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Review: Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

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Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

Coyote Queen
Jessica Vitalis
GreenWillow Books
Published October 10, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Coyote Queen

When a twelve-year-old decides that she must get herself and her mother out of a bad situation, an eerie connection to a coyote pack helps her see who she’s meant to be—and who she can truly save. The Benefits of Being an Octopus meets The Nest in this contemporary middle grade novel about family class, and resilience, with a magical twist.

Twelve-year-old Fud feels trapped. She lives a precarious life in a cramped trailer with her mom and her mom’s alcoholic ex-boxer boyfriend, Larry. Fud can see it’s only a matter of time until Larry explodes again, even if her mom keeps on making excuses for his behavior. If only Fud could find a way to be as free as the coyotes roaming the Wyoming countryside: strong, smart, independent, and always willing to protect their own.

When Larry comes home with a rusted-out houseboat, Fud is horrified to hear that he wants to fix it up for them to live on permanently. All she sees is a floating prison. Then new-neighbor Leigh tells Fud about Miss Black Gold, a beauty pageant sponsored by the local coal mine. While Fud doesn’t care much about gowns or talents or prancing around on stage, she cares very much about getting herself and her mom away from Larry before the boat is finished. And to do that, she needs money, in particular that Miss Black Gold prize money.

One problem: the more Fud has fantasized about escape, the more her connection to the coyotes lurking outside her window has grown. And strange things have started happening—is Fud really going color-blind? Are her eyebrows really getting bushier? And why does it suddenly seem like she can smell everything?

Jessica Vitalis crafts a moving and voice-driven novel about family and resilience, with a fantastical twist. Coyote Queen is perfect for readers of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise and The Elephant in the Room.

My Review

I just recently read Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis, but Coyote Queen has been on my list for a long time. I’m really glad I finally got to read it.

One of the things this book does so well is that it puts the reader right in the middle of a complex family situation. Fud (short for Felicity Ulyssa Dahlers) recognizes the danger in the situation she lives in, but she feels powerless to get her and her mom away from her mom’s boyfriend and his explosive temper.

Through the story, Fud faces situations in which she asks herself whether what’s happening is abuse. It doesn’t feel so clear when she feels she’s in danger, but no one has harmed her yet. Where is the tipping point? Those are awful questions for a child to face alone, and yet to many do.

This sensitive story explores those feelings of isolation and the pressure of trying not to add burdens to the adults in the family. It’s so easy to understand why Fud does what she does.

The magical realism element is an unusual choice for a contemporary novel, but I really think it works here. Fud’s transformation creates a powerful visual showing that her body knows when she’s feeling threatened. If she learns to listen to those cues and respond by setting boundaries or getting to a safer place, her body responds by calming down, too. I love that metaphor and the message of trusting our bodies to know when we’re in danger. It’s something we probably don’t talk about enough with our kids.

Readers who enjoy novels about relationships or the transition to middle school will enjoy Coyote Queen.

Content Notes for Coyote Queen

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Fud is in a family with low income and lives with someone who displays violent outbursts.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to Fud’s mom and boyfriend kissing.

Spiritual Content
Fud begins noticing changes in her body, like color blindness, bushier eyebrows, and a desire to bite people she perceives as a threat.

Violent Content
A man displays violent outbursts. A group of girls bullies another girl, calling her unkind nicknames and ostracizing her. A girl attacks another girl, knocking her to the ground and hitting her. Someone pushes a girl down the stairs.

Drug Content
Scenes show an adult drinking alcohol.

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.

Review: A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

A Place to Hang the Moon
Kate Albus
Margaret Ferguson Books
Published February 2, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Place to Hang the Moon

Set against the backdrop of World War II, Anna, Edmund, and William are evacuated from London to live in the countryside, bouncing from home to home in search of a permanent family.

It is 1940 and Anna, 9, Edmund, 11, and William, 12, have just lost their grandmother. Unfortunately, she left no provision for their guardianship in her will. Her solicitor comes up with a preposterous plan: he will arrange for the children to join a group of schoolchildren who are being evacuated to a village in the country, where they will live with families for the duration of the war. He also hopes that whoever takes the children on might end up willing to adopt them and become their new family–providing, of course, that the children can agree on the choice.

Moving from one family to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets, and the hollowness of empty tummies. They seek comfort in the village lending library, whose kind librarian, Nora Muller, seems an excellent candidate–except that she has a German husband whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Nevertheless, Nora’s cottage is a place of bedtime stories and fireplaces, of vegetable gardens and hot, milky tea. Most important, it’s a place where someone thinks they all three hung the moon. Which is really all you need in a mom, if you think about it.

Fans of The War That Saved My Life and other World War II fiction will find an instant classic in A Place to Hang the Moon.

My Review

I have so many things to say about this book I’m having a hard time figuring out where to start. I love the way it’s written from the perspective of all three children. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure that would work, but it actually truly does. It makes them feel like a unit and yet the narrative zooms in on one child’s thoughts or feelings at critical moments in the story.

The book feels firmly anchored in WWII England, and not in a romanticized way. William, Edmund, and Anna face hunger, see families affected by missing family members serving in the military, worry about German invasion and air strikes.

Yet the story also celebrates a love of literature and mentions several beloved children’s stories. In particular, Anna finds comfort in The Little Princess, which holds some parallels to the children’s lives and experience. It also celebrates found family and the power of sibling bonds in a beautiful way.

A Place to Hang the Moon is the first book by Kate Albus that I’ve read, but it absolutely won’t be the last. Fans of historical fiction or sibling stories will not want to miss this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Main characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two boys bully the main characters, using a slur to describe them. Some characters use a slur meaning German people.

Romance/Sexual Content
A girl has an obvious crush on William. Her attention makes him uncomfortable.

Spiritual Content
The children participate in a Nativity play at Christmas at the local church. They celebrate Christmas together.

Violent Content
The opening scene is a funeral wake for the children’s grandmother and former guardian. References to war. The children are aware of other places being bombed and invaded by the German army. In some scenes, children worry that bombs will fall on the place they’ve been evacuated to. Brief reference to an internment camp in which Germans living in England have been imprisoned. Another character dies (offscene).

At one point, the boys go to a farm to participate in a rat extermination event in which a group of boys use sticks, clubs, and other weapons to strike and kill rats. They earn money for each kill. William and Edmund feel pretty disturbed about the whole thing.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson

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Those Pink Mountain Nights
Jen Ferguson
Heartdrum
Published September 12, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Those Pink Mountain Nights

In her remarkable second novel following her acclaimed debut, The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which won the Governor General’s Award and received six starred reviews, Jen Ferguson writes about the hurt of a life stuck in past tense, the hum of connections that cannot be severed, and one week in a small snowy town that changes everything.

Over-achievement isn’t a bad word—for Berlin, it’s the goal. She’s securing excellent grades, planning her future, and working a part-time job at Pink Mountain Pizza, a legendary local business. Who says she needs a best friend by her side?

Dropping out of high school wasn’t smart—but it was necessary for Cameron. Since his cousin Kiki’s disappearance, it’s hard enough to find the funny side of life, especially when the whole town has forgotten Kiki. To them, she’s just another missing Native girl.

People at school label Jessie a tease, a rich girl—and honestly, she’s both. But Jessie knows she contains multitudes. Maybe her new job crafting pizzas will give her the high-energy outlet she desperately wants.

When the weekend at Pink Mountain Pizza takes unexpected turns, all three teens will have to acknowledge the various ways they’ve been hurt—and how much they need each other to hold it all together.

My Review

The story alternates between the perspectives of Berlin, Cameron, Jessie, and Kiki and centers around their connection to a local pizza parlor that they learn the owner plans to sell. Kiki’s chapters are in verse and start in the past leading toward the time when she disappeared. All four voices are distinct in the way they perceive the world and respond. Berlin’s grief over her recently lost friendship and the pervasive numbness she feels colors all of her experiences. She tries to keep up with school and work as if everything is normal, but it has become an immense struggle.

Cameron has big feelings about his family, especially his missing cousin, but also his younger sisters, whom he feels he must protect, and his father, who treads the water of his own grief. Cam hasn’t felt seen or understood by Berlin, but as they begin to get to know one another again, they form a surprising bond that helps them both in unexpected ways.

Jessie has a spectacular voice, too. She uses words in interesting ways and brings a lot of humor to the page, which might seem odd, since she carries her own grief and sadness, too.

This is a messy story with messy characters being real about how hard life can be sometimes, even for people who, on the outside, seem to have everything going for them. It’s also a story about internalized prejudices and how invisible they can be without deliberate action to root them out.

Ferguson is a hard-hitting author who trusts readers to be able to face hard truths and delivers compelling characters.I seem to be reading her books backward, since I started with her most recent release, A Constellation of Minor Bears, and then read this one. Up next: The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which I’ve heard great things about.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Cameron and Berlin are Native. Kiki is biracial, Black and Native. Jessie is a cancer survivor and is LGBTQIA+. Cameron has a learning disability.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A handful of F-bombs and other swear words.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between boy and girl. An implied sexual relationship between an adult and a teenage girl. A girl makes reference to an adult who routinely comes on to teenage girls. References to the fact that a girl enjoys making out with people.

Spiritual Content
References to Métis and Cree beliefs and rituals. Berlin and Cameron find a severely injured wapati (elk) and help end her pain. Both feel the presence of the wapati’s spirit in their lives in different ways after that and follow its leading.

Violent Content
References to a sexual relationship between and adult and a teenager. Nothing happens on scene. Cameron ends the pain of a severely injured wapati. Some characters make ani-Indigenous comments or statements. Major characters push back on those. Characters encounter anti-Black statements in a social media campaign. The story explores the impact of anti-Black feeling and actions toward a Black man and young Black and Indigenous woman. The novel also discusses the disparity in police response to missing Native women compared to other missing persons cases.

Drug Content
References to a teenager smoking.

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.

Review: The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew by Kalynn Bayron

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

The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew (Vanquishers #3)
Kalynn Bayron
Bloomsbury USA
Published October 8, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew

In the heart-stopping conclusion to the Vanquishers series by New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron, it is time for the final stand against the undead.

San Antonio is on lockdown, taken over by the new hive. No one can deny that the undead are back now, but the Vanquishers found out the hard way: when they learned that an old friend is behind the latest string of attacks.

As the Squad hide out at an abandoned combat training facility, honing their vampire-butt-kicking skills, they begin to suspect that they’re not alone. And when a vial of Dracula’s blood–able to give unrivaled power to the vampire that consumes it–is stolen from the bunker, the Vanquishers race to recover it before it falls into the wrong hands.

The Vanquishers have always been Boog’s family, the ones she trusts the most. But what does it mean when a former Vanquisher, one of her heroes, is now hunting the enemy?

My Review

I got ridiculously behind on my reading this past fall. This book is the third and final installment of a series that’s been a lot of fun to read by an author who has such incredible range. We’ve seen Kalynn Bayron write compelling middle grade fantasy, a powerful historical fiction reimagining of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde, and a young adult thriller that was a wild ride, and, of course, the unforgettable young adult fantasy she’s widely known for. And she rocks all of it! Amazing.

The Vanquishers series is a lot of fun. It’s got a supernatural vibe with a cast of great characters in a tight-knit community. I love the community element, and it’s really well-balanced. The adults don’t outshine the kids by being present, but they are present. There are lots of different kinds of families and generations represented. The adults have their own backstory and their own drama happening, but the kids take centerstage and deliver the big moments of the story.

This one is also a great length at just over 200 pages. The back cover copy indicates it’s the finale of the series, but the story contains an epilogue that hints at a new story. Maybe there’s a spin-off coming?? Honestly, I hope that even if this series is really and truly over, we get more paranormal middle grade books from Kalynn Bayron.

The Vanquishers: Rise of the Wrecking Crew is set in the real world (plus vampires), but I could still see it appealing to readers who enjoyed Witchlings by Claribel Ortega.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Boog and several other characters are Black. One character is nonbinary. One has two dads.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Vampires exist in this story world. Some characters are part of an elite group trained to kill vampires with silver, etc.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Several vampires are vanquished in the course of the story. They turn to dust afterward.

Drug Content
A vial of Dracula’s blood can bestow powerful abilities to a vampire who consumes it.

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.

Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

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Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
Puffin Books
Published February 13, 2024 (Orig. 1813)

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Pride and Prejudice

Though her sisters are keen on finding men to marry, Elizabeth Bennet would rather wait for someone she loves – certainly not someone like Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, whom she finds to be smug and judgmental, in contrast to the charming George Wickham.

But soon Elizabeth learns that her first impressions may not have been correct, and the quiet, genteel Mr. Darcy might be her true love after all.

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen!

Today (December 16) is Jane Austen’s birthday. She was born 249 years ago on this day in 1775 and was the seventh of eight children in her family. I read once, in A Most Clever Girl by Jasmine A. Stirling, that when the king asked Austen to write a fluffy romance novel for him, she refused.

Her books have inspired tons of movies and reimagined stories, including Northranger by Rey Terciero, “The Jane Austen Murder Mysteries” by Tirzah Price, and For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund.

My Review

I read this book for the first time in high school– and hated it. The next year, my sister read it and loved it. We watched the BBC version of the movie multiple times that summer, and I ultimately decided to give the book a second chance.

That second reading, I fell in love with the story and especially the wry, clever observations that Austen slips into her descriptions of various characters. Thanks to some persistent insomnia, I decided to revisit this familiar story via audiobook this year. I listened to it more than once.

I love the arc of romance between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, but I think I love the quirks and absurdities woven through the minor characters just as much. I like the way that both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have to learn things about themselves, their expectations of others, and the judgments they make about others before they can truly find happiness.

And the banter! Haha. The sharp jabs back and forth between Elizabeth and Darcy or either of those and other characters definitely keep me coming back to this book. I also love that Jane, Elizabeth’s sweet, beautiful sister, shares deep truths with Elizabeth that challenge her ideas and values.

At this point, other than The Secret Garden, this is probably the classic book that I’ve read the most. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I read it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
All characters are white and British.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man convinces a fifteen-year-old girl that she should elope with him. One young woman runs away with a man and lives with him for a time while unmarried. There’s a lot of worry about how this choice will impact not only her reputation but the reputations of the other women in her family. During the time the story was written, these were real concerns that could make life hard for a woman.

Spiritual Content
One character is a clergyman.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
References to wine.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

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Thieves’ Gambit
Kayvion Lewis
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Thieves’ Gambit

The Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s Eleven in this cinematic heist thriller where a cutthroat competition brings together the world’s best thieves and one thief is playing for the highest stakes of all: her mother’s life.

At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance.

In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world–a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.

Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.

My Review

This book deserves more buzz than it got. The beginning started a little slow, and I kept forgetting it was young adult because Ross seemed so young. Though the seventeen-year-old lives this wild, heist-filled life, she is really young because she is so secluded from others. As I got to know her more as a character, that young-sounding voice made a lot of sense.

By the time she enters the Gambit, she already sounds older than the girl in the opening pages. As she reaches the final phase of the game, she sounds older still. I’m pretty impressed with the author’s ability to seamlessly shift the writing with Ross’s maturity while the story careens around hairpin turns with the stakes climbing all the time.

I also really liked the characters, especially the team Ross works with during the middle of the book: Kyung-soon, Mylo, and Devroe. They each add something different to the team, and the experience of working with them changes Ross in ways she wasn’t prepared for. I loved that.

I think readers looking for an Inheritance Games meets Ocean’s 11 story will not be disappointed in this wild ride of a tale. I’m eager to read the sequel.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Ross is Bahamian and Black. The other players in the Gambit are a diverse, inclusive group.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Swearing scattered throughout. No F-bombs.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Ross works as a thief, stealing items for clients who’ve hired her and her mom. She enters a high-stakes game in which she must race against other players to steal things. One character gets shot. Another threatens people with a firearm. The plot involves kidnapping and ransom.

Drug Content
Some characters use a drug to make people too intoxicated to perform specific assigned tasks. A character pours a glass of champagne for another.

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.