Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: The History of Everything by Victoria Evans

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The History of Everything by Victoria Evans

The History of Everything
Victoria Evans
HarperAlley
Published February 18, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The History of Everything

Best friends Agnes and Daisy must learn to say goodbye in this coming-of-age YA graphic novel perfect for fans of Booksmart and Pumpkinheads from debut creator Victoria Evans.

Daisy and Agnes have always had each other.

And that’s all they’ve ever needed—or wanted, at least. So when Agnes’s mom drops the bombshell that she and Agnes are moving at the end of the summer, the girls are crushed.

All seems lost until the pair unearth “The History of Everything,” an old friendship scrapbook with the ultimate bucket list to make their last summer together unforgettable. But when Daisy starts dating a charming drummer, her social calendar suddenly has less room for her best friend. Insecurities bubble to the surface, and Daisy and Agnes begin to question if their friendship is meant to last the summer, much less forever.

In this tender graphic novel debut, Victoria Evans delves into the heart of a best friendship and explores what it means to grow up without growing apart.

My Review

I love that this story centers on a best friendship between two girls in high school. We’ve seen this kind of story done for middle grade readers before, but I love that this is aged up for a teen audience and still keeps the friendship the focus of the story. Right from the beginning, it’s easy to feel the long history of Daisy and Agnes’s friendship. They have rituals, they have inside jokes, and a highlight reel of memories they share together. As a reader, it was easy to feel a part of their story.

When Agnes learns she’s moving at the end of summer, it kicks her focus on her friendship with Daisy into high gear. Suddenly, she’s looking to the friendship as an escape from the problems she doesn’t want to face. And she needs their summer adventure to perfectly recapture the high points of the friendship.

The problem, of course, is that people don’t stay the same. Daisy still thinks of Agnes as her best friend, but she’s caught in the grip of a huge new crush, and she wants to widen her social circle, instead of keeping things just her and Agnes.

The tension builds to an explosive level as Agnes’s move date draws near. I felt that rising tension so much in the scenes leading up to that moment. Even before the characters’ frustrations spill over, you feel it coming.

I also loved the homage to early 2000s Goth fashion. That was a really fun element to the story that I hadn’t expected. The color palette reinforces the difference between the girls’ personalities, too. The illustrations are super expressive, so even in panels without text, lots of story is going on.

If you’re looking for a story that dabbles in a bit of romance on the side, but mainly focuses on the evolution of a childhood best friendship, definitely grab this graphic novel.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
One panel shows a kiss.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy by Angela Cervantes

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The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy
Angela Cervantes
Henry Holt & Co.
Published May 5, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy

From Pura Belpré Honor recipient Angela Cervantes and perfectly timed for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy follows 12-year-old sleuth Diez Espada on a high-stakes case as he tracks down the tournament’s stolen trophy in time for the championship match.

“Humor, heart, and fútbol… everything a middle grade mystery should be.” –Chris Grabenstein, New York Times-bestselling author of the Lemoncello series

Diez Espada—named after the jersey number of his soccer-obsessed father’s favorite player, Lionel Messi—would rather be chasing clues than soccer balls. When the World Cup trophy disappears at a glitzy party in Miami, he’s suddenly at the center of the most thrilling match of his life—a race to find the trophy before it’s gone for good.

Teaming up with his crush, Rio, and the world-famous Detective Enzo, Diez dives headfirst into a one-night whirlwind of secret tunnels and a squad of suspicious a spoiled son of a Miami tycoon, a famous sportscaster, and even Rio’s two prankster younger brothers.

The clock is ticking, the suspects are slippery, and the stadium lights are ready to shine. Will Diez find the trophy in time for the World Cup championship match?

My Review

This book was definitely a joy to read. The upbeat, engaging tone and young sleuth narrator kept me turning one page after the next. I liked the way that all the elements of the story (past and present) connected together in the mystery’s solution.

I also enjoyed the balance between adult character involvement and kid character activity. This is always tricky in a mystery, as it’s hard to keep the story realistic without sidelining younger characters in favor of adults with the authority to solve problems. I thought Cervantes balanced it well and kept Diez and Rio at the center of the mystery-solving.

The blending of a sports theme in a mystery is also really nicely done. I could see that drawing a lot of readers who might not often be interested in the same book. I think this will be a great book for summer reading lists.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A couple of adults refer to a girl Diez likes as his girlfriend, which embarrasses him.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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: Lies We Tell About the Stars by Susie Nadler

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

Lies We Tell About the Stars
Susie Nadler
Dutton Books for Young Readers
Published March 3, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Lies We Tell About the Stars

A gorgeous debut about friendship, grief, and new beginnings set in near-future San Francisco in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake and on the cusp of the first human mission to Mars.

Celeste Muldoon is alone when the Big One finally hits, because, for the first time ever, her best friend stood her up after school. Nicky and Celeste share a birthday, matching tattoos, an obsession with the upcoming Mars mission, and pretty much everything else. So why did he ghost her on the day she needed him most?

As the quake’s death toll rises and days pass, Nicky and Celeste’s parents fear the worst. But Celeste doesn’t buy it. He couldn’t be dead. Nicky’d spent their senior year selling essays to rich kids and was about to get caught. He’d told Celeste about his plan to vanish, to reinvent himself and escape the disaster he’d created. The quake would be perfect cover.

But she can’t convince anyone that he could still be alive. Only Meo, a mysterious stranger who was somehow mixed up with Nicky, seems to believe, but Celeste has every reason to distrust him—even if her heart races whenever Meo shows up.

When Celeste finds Nicky’s notebook, it sends her and Meo on a quest across the broken city, up the coast through towns sheltering quake refugees, and eventually all the way to Florida, where the mission to Mars is about to lift off.

My Review

Celeste has Type I Diabetes, which isn’t something I’ve seen in young adult fiction all too often. She has a service dog that’s trained to warn her if her blood sugar level goes too high or low. I liked the way these things were incorporated into the story, yet not the focus of the story. Celeste is a lot more than her diabetes diagnosis.

I will confess that I had to skip to the end of the book to find out whether Nicky was still alive. It isn’t clear early in the story whether he is missing or has died, and I didn’t think I could handle waiting to discover what his status was, since it was clear Celeste was so invested in finding him alive.

I have mixed feelings about the ending, though I appreciate the route the story takes. I like that ultimately, Celeste had to learn to make choices for herself and to decide what she wanted apart from her identity as Nicky’s “twin.”

The story begins with a disastrous earthquake, also not something that’s included very often in realistic young adult fiction, so I thought that was a cool premise as well. I liked the content about the space program and Celeste’s interest in it, too. It’s always interesting to read books set in Florida or that have scenes set in places I’ve been to, so that was especially cool, too.

Readers looking for an intense contemporary story about changing relationships that include a near-future space program will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Brief descriptions of sexual contact.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Celeste survives a disastrous earthquake and navigates the aftermath. References to deaths during the earthquake and to some memorial scenes. Celeste makes some reckless choices about her health. Someone kidnaps a dog.

Drug Content
References to teens smoking pot and 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: Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh

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Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp
Rachel M. Marsh
Greenwillow Books
Published March 24, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp

Ferris meets Ghosts of Tupelo Landing in this cozy ghost story about family, environmental activism, food, and friendship.

Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans—in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter, really—but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.

But then Grandpere’s ghost appears. And he has a mission for her.

Basil wouldn’t mind being haunted if Grandpere could be helpful and share his secret recipe that might save the restaurant. But instead, he’s intent on connecting Basil with her Cajun heritage. He sends her out to the bayou to meet his an airboat captain, a shrimper, and a scientist rebuilding Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coastline.

For fans of Gracie Under the Waves and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp has a little bit of a pinch of spookiness, a dash of environmental activism, and a heaping of family.

My Review

This is definitely one of those books where the disparate threads all come together nicely in the end. In a way, it reminded me of Once For Yes by Allie Millington. I adored the Louisiana setting. Some of the characters made me think of my partner’s family members, who are from Louisiana. His family is also Cajun, so that was a fun connection to the story as well.

It was interesting to read a book in which the main character is surrounded by people who love food and cooking, yet she has strong negative feelings about them. Basil’s perspective about the family restaurant makes a lot of sense, and it makes sense that she would have such strong conflicted feelings about her future, since she feels the family needs her to be as invested in the restaurant as they are.

I like how her relationship with her grandfather’s ghost propels the story in unexpected ways. While Grandpere clearly has something important to resolve, his presence helps Basil in ways she wouldn’t have predicted. I like that she learns a lot about him and about herself through the experience.

Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp celebrates strong family connections across generations and a love for the natural world. Give this book to fans of Elsie Mae Has Something to Say by Nancy Cavanaugh and Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Basil sees the ghost of her grandfather, who recently passed away. She eventually sees other ghosts as well.

Violent Content
A kid gets in trouble for throwing salt all over a classroom when what he thinks is a ghost appears. An argument escalates into a food fight.

Drug Content
None.

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: Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Three Keys (Front Desk #2)
Kelly Yang
Scholastic Press
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Three Keys

The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.Mia Tang thinks she’s going to have the best year ever.She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing!

But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic…1. Mia’s new teacher doesn’t think her writing is all that great. And her entire class finds out she lives and works in a motel! 2. The motel is struggling, and Mia has to answer to the Calivista’s many, many worried investors. 3. A new immigration law is looming and if it passes, it will threaten everything — and everyone — in Mia’s life.

It’s a roller coaster of challenges, and Mia needs all of her determination to hang on tight. But if anyone can find the key to getting through turbulent times, it’s Mia Tang!

My Review

Authors like Kelly Yang, who write about real situations from recent history that some young readers face, deserve much appreciation. In her author’s note, Yang recalls her own childhood, during which many of the events mentioned in Three Keys take place. She reflects on the parallels between that time period back in the 1990s and the rise of xenophobia and hate in the United States in more recent days.

Through the pages of the novel, though, she carefully deconstructs these challenging ideas so that young readers can see, think about, and explore them in an age-appropriate way. Like Mia herself, many readers will find themselves in school classrooms with children whose families face increased discrimination and fear.

The story makes space for readers to think about what those experiences would feel like and how political ideas, and even recent political history, impact the people around them.

I’ve loved this series so far, and I’m so impressed with the author’s wisdom and careful handling of these sensitive topics. I’m excited to read more of the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Brief racist comments. References to an adult being arrested and detained.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

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The Scammer
Tiffany D. Jackson
Quill Tree Books
Published October 7, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Scammer

A ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

My Review

I’m posting about a lot of books that are my first time reading books by authors this week, and this is no exception. Tiffany D. Jackson has been on my reading list for a LONG time, but I finally managed to read one of her books.

And, wow. You know that feeling on a roller coaster, where you’re being propelled upward, and you know the fall is coming any minute? That’s how it felt reading this book. It’s called The Scammer, and the back cover copy offers some pretty strong clues about what kind of story this is, so I had no reason to be surprised by Devonte’s behavior. But I felt like I wanted to jump between him and those girls, or at least to tell Jordyn to listen to herself so many times.

It was easy to feel Devonte’s magnetism, both in how people responded to him and in the way his character was written. While I wanted Jordyn to escape, I also felt how affected she was by his words and ideas.

I thought it was a really interesting choice to set the story on an HBCU campus. This posed some interesting questions and introduced ideas that a different setting may not have centered as easily.

The story is timely and bold. Jordyn’s hunger for connection with her peers, especially her roommates, was so powerful. Her grief was also easy to sense. The balance between the mystery/suspense elements and the romance was perfect. I felt like both fit well within the story.

I’m a huge fan of this author now, and I want to read everything else she’s written. I think I already own several more of her books, so hopefully I’ll get to those this year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex. One character tells another that their family abused them, even if they don’t remember it.

Spiritual Content
One character shares some brief information about her Christian faith. Another character directs others to refer to him as a god.

Violent Content
References to death by suicide (happens off-scene). Some scenes show domestic abuse and a group attacking one person at another’s direction. References to gun violence resulting in death.

Drug Content
Some scenes show teens (college students) drinking alcohol. Someone drugs another person’s drink.

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.