Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: Born to Run by Ann Hunter

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18
Born to Run by Ann Hunter cover shows a horse and rider facing forward, the rider's head down so we can't see their face.

Born to Run (North Oak #1)
Ann Hunter
Rebel House Ink
Published March 1, 2015

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About Born to Run

Experience the glamorous, fast-paced world of horse racing in the young adult series North Oak.

Running away from the scene of a murder is not how Alexandra pictured spending her thirteenth birthday.

Then again, she wasn’t expecting to be swept into a world of high-stakes racing and multi-million dollar horse flesh a few days later either.

Alexandra Anderson is on the run from the law. When the thirteen-year-old orphan can run no further, she collapses at the gates of the prestigious racing and breeding farm, North Oak. Horse racing strikes a deep chord in her. She hears a higher calling in the jingle jangle of bit and stirrup and in the thunder of hooves in the turn for home. It tells her she has a place in the world. But when the racing headlines find her on the front of every sports page, she realizes North Oak is no longer a safe haven… or is it?

My Review

I like a lot of elements of this book. Alex is thirteen and in the foster care system, specifically in a group home, which isn’t something I see written about very often. The way that she interacted with the horses was really sweet. It reminded me of the scenes in the movie SEABISCUIT where Toby MacGuire’s character and Seabiscuit bond.

I think because of the cover, I expected Alex to learn to ride and maybe compete? She doesn’t ride a horse in this book in the series, but she does learn to care for the horses and some of their riding equipment. While I missed the riding, I enjoyed the relationship between Alex and the horses.

The book follows several characters’ perspectives, mostly to reference some bigger picture series elements and give a view of what’s happening beyond what Alex experiences herself. I thought the writing style was cool– it reminded me of some of the older horse books that I’d read before. I think the series is set in the present day, but it has a little bit of a more classic feel to it.

On the whole, I thought it was a really cool take on the girl-and-her-horse story. My favorite thing about it was honestly the formatting. I love that the bottom of the pages shows a horse running a race and advancing toward the finish line, just as the story does. Great touch!

I think readers who enjoy stories about horses or looking for books about growing up in the foster care system should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 to 14.

Representation
Major characters are white. Alex was maybe in love with another girl? I couldn’t tell if it was romantic or more in a sisterly sense.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently. Alex calls a girl a shaming name.

Romance/Sexual Content
Possible crush/love between two girls.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Alex witnessed two gunshot deaths. Some brief descriptions of physical, psychological, and emotional abuse. Brief descriptions of a mare in labor and a stillborn foal.

Drug Content
A girl adds whiskey to her grandfather’s morning coffee, fixing it the way he likes it. She later implies that he’s an alcoholic who would spend all their money on alcohol. Adults drink champagne at a celebratory dinner.

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 BORN TO RUN in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm by Kimberly Behre Kenna

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm
Kimberly Behre Kenna
Black Rose Writing
Published August 3, 2023

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About Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm

Jett Jamison can’t catch a break. Her home in small town Wisteria is noisy as a zoo, and her mind buzzes with bits of a traumatic memory she’d rather forget. She’s filled a shoebox with one hundred thirty-three to-do lists, her roadmaps to peace, but they only lead to dead ends. Sister Gia, master gardener and cat-whisperer extraordinaire, suggests a book by an anonymous author, but it’s disappeared from all local libraries, and nobody wants to talk about it.

Enraged at the injustice, Jett continues to dig for answers and is drawn into a censorship battle with a high-profile radio host. Her peaceful protest backfires big time, and the town goes berserk. Now, for peace to be within reach, Jett must either face up to her past or remain forever bound by silence much more suffocating than the din in Wisteria.

My Review

Throughout this book, Jett’s anxiety felt palpable. She tries her best to manage by making everything in her life absolutely predictable. It doesn’t work, especially not in her family full of nonconformists and free spirits.

What Jett does find, however, is a friend and mentor who gives her the space to be anxious and afraid. With Sister Gia, Jett slowly begins unpacking some of the secrets she’s kept deeply buried. I loved the way their relationship evolved and that Jett consistently stayed in an active role in the story rather than showing up and letting an adult lead her to all the answers. Sister G does say lots of wise things, but it’s Jett’s actions and interpretations of that counsel that helps her break through the things holding her back.

I enjoyed the more mystic representation of the Christian faith, as well. Catholic mysticism seems to be a faith sweet spot for me, so I was pretty excited to find that very nonjudgmental, connect with your body, listen to one another kind of approach here.

The only thing I wish had had more screen time is the confrontation between Jett and her family. For so much of the story, Jett seems to be crying out for more structure and stability in her life, and her parents kind of treat that need like a character flaw. I wish that when Jett finally spoke with them about what had been going on inside her, they realized she’d been asking for safety and stability and that they could find some ways to meet her halfway in that.

Conclusion

On the whole, I really enjoyed the book. It’s a really quick read– perfect for readers looking for shorter books and interested in deeper topics. I think fans of CHIRP by Kate Messner would like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 13.

Representation
Major characters are white. Jett has panic attacks and anxiety.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two characters talk about the fact that a girl was sexually assaulted. No graphic description of the event, but it obviously caused lasting trauma.

Spiritual Content
Jett’s family is against participation in organized religion. Jett befriends a nun who shares her beliefs on prayer and spirituality with her. Jett mentions praying and feeling like no one is listening. Later, she prays in Sister Gia’s garden and feels the plants answer her.

Violent Content
Brief, vague references to sexual assault.

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 JETT JAMISON AND THE SECRET STORM in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Roll for Initiative by Jaime Formato

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Roll for Initiative
Jaime Formato
Running Press Kids
Published September 27, 2022

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About Roll for Initiative

Perfect for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Raina Telgemeier, and Jessica Kim, a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about finding your voice and believing in your best geeky self.

Riley Henderson has never taken a bus to school in her entire life. Or made an afterschool snack, or finished her homework on her own, or—ewww—done her own laundry. That’s what her older brother Devin was for.

But now Devin’s gone. He’s off in California attending a fancy college gaming program while Riley is stuck alone in Florida with her mom. That is, until a cool nerd named Lucy gives Riley no choice but to get over her shyness and fear of rejection and become friends. The best part is . . . both girls are into Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, playing D&D was something Riley and Devin used to do together, with Devin as the dungeon master, guiding Riley through his intricately planned campaigns. So, of course, Riley is more than a little nervous when Lucy suggests that she run a campaign for them. For the chance at a friend, though, she’s willing to give it a shot. 

Soon, their party grows and with the help of her new D&D friends, Riley discovers that not only can she function without Devin, she kind of likes it. She figures out that bus thing, totes the clothes down to the laundry room and sets up her D&D campaigns right there on the slightly suspect folding table, makes her own snacks and dinner— the whole deal. But when Devin runs into trouble with his program and returns home, it’s pretty clear, even to Riley, that since he can’t navigate his own life, he’s going to live Riley’s for her. Now she has to help Devin go back to college and prove to her mom that she can take care of herself . . . all before the upcoming Winter-Con.

It’s time to Roll for Initiative.

My Review

Oh my gosh, this book! It’s got so many great layers. First, I really enjoyed the way the Dungeons and Dragons games were captured in the text. The Dungeon Master’s narration is written in italics, so it feels really atmospheric and stands apart from the characters’ dialogue and questions. I thought that was super clever.

The story contains some really great character arcs and contrasts, too. For example, there’s a strong contrast between Devin and Riley. At first, Riley sees herself as kind of a bumbling goof next to her brother, who has everything hyper-organized and planned to within an inch of its life. As she begins to stretch her wings and builds some confidence in herself, she begins to see that her style– more creative and spontaneous– is both valuable and valid. She starts having her own preferences instead of deferring to his.

She also notices similarities between her brother and her friend, Hannah, though at first, she thinks they’re nothing alike. Once she sees the common ground between them, it really helps her formulate how to break through the fog of fear and grief her brother is caught in.

I loved the creativity of the D&D games, and the ways the characters interacted came across as so genuine and full of heart. I would play tabletop with Riley any day of the week. Readers who enjoy video games or D&D should obviously check this one out, but I think it would also appeal to readers in late elementary school navigating changing friendships.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Two of Riley’s friends are Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
“Heck” is used a few times, but nothing stronger.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of game characters’ actions in a role-playing game.

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 ROLL FOR INITIATIVE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Things I’ll Never Say by Cassandra Newbould

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

Things I’ll Never Say
Cassandra Newbould
Peachtree Teen
Published June 6, 2023

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About Things I’ll Never Say

For fans of Becky Albertalli and Julie Murphy, this beautifully raw coming-of-age story follows bi, fat surfer girl Casey who turns to journaling to navigate what it means to crush on your two best friends at the same time.

Ten years ago, the Scar Squad promised each other nothing would tear them apart. They stuck together through thick and thin, late-night surf sessions and after school spodies. Even when Casey Jones Caruso lost her twin brother Sammy to an overdose, and their foursome became a threesome, the squad picked each other up. But when Casey’s feeling for the remaining members—Francesca and Benjamin—develop into romantic attraction, she worries the truth will dissolve them and vows to ignore her heart.

Then Ben kisses Casey at a summer party, and Frankie kisses another girl. Now Casey must confront all the complicated feelings she’s buried—for her friends and for her brother who she’s totally pissed at for dying. Since Sammy’s death, Casey has spilled all the things she can no longer say to him in journals, and now more than ever, she wishes he were here to help her decide whether she should guard her heart or bet it on love, before someone else makes the decision for her.

My Review

I have some really mixed feelings about this book. First, I think the way this book is written could serve as a conversation starter for some really big issues, such as recreational drug use. I love that the main character is plus-sized, and that she has so much love in her heart, for her brother, her family, and the other people she loves.

Honestly, though, I’m having a hard time deciding whether she’s a reliable narrator. I know that she claims to have this big plan to stop using opiates and Xanax to numb her pain. But she carefully controls the information, only ever telling people what she wants them to know. She breaks promises she makes to herself about her use.

All that makes perfect sense in terms of the behavior of someone who is struggling with addiction or drug use disorder. So I don’t say that to malign her character. I guess I just worry that though she claims the last thing she wants is to make the same decisions her brother made, she’s kinda doing exactly that?

Maybe that’s the whole point of the story. Maybe those are exactly the questions the author intends for readers to be asking.

At any rate, I read this book pretty quickly, and I think it raises some really good points and adds to some of the places where representation in young adult literature is still pretty small. I think readers who enjoy books by Crystal Maldonado should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Casey is plus-sized, bisexual, and a twin. She also has anxiety and has suffered from panic attacks before. Her twin brother died of an opiate overdose. Their family is Sicilian American. Frankie is Latine and a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity and crude language used frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. Discussion about the meaning of a throuple and polyamorous relationships.

Spiritual Content
Casey writes letters to her brother in a journal and burns the journal at the end of the month. She believes/hopes the ashes of the words are carried to him and that way he knows what she wants to tell him. She wonders briefly about the afterlife and states she doesn’t not believe in God, but she doesn’t believe, either.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Casey and her friends drink alcohol, smoke pot, and drop acid. Casey also abuses pills like Xanax and opiates. She claims she has a plan to stop using but carefully controls the information about her drug use and breaks promises she makes to herself about discontinuing use.

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 THINGS I’LL NEVER SAY in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Swimming in a Sea of Stars by Julie Wright

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

Swimming in a Sea of Stars
Julie Wright
Shadow Mountain Publishing
Published August 1, 2023

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About Swimming in a Sea of Stars

Journal entry: Heading to school. I know what everyone will say. There goes the girl who tried to kill herself.

Addison is no stranger to feeling stressed, insecure, and sad. Her therapist recommended she keep a journal to help her understand those feelings better, which she really needs today. It’s her first day back to school, several weeks after she survived her suicide attempt. She knows there are rumors about why she did it: A lousy home life? Bullying? Heartbreak? None of them are true, but it doesn’t matter because Addison still feels like she’s drowning. She still holds secrets she’s not ready to share.

During the school day, Addison encounters four other students struggling with their own secrets:

Booker is anxious about seeing Addison. They were sort of a couple until he tried to kiss her. She fled and then tried to end her life. Those two things couldn’t be related, could they?

Celia feels trapped by her mother’s abusive boyfriend. She can guess why Addison did what she did.

Damion is TikTok-famous and thinks befriending Addison could boost his followers. But what no one knows is he needs the world to remember him since his sick mom doesn’t anymore.

Avery is considered a loner and doesn’t know Addison, but they have neighboring lockers. With Avery’s older brother in jail for dealing drugs, Avery is desperate for meaningful human connection.

SWIMMING IN A SEA OF STARS is a poignant and gripping novel about how we’re all interconnected, like the stars in the night sky that form constellations and map out the universe, and if even one star goes missing, the effect is profound.

My Review

I like the concept of this novel. The story follows an ensemble cast. It shows diary entries from a girl who’s recovering from a suicide attempt and the point of view of her former best friend, a boy whose cousin is diagnosed with cancer. We follow a girl experiencing domestic violence, a boy whose mother has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and a girl whose brother was recently arrested for trying to sell Fentanyl.

Each of them crosses the paths of the others, and each carries secrets the others are completely unaware of. I love that idea. It’s very much an embodiment of the expression, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

Though the story touches on difficult issues (domestic violence, sexual abuse, homelessness, and terminal illness), it often keeps those things at a distance by sparing readers the painful details. I think this idea allows the book to be more accessible to younger or more sensitive teens than some of the other popular young adult titles on the shelves.

What I wish, though, is that the commentary on drug addiction wasn’t quite so judgy. I think also that in the attempt to keep difficult content to a minimum, the text sometimes veers into telling rather than showing the story.

On the whole, I still think this concept is really cool. I like that the author used a quote from a Linkin Park song to tie all the stories together. I’d recommend this for readers interested in heavier topics but not ready for or interested in the harsh details books on those topics sometimes deliver.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Booker is Black. One character is a domestic violence survivor. Another is a sexual assault survivor.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to assault.

Spiritual Content
List.

Violent Content
One character details some of the physical abuse she’s endured. Vague references to gang rivalry and threats of violence. See sexual content above.

Drug Content
A girl’s brother is in jail for possession of Fentanyl with intent to sell. Another student confronts her about rumors that she also sells drugs.

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 SWIMMING IN A SEA OF STARS in exchange for my honest review.

Their Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

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

Their Vicious Games
Joelle Wellington
Simon & Schuster
Published July 25, 2023

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About Their Vicious Games

A Black teen desperate to regain her Ivy League acceptance enters an elite competition only to discover the stakes aren’t just high, they’re deadly, in this searing thriller that’s Ace of Spades meets Squid Game with a sprinkling of The Bachelor .

You must work twice as hard to get half as much.

Adina Walker has known this the entire time she’s been on scholarship at the prestigious Edgewater Academy—a school for the rich (and mostly white) upper class of New England. It’s why she works so hard to be perfect and above reproach, no matter what she must force beneath the surface. Even one slip can cost you everything.

And it does. One fight, one moment of lost control, leaves Adina blacklisted from her top choice Ivy League college and any other. Her only chance to regain the future she’s sacrificed everything for is the Finish, a high-stakes contest sponsored by Edgewater’s founding family in which twelve young, ambitious women with exceptional promise are selected to compete in three mysterious the Ride, the Raid, and the Royale. The winner will be granted entry into the fold of the Remington family, whose wealth and power can open any door.

But when she arrives at the Finish, Adina quickly gets the feeling that something isn’t quite right with both the Remingtons and her competition, and soon it becomes clear that this larger-than-life prize can only come at an even greater cost. Because the Finish’s stakes aren’t just make or break…they’re life and death.

Adina knows the deck is stacked against her—it always has been—so maybe the only way to survive their vicious games is for her to change the rules.

My Review

This book reads something like an upper-class LORD OF THE FLIES. At first, the girls committed to the game called the Finish believe it’s a week of puzzles and games. At the end, a powerful, well-connected, wealthy family grants the winner’s wish. Once the game begins, they learn they’ll be expected to play hard, sabotage one another, and even kill the other competitors.

At first, they seem reluctant. But as the game progresses and the stakes ratchet higher, it seems that Adina, who is determined to survive without killing anyone, maybe the only one unwilling to shed blood.

The pacing is quick, with challenges and social games often happening in back-to-back scenes. At times, the characters seemed a bit caricature-like. However, that exaggerated style lent itself well to the kind of twisted, psychologically on-edge story told here.

I liked Adina’s character and her determination to stay true to herself despite the chaos and danger around her. I also liked the way the romantic elements were handled in the book. If things had wrapped up neatly, I think it would have been unbelievable or too easy.

On the whole, I think readers looking for a dark, twisty game with a commentary on classism will find a lot to like in this book. Readers who enjoyed THE MARVELOUS by Claire Kann or TO BEST THE BOYS by Mary Weber will also want to check out THEIR VICIOUS GAMES.

Content Notes for Their Vicious Games

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Adina is Black. Her best friend is biracial. Another friend is Chinese and lives in Europe. Two minor characters (girls) are maybe in a secret relationship.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. In one scene, a boy and girl sleep in the same bed.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Several scenes show characters violently attacking one another. In one scene, a game of Simon Says turns torturous. The caller asks the players to slap each other and stab themselves with a fork.

Drug Content
Some characters (including Adina) drink alcohol. One character is rumored to drink too much and use recreational drugs. Adina finds a bag of weed on someone’s dresser.

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 THEIR VICIOUS GAMES in exchange for my honest review.