Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: The 9:09 Project by Mark H. Parsons

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
The 9:09 Project by Mark H. Parsons

The 9:09 Project
Mark H. Parsons
Delacorte Press
Published November 15, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The 9:09 Project

A thoughtful exploration about finding oneself, learning to hope after loss, and recognizing the role that family, friends, and even strangers can play in the healing process if you are open and willing to share your experience with others.

It has been two years since his mom’s death, and Jamison, his dad, and his younger sister seem to be coping, but they’ve been dealing with their loss separately and in different ways. When Jamison has to be reminded of his mother’s birthday, on the day of her birthday, he worries that his memory of her is slipping away, and he is forced to reckon with the passing of time. To help make sense of it, he picks up his camera—the Nikon his mother gave him a few years back.

Jamison begins to take photos of ordinary people on the street, at the same time and place each night. As he focuses his lens on the random people who cross his path, Jamison begins to see the world in a deeper way. His endeavor turns into a school project, and then into something more. Along with his new outlook, Jamison forges new and unexpected friendships at school. But more importantly, he’s able to revive the memory of his mother, and to connect with his father and younger sister once again.

My Review

I talk a lot about how much I love sister books, but I’m not sure I talk much about how much grief processing books mean to me, too. There’s something really powerful about a story that peels back the layers and reveals truths about love and loss that we don’t talk about. This book does that so well, and so many of the statements about loss and grief really resonated with me.

So, full disclosure, the ARC that I read opens with a note from the author, so I read that first. Which means before I even read the first line of the book, I was crying. The letter is about how the author was editing this book as he was saying goodbye to his mom, who was dying of the same type of cancer Jamison’s mom died from. I can’t even imagine how incredibly difficult that must have been. Absolutely heartbreaking.

I think one of my favorite things about the story, though, is that though it’s about grief, it doesn’t take the course that I have seen some other YA novels take. Meaning, it doesn’t focus on Jamison’s former friendships and how they’ve changed because of his grief, whose fault it is, or whether they can be repaired.

We don’t really know who his friends were before his mom’s death. He’s so totally disconnected from the Before time of his life that it never comes up. What we do get to see is the fresh growth of new friendships, what those mean to him, and how he learns to trust other people with his grief and share in theirs, too.

A fair amount of the story focuses on Jamison’s photography, which I loved. I especially loved the way that the Dorothea Lange quotes at the beginning of each chapter encapsulated something that happened in that chapter. I loved seeing those connections. Jamison shares some of the technical aspects of editing photos, but context clues were enough for me to follow along. I know the photography side, so that was familiar to me, but I think it’d be easily accessible to someone who didn’t have the knowledge.

I really liked the characters, too. Not just Jamison, but his sister, Assi, and Seth, too. They each bring really interesting elements to the story, and I liked that his relationship with each of them is different.

On the whole, I would call this one a win. I think readers who enjoy books by John Green should really check this one out.

Content Notes for The 9:09 Project

Some racist and sexist statements.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Jamison is white and has synesthesia.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A girl hints that she would like to have sex with Jamison. A girl suggests that Jamison take nude photos of her. Later she shares nude photos with him. (Pictures are not described in any detail.) A boy and a girl spend the night together. Later it’s mentioned that they had sex.

Spiritual Content
Jamison mentions that he feels his mom’s presence at times.

Violent Content
A group of boys at school create a list where they rank girls according to their looks on a scale of 1 to 10. Jamison and others are pretty grossed out by the whole thing. More than one student confronts them about it. Students refer to a Lebanese American girl as “AK-47”, a covert way of saying they think she’s a terrorist. Several students call this out as offensive as well, but it does happen throughout the story.

Drug Content
Jamison and others drink alcohol at a party. In one scene, Jamison’s father offers him a beer. (Jamison is 17.)

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 9:09 PROJECT in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

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

Daisy Woodworm Changes the World
Melissa Hart
Jolly Fish Press
Published November 8, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Daisy Woodworm Changes the World

When her social studies teacher assigns each student a project to change the world for the better along with an oral report, Daisy fears the class bully—who calls her Woodworm— will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.

With the help of her best friend Poppy, and Miguel—the most popular boy in school and her former enemy—Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully.

If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.

My Review

There are a lot of original things about this book. Daisy has three terrariums in her room. One contains hissing cockroaches. Another has millipedes. The third, I think, has stick bugs? I wish we’d been introduced to her pets and her interest in insects a little sooner. Eventually, it does become part of the story, and I felt like I got to know her a lot better once I saw her love for them and her knowledge about insects in general.

I really liked Daisy’s relationship with her brother and the layering there. While she sees herself as championing his dream, at first she doesn’t realize that she’s also trying to control him. As she pursues the YouTube channel and faces mistakes she makes along the way, she also has to face mistakes she’s made in her relationship with her brother.

Daisy also has some chances to reevaluate judgments she’s made about others, too. I liked the arc of her relationship with Miguel. They both have mistakes to apologize for, and in order to work together, they have to find ways to forgive each other.

I also liked Daisy’s parents. While their Poop Fairy dog cleanup business sometimes makes them seem a bit silly, it’s clear they love both kids and are trying their hardest to care and provide for them, even though they don’t always get it right.

On the whole, I think DAISY WOODWORM CHANGES THE WORLD is a sweet, heartwarming story of family and community. Readers who are interested in insects or stories about family dynamics will want this one on their shelves. I think fans of CHIRP by Kate Messner should check it out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Daisy has a lisp. Her brother and other minor characters have Down Syndrome. Daisy’s best friend is Indian with two moms. Another friend is Latine.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently. Daisy’s parents own a small business in which they scoop dog poop, so there are a few conversations and jokes about the job.

Romance/Sexual Content
Daisy has romantic feelings for a boy in her class. References to Daisy’s best friend crushing on a girl. References to kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Both Daisy and her brother experience some bullying. A boy in Daisy’s class makes fun of her lisp and her love for bugs, calling her Daisy Woodworm. Strangers leave hurtful comments online about Squirrel, Daisy’s brother.

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 DAISY WOODWORM CHANGES THE WORLD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine

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

Morning Sun in Wuhan
Ying Chang Compestine
Clarion Books
Published November 8, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Morning Sun in Wuhan

What was the pandemic of the century like at the start? This swift, gripping novel captures not only the uncertainty and panic when COVID first emerged in Wuhan, but also how a community banded together.

Weaving in the tastes and sounds of the historic city, Wuhan’s comforting and distinctive cuisine comes to life as the reader follows 13-year-old Mei who, through her love for cooking, makes a difference in her community. Written by an award-winning author originally from Wuhan.

Grieving the death of her mother and an outcast at school, thirteen-year-old Mei finds solace in cooking and computer games. When her friend’s grandmother falls ill, Mei seeks out her father, a doctor, for help, and discovers the hospital is overcrowded. As the virus spreads, Mei finds herself alone in a locked-down city trying to find a way to help.

Author Ying Chang Compestine draws on her own experiences growing up in Wuhan to illustrate that the darkest times can bring out the best in people, friendship can give one courage in frightening times, and most importantly, young people can make an impact on the world. Readers can follow Mei’s tantalizing recipes and cook them at home.

My Review

Not going to lie– I love that this book included recipes! I want to try all of them. The game Mei plays, Chop Chop also sounds like a lot of fun. I’ve played a game called Plate Up before which sounds way less sophisticated than how Chop Chop is described to be. Still, I had to laugh when different things happen with Mei and her team members in the game, because it reminded me of things that happened during my own kitchen/cooking game play experience. Haha!

I also really loved the community aspect of the story. I remember reading about the city of Wuhan being shut down during the pandemic, but I didn’t really have a grid for what that was actually like. We get to see the growing fear and uncertainty through Mei’s eyes, but we also get to see the way that she joins other community members to help those in need by delivering food and caring for her neighbors.

MORNING SUN IN WUHAN isn’t a super long book. I think it took me less than two hours to read altogether. The pacing is pretty smooth, and I loved Mei and her friends. It was easy to invest in their stories and hurt along with them and cheer for their victories.

All in all, I think this is a great book for kids who are curious about what the pandemic has been like in other places or are looking for a story about a young chef or gamer. I think readers who enjoyed HONESTLY, ELLIOT by Gillian McDunn will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Characters are Chinese. Mei’s mother has recently passed away.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Mei witnesses people getting angry as they shop in the last few minutes before the city shuts down.

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: Friends Like These by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

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

Friends Like These
Jennifer Lynn Alvarez
Delacorte Press
Published November 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Friends Like These

Twisted secrets that will have readers guessing with every flip of the page. Perfect for fans of GONE GIRL, WE WERE LIARS and Karen M. McManus.

An end-of-summer party. A prank gone wrong. A body on the beach. Who’s to blame?

Tegan Sheffield’s annual end-of-summer beach party is the only way to start their senior year. At least that’s what Jake Healy tells his girlfriend Jessica Sanchez.

But when a video prank from the party goes viral and a body is discovered at the beach, Jake and Jessica find themselves at the centre of a national media storm and a police investigation.

It’s a race to uncover the truth before the killer strikes again.

Readers love Jennifer Lynn Alvarez:

‘An emotional rollercoaster!’
‘You won’t be disappointed’
‘Damn this was entertaining’
‘A mystery thriller done to perfection’

My Review

One of the things I discovered reading this book is that I don’t enjoy books where the most significant thing about a character is that they love a boy. I felt like the obsession with Jake was the majority of what both Tegan and Jessica’s characters were about. I would have liked to know more about Tegan’s tense relationship with her mom. Or about anything that isn’t Jake that Jessica loved to do or was interested in.

Jake also spent a lot of time wrestling with his feelings about the girls, but he had a lot more going on, I felt like. He’s recovering from losing his dad, and from his alcoholism. After the night of Tegan’s party, he’s wrestling with the truth that he was assaulted and what that means. So I felt like his character was deeper and more complex than the girls were.

I liked the twisty-ness of the plot, though. A lot of things happened that I didn’t expect, and I liked the way the story made me question information I took for granted without really examining it. I also thought the decision to explore recovery from sexual assault but from a guy’s perspective was an interesting choice.

On the whole, if you’re looking for a twisty, fast-paced story, FRIENDS LIKE THESE could be a great pick for you.

Content Notes

Content warning for domestic violence, drug and alcohol use, and sexual assault.

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. One scene shows two teens undressing leading up to having sex.

A seventeen year-old boy and an eighteen year-old girl are caught having sex. Police intend to press charges on the girl. The age of consent in California, where the story takes place, is eighteen, so the girl can be charged with statutory rape.

See spoiler section at the bottom of the post.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to domestic violence (happens off-scene). More than one scene shows or references people fighting. In another scene, a boy slams a girl’s face into a tree accidentally.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol and take drugs at a party.

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 FRIENDS LIKE THESE in exchange for my honest review.

SPOILER

Jake learns both him and Tegan were drugged the night they slept together.

Review: The Trouble with Robots by Michelle Mohrweiss

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

The Trouble with Robots
Michelle Mohrweiss
Peachtree
Published September 27, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Trouble with Robots

Evelyn strives for excellence. Allie couldn’t care less. Together, these polar opposites must work together if they have any hope of saving their school’s robotics program.

Eighth-graders Evelyn and Allie are in trouble. Evelyn’s constant need for perfection has blown some fuses among her robotics teammates, and she’s worried nobody’s taking the upcoming competition seriously. Allie is new to school, and she’s had a history of short-circuiting on teachers and other kids.

So when Allie is assigned to the robotics team as a last resort, all Evelyn can see is just another wrench in the works! But as Allie confronts a past stricken with grief and learns to open up, the gears click into place as she discovers that Evelyn’s teammates have a lot to offer—if only Evelyn allowed them to participate in a role that plays to their strengths.

Can Evelyn learn to let go and listen to what Allie has to say? Or will their spot in the competition go up in smoke along with their school’s robotics program and Allie’s only chance at redemption?

An excellent pick for STEAM enthusiasts, this earnestly told narrative features a dual point of view and casually explores Autistic and LGBTQ+ identities.

My Review

What a fantastic, fun book! I’ve never been part of a robotics team, but this book makes the experience very accessible and highlights the fun as well. I really liked the characters and their individual personalities. It wasn’t hard to keep track of who was who once I got a few chapters into the story, because each one was so different than the others.

I really liked both Allie and Evelyn’s characters. They both wrestled with some heavy issues, but they had good support. As they took the risks of opening up, they were surprised by the way their friends came alongside them and accepted them as they were, while still asking for healthy boundaries and accountability.

The scenes showing the team working together were a really bright spot in the book. Once they all figured out how to come together, the whole story seemed to kick up a notch or two. I loved the way the stakes kept getting higher, and I was definitely on pins and needles as they went to that last competition. I loved how the lessons they’d learned about working together and supporting one another became even more critically important in those final scenes, too.

All in all, THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS was such a fun book to read. I enjoyed it a lot, and I’m really glad I had a chance to read it.

Content Notes for The Trouble with Robots

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Allie’s parents were killed in a car crash, and she’s being raised by her grandmother. She doesn’t feel attracted to anyone romantically. Evelyn is autistic and raised by her two moms. She also is attracted to both boys and girls. Other members of the robotics team identify as LGBTQIA+.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two boys on the robotics team are dating.

Spiritual Content
Allie has conversations in her mind with her parents when she misses them most.

Violent Content
A boy at school picks on other kids, calling them names and threatening to beat them up.

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 THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Salt and Sugar by Rebecca Carvalho

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

Salt and Sugar
Rebecca Carvalho
Inkyard Press
November 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Salt and Sugar

The grandchildren of two rival Brazilian bakeries fall in love despite their families’ feud.

Trust neither thin-bottomed frying pans nor Molinas.

Lari Ramires has always known this to be true. In Olinda, Brazil, her family’s bakery, Salt, has been at war with the Molinas’ bakery across the street, Sugar, for generations. But Lari’s world turns upside down when her beloved grandmother passes away. On top of that, a big supermarket chain has moved to town, forcing many of the small businesses to close.

Determined to protect her home, Lari does the unthinkable—she works together with Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries. Lari realizes she might not know Pedro as well as she thought—and she maybe even likes what she learns—but the question remains: Can a Ramires and a Molina truly trust one another?

My Review

This book made me want baked goods so badly. The descriptions of the process of baking were absolutely tantalizing. Everything seemed like it would be absolutely delicious.

My favorite thing, though, were the Romeo and Juliet themes or references. I loved that there was so much more to the feud than fighting between the families. I also loved the pacing of the romance between Pedro and Larissa. They were adorable and sweet, and I loved rooting for them to figure out their feelings and finally get together.

In the story, Larissa has just lost her grandmother, a super important person in her life. Her grief felt so real and palpable. There’s a scene in which she visits her grandmother’s graveside, and I cried through the whole scene. It really struck me and made me remember those feelings about my grandma’s death, too. A good grandma is a really tough loss.

I also loved that the story is set in Brazil. The food, the culture and celebrations were all so present in the story.

All in all, it wasn’t love at first sight with this one for me– it took me a few chapters to really get into the book. Once Larissa gets talked into joining the cooking club, I was pretty much hooked, though, and that happens really early on.

I think readers who enjoyed WE CAN’T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS by Rachel Lynn Solomon would enjoy this fun, sweet romantic book.

Content Notes for Salt and Sugar

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
All characters are Brazilian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

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 SALT AND SUGAR in exchange for my honest review.