can’t wait to read this season.

17 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2022

Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: From Goodreads: One magical inn, two kids with supernatural powers, and an ancient Celtic creature trying to destroy their world by Halloween night…

One of my favorite books this year!

Release Date: August 30, 2022 | Author Q&A | My Review

Trex by Christyne Morrell

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An anxious girl with spy skills, a boy with a mysterious brain implant, and a person watching them both. Lots of fun to read!

Release Date: August 30, 2022 | My Review

The Prince of Steel Pier by Stacy Nockowitz

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 1970s Atlantic City setting. A Jewish boy whose family hotel is in trouble becomes a favorite of a local mob boss. Loved the setting and Joey’s journey through the story.

Release Date: September 1, 2022 | My Review

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A talented violinist with a gorgeous ‘fro she calls “the wooly mammoth” faces discrimination in her music program and finds a way to speak up about it. I loved the music references and relationships in this book.

Release Date: September 6, 2022 | My Review

Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World by Samara Shanker

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Jewish folklore. Best friends. A real-live golem on the loose with instructions to save the world. What could possibly go wrong? Great fun!

Release Date: September 6, 2022 | Author Q&A | My Review

The Other Side of the River by Alda P. Dobbs

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The follow-up to THE BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA. A young Mexican girl building a new life in America in the early 1900s. Beautifully written and engaging.

Release Date: September 6, 2022 | My Review

The Vanquishers by Kalynn Bayron

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Inspired by BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and THE WATCHMEN. Vampires were supposed to be vanquished decades ago… but it looks like they’re back. Looks fantastic.

Release Date: September 20, 2022 | My Review

The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This looks a bit like a MG version of MY MECHANICAL ROMANCE (sans romance). Enemies must work together on a robot team. Friction abounds, pushing them to learn new ways of working together. This is a late add-on to my fall list. I can’t resist!

Release Date: September 27, 2022 | My Review

Ghostcloud by Michael Mann

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A kidnapped boy is forced to work in a power plant. Then he discovers a ghost who may be able to help him escape. Looks fresh and fun.

Release Date: September 27, 2022 | My Review

The Spirit Queen (The Firebird Song #2) by Arnée Flores

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: THE FIREBIRD SONG was one of my favorite books of last year. I can’t wait to read this follow-up about how joy emerges out of sorrow. A whole new adventure about Calliope and Prewitt. I’m so excited!

Release Date: October 18, 2022 | My Review

Drawing Outside the Lines by Susan J. Austin

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A novelized tale about the childhood of legendary architect Julia Morgan. I keep saying I need to read more historical fiction, and I couldn’t say no to this one.

Release Date: October 18, 2022 | My Review

Finally, Something Dangerous by Doug Cornett

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The follow-up to FINALLY, SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS, which was laugh-out-loud funny. The One and Onlys return to solve another mystery involving mechanical crows, a poetry-slash-wrestling club, and a hamster infestation. Yes, please.

Release Date: October 18, 2022 | My Review

Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I loved THE MOST PERFECT THING IN THE UNIVERSE also by Tricia Springstubb for its heart and humor, so obviously I’m all in for this new story about friendship and saving a dog in trouble.

Release Date: November 1, 2022 | My Review

Plotting the Stars 1: Moongarden by Michelle A. Barry

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Described as THE SECRET GARDEN meets CITY OF EMBER– say no more. I must read this!

Release Date: November 1, 2022 | My Review

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl tasked with changing the world. Her brother’s dream of being a YouTube fashion icon. Internet bullying. Daisy must face her fears and find her voice if she’s really going to make a difference. Looks heartwarming and beautiful.

Release Date: November 8, 2022 | My Review

Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Shows the emergence of Covid-19 and how a community came together. Contains delicious recipes to try at home. This looks like a fantastic read.

Release Date: November 8, 2022 | My Review

The Astonishing Chronicles of Oscar from Elsewhere by Jaclyn Moriarty

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A boy on a quest to find nine pieces of a lost key to save a city of Elves. And himself. I read A CORNER OF WHITE by Jaclyn Moriarty, and I still remember being struck by the creativity and quirkiness of that story. I’m super excited to read this book from a new series of hers.

Release Date: November 15, 2022 | My Review

What are your most-anticipated middle grade books coming fall 2022?

What’s on your reading list for the fall this year? Are you looking forward to any of the titles on my list? Are there amazing titles I’ve missed that I simply must add to my TBR? Leave a comment and let me know! I’d love to add more books to my list– and my shelves.

Review: I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

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

I’m the Girl
Courtney Summers
Wednesday Books
Published September 13, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I’m the Girl

The new groundbreaking queer thriller from New York Times bestselling and Edgar-award Winning author Courtney Summers.

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.

A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, SADIE, I’M THE GIRL is a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?

My Review

Books by Courtney Summers always take me a little time to sift through because I feel like she brings so much to the page for us to unpack. The story challenges its readers to dive deep into a girl who doesn’t have it all figured out. Georgia is a dreamer, and she doesn’t understand the price she’s being asked to pay until it’s being taken from her, and even then, she works really hard to rationalize what’s happened.

Georgia is the kind of character I wanted to stop from making the choices she’s making. I totally got why she did what she did. I knew she couldn’t see the danger signs. She was caught up in some other place, seeing stars and the recognition she felt she’d always been denied. It’s like those horror movies where the bad guy is hiding behind a door with an axe and you’re watching the main character opening doors without a clue what’s coming.

There was one moment toward the end, which I don’t think I can explain well without spoilers, but I’ll do my best. Georgia discovers a connection between a murdered girl and another crime operation, but the connection seemed weird to me. I think I wanted more explanation to understand what made that connection plausible. Otherwise it seemed like an unnecessary risk to the crime operation, if that makes sense?

Other than that, I feel like this is a book that grabbed my heart with both hands and squeezed, and I kind of held my breath until the end, hoping that Georgia would be okay, would learn what she needed to learn, and that she would answer the question about whether to accept a predatory power structure for herself.

It feels a little weird to refer to this book as a successor to SADIE when I feel like the whole premise of SADIE was that Sadie wholeheartedly rejects that predatory power structure, but there’s definitely a connection thematically between the two books. And both contain sisters seeking justice at any price.

I’M THE GIRL is another powerful story by an incredible author. It delves into some difficult content (listed below), so be aware of that.

Content Notes

Contains scenes depicting sexual assault, child pornography (from the victim’s perspective), references to human trafficking, assault and murder.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Georgia and Nora are lesbians.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Sex between two girls. References to masturbation.

Before the story begins, a man approached Georgia with a modeling scam. He tells her he wants to represent her as a model but she needs to be photographed. The photographer takes nude photos of her. Georgia thinks the photos are professional and make her look beautiful. Others in the book confront her with the truth of what these men did to her.

Two scenes depict graphic sexual assault. In one scene, Georgia finds the body of a girl who was murdered and obviously raped.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See sexual content. A man threatens Georgia. A man attacks Georgia. Police find a man’s body after his death in an apparent suicide.

Drug Content
In one scene, Georgia’s new employer gives her a drink that he says is “virgin” but which contains alcohol. In another scene, a client coerces Georgia into drinking alcohol with him.

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 I’M THE GIRL in exchange for my honest review.