Category Archives: Historical

MMGM Review: Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis

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Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis

Unsinkable Cayenne
Jessica Vitalis
Greenwillow Books
Published October 29, 2024

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About Unsinkable Cayenne

When her unconventional parents finally agree to settle down in one place, twelve-year-old Cayenne’s dreams come true—but the reality of fitting in is much harder than she imagined. Acclaimed author Jessica Vitalis crafts an unforgettable historical novel-in-verse about belonging, family, and social class for fans of Lisa Fipps’s Starfish and Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home.

Cayenne and her family drift from place to place, living in their van. It hasn’t been a bad life—Cayenne and her mother birdwatch in every new location, they have a cozy setup in the van, and they sing and dance and bond over campfires most nights. But they’ve never belonged anywhere.

As Cayenne enters seventh grade, her parents decide to settle down in a small Montana town. Cayenne hopes that this means she will finally fit in and make some friends. But it turns out that staying in one place isn’t easy.

As her social studies class studies the Titanic tragedy (the wreckage has just been discovered and her teacher is obsessed), Cayenne sees more and more parallels between the social strata of the infamous ship and her own life. Will she ever squeeze her way into the popular girls’ clique, even though they live in fancy houses on the hill, and she lives in a tiny, rundown home with chickens in the front yard? Is it possible that the rich boy she likes actually likes her back? Can she find a way to make room for herself in this town? Does she really want to? Maybe being “normal” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Unsinkable Cayenne is a character-driven novel-in-verse about family, friendship, first crushes, and fitting in. Set in the mid-1980s, this literary novel is for readers of Megan E. Freeman’s Alone and Erin Entrada Kelly’s We Dream of Space.

My Review

This is the first book by Jessica Vitalis that I’ve ever read, though Coyote Queen is already on my reading list! I saw nothing but high praise for that one and added it to my reading list immediately. If I wasn’t planning to read it before, I would definitely be planning to now.

I love novels in verse because it gives an author a chance to tell a story in which each word really counts. Delivering rich characters and vivid settings in just a few words takes really precise writing, and I can’t help but appreciate when it’s done well– as in this book.

Cayenne lives an unapologetically unconventional lifestyle. While she longs for the stability of a more permanent home and school experience, she understands how much her parents value the life they’ve crafted. She relates her experiences sans outside judgment. This is simply how her life is.

At school, her history teacher introduces a unit of study on the Titanic, which allows Cayenne and her classmates to think about the impact of classism through a really specific situation in which someone’s class dramatically impacted their likelihood of survival. Cayenne relates to the prejudice and classism described in the disaster as she tries to navigate relationships with kids whose families have fancier houses and clothes than hers.

It’s a thoughtful story filled with metaphors about birds and emotive descriptions of middle school moments that will still resonate today. I could see readers of Starfish or other thought-provoking novels in verse really enjoying this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Cayenne’s dad has depression.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to nudity.

Spiritual Content
List.

Violent Content
Cayenne learns about the Titanic disaster.

Drug Content
Cayenne’s dad smokes pot.

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.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: Tales of Ancient Egypt by Hugo D. Cook and Sona Avedikian

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Tales of Ancient Egypt
Hugo D. Cook
Illustrated by Sona Avedikian
Neon Squid
Published October 1, 2024

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About Tales of Ancient Egypt

Discover amazing true stories and breathtaking myths from ancient Egypt in this book by TikTok Egyptologist Hugo Cook, featuring stunning illustrations from Sona Avedikian.

Everyone knows the story of Tutankhamun, but the ancient Egyptian civilization lasted for more than 3,000 years – which means there are loads more amazing tales to be told! Egyptologist and TikTok star Hugo Cook (aka Hugo the Egyptologist) has scoured ancient texts and translated hieroglyphs to bring readers stories of love, betrayal, and royal scandal featuring pharaohs, priests, gods, and goddesses.

The book combines historical stories, including the time Cleopatra hid in a sack to be smuggled into a palace to meet Julius Caesar, with rip-roaring myths, like the Cinderella story of a peasant girl who married the pharaoh when he found her slipper.

Told with great fun and impeccably researched, readers will slip into a tomb at night with a band of mischievous tomb robbers and witness epic battles featuring elephants and ostriches. Interspersed through the stories are pages explaining the history of ancient Egypt on the banks of the Nile, from how pyramids were built to a step-by-step guide to wrapping a mummy.

With a beautiful cloth-textured cover featuring shiny foil, Tales of Ancient Egypt is the perfect gift for kids interested in ancient Egypt.

My Review

My older daughter would have absolutely loved this book when she was in later elementary school. She had a couple of books on mythology and folklore, but we didn’t have anything on ancient Egypt.

Almost all the stories or fact collections are limited to a single spread, which makes this book easy to read even for readers intimidated by its size (the hardcover edition is 9.25″ x 11.25″ and 151 pages). Each spread shows brightly colored illustrations featuring characters with expressive faces. The backmatter includes a glossary and a list of deities. One of the things I wish it also included are some recommendations for further reading.

The book includes both historical accounts and facts as well as mythological tales. Myths are labeled as such to avoid any confusion. I liked the mix of the two as they often added context to one another. For example, the story of Khaemweset includes some factual information as context and then transitions to the myths about him.

This is a book that kids interested in mythology or history will enjoy. The format makes the information easily accessible and entertaining while offering many cool historical tidbits. I can see this being a book that I give for Christmas this year.

Content Notes for Tales of Ancient Egypt

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Stories feature characters from Egyptian mythology, famous ancient Egyptians, and facts about ancient Egyptian life.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to love and romantic partnership.

Spiritual Content
Contains stories of Egyptian mythology and ancient Egypt’s pantheon of gods. Some mythological stories contain characters who perform magic or sorcery.

Violent Content
Stories contain situations of peril and brief references to murder or attempted murder, especially via poison or stabbing. One illustration shows a wincing Cleopatra allowing a snake to bite her hand. No gory descriptions. Brief description of the process of mummification. Someone tells a man to throw murder his children, and he tosses them out a high window. Later, he realizes this was a nightmare. Crocodiles devour an army trying to cross the Nile.

Drug Content
References to drinking beer. Several instances of death by poisoning.

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: Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

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

Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix (Remixed Classics #9)
Gabe Cole Novoa
Feiwel & Friends
Published January 16, 2024

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About Most Ardently

A trans boy searches for a future―and a romance―in which he can live and love openly as himself in this heartrending young-adult reimagining of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, part of the Remixed Classics series.

London, 1812 . Oliver Bennet feels trapped—not just by the endless corsets, petticoats, and skirts he’s forced to wear on a daily basis, but also by society’s expectations. The world, and the vast majority of his family and friends, think Oliver is a girl named Elizabeth. He is therefore expected to mingle at balls wearing a pretty dress, entertain suitors regardless of his interest in them, and ultimately become someone’s wife.

But Oliver can’t bear the thought of such a fate. He finds solace in the few times he can sneak out of his family’s home and explore the city rightfully dressed as a young gentleman. It’s during one such excursion when Oliver becomes acquainted with Darcy, a sulky young man who had been rude to “Elizabeth” at a recent social function. But in the comfort of being out of the public eye, Oliver comes to find that Darcy is actually a sweet, intelligent boy with a warm heart, not to mention attractive.

As Oliver spends more time as his true self, often with Darcy, part of him dares to hope that his dream of love and life as a man can be possible. But suitors are growing bolder―and even threatening―and his mother is growing more desperate to see him settled into an engagement. Oliver will have to choose: settle for safety, security, and a life of pretending to be something he’s not, or risk it all for a slim chance at freedom, love, and a life that can be truly his own.

My Review

This is the fourth book in the Remixed Classics series by MacMillan that I’ve read, and even before picking it up, I thought this might be the most challenging one for me. Not because of the transgender character but because inserting a transgender character into a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice is a huge change to the story. I’m going to split up the review into two sections because I want to explore the book as a Regency romance with a transgender main character and separately look at how it reimagines the Austen’s classic novel.

As a Regency Romance

I like Most Ardently on its own merit. Considering what life could have been like for someone like Oliver living during the time that Pride and Prejudice was set is really worth doing, especially now. I thought the author did a great job of exploring Oliver’s choices, how he felt about those options and the risks he was willing to take to create a life he could live as freely as possible.

The back of the book includes an author’s note which explains some information about what it may have been like for transgender people living in Regency England and explains some of the historical references in the book. For example, in Most Ardently, Oliver visits a Molly house, a club for queer people. The author’s note explains a little bit of the history of those establishments.

A lot of the story centers around Oliver’s identity, specifically around the fact that most people don’t know he’s a boy and how difficult this is for him. His mother and others constantly remind him about society’s expectations for him as long as he’s perceived as a woman. The ongoing pressure to become someone’s wife grows increasingly difficult for him to bear.

His determination to be seen for who he is and his courage in speaking his truth to the people around him on his timeline can’t help but be inspiring. The author makes space for messy conversations and shows tenderness and growth in so many of the characters.

As a Remix of Pride and Prejudice

Some of the characters in the book felt very true to the spirit of the original characters. I could see Mr. Bennet reacting much the way he does in the text when he learns Oliver’s identity. It wasn’t hard to imagine that Mrs. Bennet would have behaved the same way, too.

Other characters’ roles are minimized or removed from the story to simplify some elements. A few times, I felt like the references to the original story and the new theme about gender identity seemed in conflict with one another. The messages didn’t disagree, but occasionally plot elements from the original story were introduced and then dropped and never revisited or distracted from the more central story.

One of the big changes in this remix of Pride and Prejudice is Oliver’s reaction to Wickham, whom he has creepy vibes about from the very first moment he enters the story. I found myself missing the evolution of the main character’s feelings about Darcy and Wickham. The romantic component in this remix is a lot more simplified than the original.

The writing in Most Ardently is, of course, a lot more accessible than Austen’s original language. For the most part, I didn’t mind this, but there were a few times that the characters revealed things to one another that seemed very out of character or against the social norms of the day. The few times that happened were a little bit jarring. The more modern style of writing will probably make the book more satisfying to contemporary YA readers.

Conclusion

On the whole, I enjoyed the book as a Regency romance centered around a transgender character. I appreciated the inspiration from Pride and Prejudice, though it’s super different than the original. I think readers who enjoyed My Dear Henry by Kalynn Bayron should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Oliver is a transgender boy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two women are in a secret romance. Two boys kiss. More than one man proposes marriage to someone.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Oliver’s family and some people in public refer to him as “Elizabeth.” He is required to dress as a woman when at home with his family or appearing with them in public. Most of the people in his life don’t know his true identity and misgender him or refer to him by the wrong name. It always startles or hurts Oliver.

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. All opinions my own.

MMGM Review: Wildflower Emily by Lydia Corry

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Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson
Lydia Corry
Godwin Books
Published October 15, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful.

Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the “buccaneers of buzz.” And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm.

This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo.

My Review

I am in love with this book! It really blew me away. I was expecting something cute that would give kids a connection with the poet through an imagined story of her childhood. And this book is that.

It’s also so much more. I love the color palette. Most of the illustrations outside are done in warm tones that evoke a sunny day or sunset. The illustrations inside have this soft plum-colored cast to them that feels appropriately dated. I found even the colors of the pictures engaging. It’s a graphic novel-style story, which at first might seem like an odd choice for a book about Emily Dickinson, but it really worked.

It’s a gentle story that follows Emily and her dog as they explore the fields and woods collecting flowers. A lot of the dialogue that Emily speaks comes directly from her writing, which emphasizes her creativity and the poetic way that she saw the world.

The back of the book includes some facts about Dickinson’s dog, her family life, and the ways in which she relates to others despite being known as a recluse. Those tidbits of information seem carefully chosen to inspire readers’ interest and further curiosity about Emily Dickinson’s life.

I can already tell this is going to be one of those books I can’t stop recommending. It’s one of those rare works in which the author started with an incredible concept and then executed it perfectly. I would love to see other books like this about young writers’ or poets’ lives.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
All characters are white. (The only people appearing in the book are Emily Dickinson and her family members.)

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

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.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

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The Fate of Magic (Witch and Hunter #2)
Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Sourcebooks Fire
Published October 1, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Fate of Magic

The breathtaking sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller Night of the Witch culminates with a sweeping romance and an epic battle to determine the fate of magic…and the world.

Fritzi is a champion. After escaping the clutches of Dieter Kirch, the sadistic leader of the witch hunters, Fritzi and Otto have taken refuge among the witches of the Black Forest. Fritzi is finally ready to assume her place on the council as the coven’s goddess-chosen champion. Plagued by distrust and self-doubt, Fritzi throws herself into her duty to serve the goddesses . . . until she uncovers a powerful secret that could mean the very undoing of magic itself.

Otto is a warrior. He swears himself to Fritzi as her bonded protector, certain the peaceful unity of a witch and hunter will heal the wounds he helped make. But as the horrifying plot that threatens the Black Forest’s magic comes to light, Otto will have to face his both his past and what it means to bind himself to a magic he does not fully understand.

Shadows loom. Truths are revealed. And as dangers new and old arise, Fritzi and Otto must stand together against everything that threatens magic—even if the biggest threat might be the very bond they share.

My Review

This book concludes the Witch and Hunter duology, picking up soon after the first book ended. The story starts off with Otto and Fritzi preparing for a bonding ceremony and sharing some romantic moments together. The pace of the story builds, with stakes growing ever higher, which sent me rocketing from one chapter to another all the way until the end of the book.

I like that the story made space for Otto and Fritzi’s relationship, even though it wasn’t the central plot of the story. It was nice to enjoy those quiet moments in which they returned to the bond between them and why they cared for one another.

I also enjoyed the intensity of the hunt for the magic stones. It wasn’t clear whether they would be able to find them or get to them first, which kept the intensity high. I’ve seen other books that have a quest like this in which the clues don’t really fit together or feel forced. That isn’t the case here. I liked the way the various clues and the quest unfolded. It felt natural and made sense to me.

I also really appreciated that this is a duology. I was absolutely prepared to read more of the series, but it was a pleasant surprise to find that this one book delivered all the things I’d been waiting for from the story. It might be even better than the first book. I’m not sure. They were both great.

If you like historical fiction with a heaping serving of magic, this is definitely a series to put on your list. Start with Night of the Witch before reading this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are German.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. A few scenes show a lead into sex, and one briefly describes it.

Spiritual Content
Otto is Catholic but has rejected some of the church’s teachings, especially those regarding killing or hunting witches. Fritzi and other characters serve a trio of goddesses.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battles. References to torture and brief scenes showing torture. Otto and Fritzi enter a square in which people have been burned at the stake for being witches. In one scene, they discover the bodies of two people who’ve been beheaded. Someone lights someone else on fire. Monsters pursue some characters.

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: Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel

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

Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up
Sonia Patel
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published September 10, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up

It’s eighteen-year-old Gita Desai’s first year at Stanford University, and it’s a miracle she’s here and not already married off by her traditional Gujarati parents. She’s determined to death-grip her good-girl, model-student rep all the way to medical school, which means no social life or standing out in any way. Should be easy: If there’s one thing she’s learned from her family it’s how to chup-re—to “shut up,” fade into the background.

But when childhood memories of her aunt’s desertion and her then-uncle’s best friend resurface, Gita ditches the books night after night in favor of partying and hooking up with strangers. Still, nothing can stop the nagging voice in her head that’s growing louder and louder, insisting something’s wrong… and the only way she can burst forward is to stop shutting-up about the past.

My Review

I feel like I should have realized from the back cover copy that this book explores trauma and its effect on a young college student. Though I’m not always a fan of young adult literature featuring protagonists in college, I do think this– trauma emerging and demanding to be dealt with in the first semester of college– is something we don’t talk about enough. It seems like something that a lot of people experience as they leave home for the first time and enter a busy, stressful time of life with a lot of academic and social demands.

Anyway, regardless, I kind of went into this book unprepared for its themes, which made it hit really hard. Some of the scenes are hard to read, not because there’s anything wrong with them, but because they explicitly state things that we often shut people up for talking about. We sometimes treat these things like they’re too shameful or complicated to talk about.

Gita is incredibly smart academically. She finds two really great girl friends, both white girls, and feels sidelined by the guys at the events the three of them attend. At one point, a guy Gita sleeps with asks for her friend’s phone number immediately after they’ve had sex. Ugh. Awful.

As the story unfolds, there are more and more hints at past trauma in Gita’s life. The slow reveal of those things was agonizing for me. I suspected where things were headed, and I could feel Gita’s resistance to remembering what happened. The writing is so on point. It was hard to stay on that knife’s edge for as long as the story keeps its readers there, though.

Because the story takes place in the 1990s, there are so many music references that 90s music lovers will enjoy. Gita listens to a broad range of music, and some of the songs were really well-placed in terms of what was happening in the scene as the song played.

Conclusion

Ultimately, I love that Gita’s relationships with Marisol and Jane anchor her and help give her the courage to speak up for herself. I love the arc of her relationships with her family members, too.

Overall, this is a heavy book that won’t be for everyone. It does a good job exploring the transition from home to college life and the role of trauma and shame in choices someone might make during that time.

Content Notes

Content warning for sexual abuse and assault.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Gita is Indian American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some F-bombs and infrequent use of other profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Gita observes a couple having sex. One partner notices her, but the other does not know she’s there. Kissing between boy and girl. Some scenes show sexual assault from the point of view of a girl who’s very drunk and not really processing what’s happening. Details are sparse but graphic.

Spiritual Content
References to Hindu faith practices.

Violent Content
Some scenes show sexual assault from the point of view of a girl who’s very drunk and not really processing what’s happening. Scenes also briefly show or reference child abuse. A girl hits a boy who kisses her against her will.

Drug Content
Gita and her friends (freshman in college) drink alcohol at parties and the home of some men they barely know.

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.