Category Archives: By Age Range

Best Young Adult Books from 2021

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Best Young Adult Books from 2021

Best Young Adult Books from 2021

2021 was quite a year! I had lots of ups and some pretty dark downs, but one of the things I’m truly thankful for is the books. Some of the best young adult books from 2021 kept me company on long sleepless nights and provided a safe place to escape for a few hours.

I’ve been a fan of YA since before I started blogging, both as a reader and writer. I’m always excited to see new, fresh takes on familiar themes or entirely new ideas and broader representation bursting from the pages. These books are a mix of all those things. They really only have one thing in … Continue reading →

Review: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy by Emmanuel Acho

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Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy by Emmanuel Acho

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy
Emmanuel Acho
Roaring Brook Press
Published May 4, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy

UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK BOY is an accessible book for children to learn about systemic racism and racist behavior. For the awkward questions white and non-black parents don’t know how to answer, this book is an essential guide to help support communication on how to dismantle racism in our youngest generation.

UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS WITH A BLACK BOY  creates a safe, judgment-free space for curious children to ask questions they’ve long been afraid to verbalize. How … Continue reading →

Review: The Kindred by Alechia Dow

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The Kindred by Alechia Dow

The Kindred
Alechia Dow
Inkyard Press
Published January 4, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Kindred

To save a galactic kingdom from revolution, Kindred mind-pairings were created to ensure each and every person would be seen and heard, no matter how rich or poor…

Joy Abara knows her place. A commoner from the lowly planet Hali, she lives a simple life—apart from the notoriety that being Kindred to the nobility’s most infamous playboy brings.

Duke Felix Hamdi has a plan. He will exasperate his noble family to the point that they agree to let him choose his own future and finally meet his Kindred face-to-face.

Then the … Continue reading →

Best Middle Grade Books from 2021

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Best Middle Grade Books of 2021

Best Middle Grade Books from 2021

Well. 2021 was certainly a mixed year for me. It had a really rough start, not a great middle, and a painful and chaotic end. But, it also had some really great books!

Maybe it feels silly to think that the books were one of the brightest spots in the year, but to be honest, they kinda were? I mean, some other good things happened, too, and I have a lot to be grateful for, but the books… those are one of the best gifts from this past year to me.

2021 was a good year for me particularly for middle grade books. When I first started blogging, I only … Continue reading →

Review: When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

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When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord

When You Get the Chance
Emma Lord
Wednesday Books
Published January 4, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About When You Get the Chance

Nothing will get in the way of Millie Price’s dream to become a Broadway star. Not her lovable but super-introverted dad, who after raising Millie alone, doesn’t want to watch her leave home to pursue her dream. Not her pesky and ongoing drama club rival, Oliver, who is the very definition of Simmering Romantic Tension. And not the “Millie Moods,” the feelings of intense emotion that threaten to overwhelm, always at maddeningly inconvenient times. Millie needs an ally. And when a left-open browser brings Millie to her dad’s … Continue reading →

Review: How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby

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How to Become a Planet by Nicole Melleby

How to Become a Planet
Nicole Melleby
Algonquin Young Readers
Published May 25, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About How to Become a Planet

For Pluto, summer has always started with a trip to the planetarium. It’s the launch to her favorite season, which also includes visits to the boardwalk arcade, working in her mom’s pizzeria, and her best friend Meredith’s birthday party. But this summer, none of that feels possible.

A month before the end of the school year, Pluto’s frightened mom broke down Pluto’s bedroom door. What came next were doctor’s appointments, a diagnosis of depression, and a big black hole … Continue reading →