Category Archives: By Genre

Review: Somebody Told Me by Mia Siegert

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,
Somebody Told Me by Mia Siegert

Somebody Told Me
Mia Siegert
Carolrhoda Lab
Published April 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Somebody Told Me

After an assault, bigender seventeen-year-old Aleks/Alexis is looking for a fresh start―so they voluntarily move in with their uncle, a Catholic priest. In their new bedroom, Aleks/Alexis discovers they can overhear parishioners in the church confessional. Moved by the struggles of these “sinners,” Aleks/Alexis decides to anonymously help them, finding solace in their secret identity: a guardian angel instead of a victim.

But then Aleks/Alexis overhears a confession of another priest admitting to sexually abusing a parishioner. As they try to uncover the priest’s identity before he hurts anyone again, Aleks/Alexis is also forced to confront their own abuser and come to terms with their past trauma.

My Review

I am really struggling to write this review, not because the book was bad. It was a difficult read because of the subject matter, but the story was really compelling.

One of the things I struggled with was Aleks/Alexis’ character.On the one hand, I really enjoyed reading a book with a bigender character and I felt like the story showed Aleks/Alexis’ identity really well. I loved that their parents were supportive and champions for them but that they also were willing to step back and let Aleks/Alexis fight their own battles.

I also thought the exploration of the cosplay and Comic Con scene was compelling. This is a story that does not shy away from some of the harmful behaviors that can happen at those events, and while that was dark, it raised some really necessary ideas.

There were things that I found difficult to like– Aleks/Alexis was really prickly. It sometimes felt like they jumped to some really negative conclusions about people very quickly and that kind of harsh judgmental response grated. Aleks/Alexis also battles an incredibly negative and shaming inner voice that sometimes was hard for me to read, too. It showed how deeply hurtful the misgendering or transphobic words could be because of being coupled with this inner voice, but it sometimes was very difficult to read.

On the other hand– it does make sense that someone still processing and recovering from a sexual assault would have strong feelings of anger and lash out at people around them, so I feel like it was not out of place or arbitrary. It just challenged me as a reader.

I loved that the story showed how personal a faith experience can be– that some characters practiced a peaceful, loving and accepting faith even if others used their faith as a way of controlling people or a route to victimizing others.

Over all, SOMEBODY TOLD ME is a dark story that takes an unflinching look at abuse within the church and the harmful objectification and abuse of cosplay characters in a complex way with an ultimate message of hope, acceptance, and recovery from trauma.

Please read the content below for more information on potential triggers in this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Aleks/Alexis is bigender. At least two other characters identify as gay. Two others share kisses with a bigender character but don’t label themselves.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently until the end of the book, where there’s a more frequent use.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger Warning for sexual abuse, assault, and homophobic and transphobic comments.
Aleks/Alexis briefly describes their sexual history, including details about kissing and references to sex. Two boys kiss.

Aleks/Alexis has brief flashbacks to a toxic relationship and a sexual assault. Eventually the assault is described in more detail. (Details on the assault at the end of the review under Spoilers.)

A priest makes a somewhat vague confession about abusing a parishoner, saying he has given the person a “special Communion,” a code which the priest hearing the confession seems to understand means sexual abuse. Later, the priest makes overt statements about whom he abused and threatens to abuse someone else, grabbing them inappropriately.

The novel contains misgendering as well as several homophobic and transphobic comments as well.

Spiritual Content
Aleks/Alexis’ uncle is a Catholic priest who requires them to attend mass each week and hears confession of his parishoners. References to conversion camp.

Some characters in the story practice a rigid, fearful or harsh faith. Others practice a more loving, accepting faith that is still deeply important to them.

Violent Content
Police inspect the murder of a boy found strangled near the church. Brief descriptions of assault. Someone threatens to abuse a minor and brags about abusing others. A two teens are trapped inside a burning building.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of SOMEBODY TOLD ME in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

**Spoiler**

Aleks/Alexis experienced an assault at a comic con after a boyfriend pressured them to allow a crowd of 80 panel attendees to line up and, one at a time, pin them to the wall and kiss them for photos. It’s clear that Aleks/Alexis didn’t want or consent to this experience and that it as well as the toxic/abusive behavior of their boyfriend caused trauma.

Review: Not Your #LoveStory by Sonia Hartl

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

Not Your #LoveStory
Sonia Hartl
Page Street Kids
Published September 1, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Not Your #LoveStory

Macy Evans dreams of earning enough income from her YouTube channel, R3ntal Wor1d, to leave her small, Midwestern town. But when she meets a boy named Eric at a baseball game, and accidentally dumps her hotdog in his lap, her disastrous “meet-cute” becomes the topic of a viral thread. Now it’s not loyal subscribers flocking to her channel, it’s Internet trolls. And they aren’t interested in her reviews of VHS tapes—they only care about her relationship with Eric.

Eric is overly eager to stretch out his fifteen minutes of fame, but Macy fears this unwanted attention could sabotage her “real-life” relationships—namely with the shy boy-next-door, Paxton, who she’s actually developing feelings for. Macy knows she should shut the lie down, though she can’t ignore the advertising money, or the spark she gets in her chest whenever someone clicks on her videos. Eric shouldn’t be the only one allowed to reap the viral benefits. But is faking a relationship for clicks and subscribers worth hurting actual people?

My Review

Lots of things about this story are so much fun. Macy is spunky and surrounded by fierce and loyal friends and family members. I liked the circle of quilters her grandmother was part of best of all, I think.

NOT YOUR #LOVESTORY doesn’t shy away from the gross awfulness that the internet can be. Macy becomes obsessed with her social media feeds and the need to boost her income from her YouTube channel even further. As her story with Eric goes viral, the trolls come out in droves, insulting her clothes, her looks, and shaming her for things they assume she did.

Her friends rally around her, but it’s clear they’re not fans of the fake dating relationship with Eric. Like it or not, though, her internet fame has changed things between them, and Macy has to figure out how much of her real life she’s willing to give up for her YouTube stardom.

Underneath the explorations of the cost of social media fame and the pressure of growing up poor in a small town, this is a simple story about a girl falling in love with her best friend.

I think readers who enjoyed WILD AND CROOKED by Leah Thomas will enjoy the small town setting and exploration of harmful assumptions. Fans of Hartl’s first book, HAVE A LITTLE FAITH IN ME, will find another sex-positive, spicy romance layered with social issues.

Lots of things make this a great read, but there is a lot of mature content. Check the content section for details.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 17 up.

Representation
Macy’s best friend is dating another girl.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used throughout the book.

Macy also spends a great deal of time reading through nasty comments about her on her social media streams. There are some really ugly, shaming comments on there.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to two girls kissing and being intimate. Macy’s mom raised her to be proud of her sexuality and reject any attempts at shaming her for wanting to have sex. At the same time, her mom also expects her not to have sex while she’s in high school. (Macy already broke that rule with a past boyfriend.)

There’s also some reference to masturbation while fantasizing about a different sexual experience.

After Macy meets Eric at the baseball game, rumors that she hooked up with him in the bathroom go viral, and Macy’s social media feeds fill with judgment and cruel comments.

Late in the story, Macy shares, in detail, having sex with her boyfriend.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Two boys bully and threaten Macy. She later learns that one boy’s dad brutally beat his mom and sometimes him.

Drug Content
Macy and her friends drink alcohol. Macy’s grandma and her friends smoke pot outside the house. Macy hangs out with them for a few minutes.

Note: I received a free copy of NOT YOUR #LOVESTORY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest

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

The Summer We Found the Baby
Amy Hest
Candlewick Press
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Summer We Found the Baby

On the morning of the dedication of the new children’s library in Belle Beach, Long Island, eleven-year-old Julie Sweet and her six-year-old sister, Martha, find a baby in a basket on the library steps. At the same time, twelve-year-old Bruno Ben-Eli is on his way to the train station to catch the 9:15 train into New York City. He is on an important errand for his brother, who is a soldier overseas in World War II. But when Bruno spies Julie, the same Julie who hasn’t spoken to him for sixteen days, heading away from the library with a baby in her arms, he has to follow her. Holy everything, he thinks. Julie Sweet is a kidnapper.

Of course, the truth is much more complicated than the children know in this heartwarming and beautifully textured family story by award-winning author Amy Hest. Told in three distinct voices, each with a different take on events, the novel captures the moments and emotions of a life-changing summer — a summer in which a baby gives a family hope and brings a community together.

Set during World War II, this poignant, briskly paced historical novel relays the events of one extraordinary summer from three engaging points of view.

My Review

THE SUMMER WE FOUND THE BABY is one of those books where what’s not said on the page is as important as what is. A girl and her sister find a baby. A boy follows them. How they’re connected and why the girls feel drawn to the baby changes tells a moving story that I know I won’t soon forget.

One point-of-view is from Martha Sweet, the younger sister of Julie, who first finds the baby. Martha is sweet, enthusiastic, and energetic. She doesn’t always understand what’s going on around her, but she loves the people in her little community.

Julie also tells part of the story, and in her sections, we see a girl trying to be so much more than she is, and determined to do it perfectly. She cares for her little sister while their dad works, possibly interviewing soldiers at a local military base. And then there’s Bruno, a boy whose older brother has gone to war, leaving him behind.

The story begins with the three finding the baby and loops backward, to tell us how they came to be on the steps of the library that morning and why the baby was there.

It’s such a sweet, heartfelt story. I love that what’s on the page hints at so many things that aren’t there, things that the narrators probably wouldn’t have pieced together. It’s a really quick read, too– I think I read it in a little over an hour.

I think fans of STAY WHERE YOU ARE AND THEN LEAVE by John Boynton or PAX by Sarah Pennypacker will enjoy this book– though it’s a bit less dark than those stories.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Bruno’s family is Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Hints at a romance between Bruno’s older brother and a girl.

Spiritual Content
At one point, Bruno’s parents touch the place where they believe his brother’s battalion to be on a map and say, “God bless.”

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of THE SUMMER WE FOUND THE BABY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Evil Thing by Serena Valentino

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

Evil Thing (Villains #7)
Serena Valentino
Disney-Hyperion
Published July 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Evil Thing

From her lonely childhood, to her iconic fashion choices, to that fateful car crash (you know the one), Cruella tells all in this marvelous memoir of a woman doomed. Even the cruelest villains have best friends, true loves, and daring dreams. Now it’s Cruella’s turn to share hers.

This latest novel by the author of the wildly popular and darkly fascinating Villains series brings readers a tale told by the Evil Thing herself-a tale of the complicated bonds of female friendship, of mothers and daughters, and of burning, destructive desire.

After all, nothing is as simple as black and white.

My Review

EVIL THING wasn’t the story I expected. This is the second book I’ve read in the Villains series by Serena Valentino. I read and reviewed MISTRESS OF ALL EVIL in 2017.

Especially early on in EVIL THING, I felt like Cruella De Vil was as likeable as Lady Mary from Downton Abbey. She was dismissive and sometimes cold, but there were a few people she loved. Her relationship with her mother was complex and tragic. I liked getting to explore her relationship with Anita and learn more about their history.

Some things appear murky in the story. Cruella receives a pair of jade earrings from her father that are rumored to be cursed. He thinks of this as a fun story to amuse her, but she wonders if the curse could be true. It’s never really clear if the curse is in fact a part of what drives Cruella De Vil’s manic behavior. It seemed like there were a lot of losses that, when combined together, drove her over the edge.

Overall, this was a pretty quick read, and a story that actually makes one of Disney’s most bizarre villains surprisingly sympathetic and reveals an interesting origin story. I think fans of the Villains series will be pleased with this newest book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
All the characters live in England. Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently (less than a half-dozen times).

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between man and woman.

Spiritual Content
Cruella’s father gives her a pair of jade earrings that are said to be cursed. He thinks it’s simply a good story, but whether the curse is real remains unclear. Cruella seems to have mixed feelings about whether it’s real.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of a fire that destroyed a home and killed more than one person.

Drug Content
Some scenes show adults drinking alcohol with or after dinner.

Note: I received a free copy of EVIL THING in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: The Mostly Invisible Boy by AJ Vanderhorst

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

The Mostly Invisible Boy (Casey Grimes #1)
AJ Vanderhorst
INtense Publications
Published April 25, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Mostly Invisible Boy

Eleven-year-old Casey Grimes is invisible. Really. When he leaves suburbia and infiltrates a secret forest society, he can finally be seen—but Sylvan Woods hates outsiders as much as it loves killing monsters. As Butcher Beasts invade, his flimsy cover story falls apart, and courage is his only chance to belong.

My Review

My favorite thing about this book was the relationship between Casey and his sister, Gloria. The story definitely paints Gloria as an unrealistic character. She’s a young child and she’s hardly ever rattled, always loves others, has complete confidence in her older brother. However, I think because there are so many other dark things happening in the book, I didn’t mind that so much.

I thought the world of the Sylvan Woods was pretty enchanting and unusual, though I was a little confused at times. Why did Gloria already know the names of the creatures? Who explained everything to his parents, or did they already know? Why was Casey invisible at the beginning of the story? I felt like there were some things that got left unanswered.

On the whole, though, I really enjoyed the relationships between Luci and Casey and Gloria. They exchanged some fun banter and had lots of wacky adventures. The story entertains from the first page to the last.

I think fans of books by Lemony Snicket will enjoy the bizarre situations and reality juxtaposed with unreality as well as the almost caricature-like minor characters. It’s the kind of story my daughter and I would have enjoyed reading aloud when she was in fourth grade.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Casey and his family are white. Three of the Sylvans they meet are described as having brown/bronze skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Contains some magic and creatures of fantasy. Casey is literally invisible at the start of the story. Butcher Beasts, like giant wasps, seek to destroy the Sylvans.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril. Casey nearly falls out of a tree. Monsters chase him and Gloria through the woods and attack them in two different scenes.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of MOSTLY INVISIBLE BOY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Spotlight: Sanctum by Hannah McBride

News and Fun, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Here’s some fun bookish news… if you’re a long-time Story Sanctuary reader, you may remember that I used to participate in Irish Banana Book Tours. I loved working with Irish Banana coordinator Hannah McBride, so when she announced she was releasing a book, I knew it was going to be something to talk about here! Today I’m sharing some of the fun and amazing details about her debut novel, Sanctum. It’s one I’m eager to check out!

Sanctum
Hannah McBride
Available August 21, 2020

Amazon | Goodreads

About Sanctum

A survivor on the run

After refusing the laws of her sadistic pack, Skye Markham barely escapes with her life, seeking sanctuary with the feared Blackwater pack. Hunted by her former Alpha and his soldiers, she’s determined to create a life even though she knows they will come for her.

An alpha with a pack to protect

As the next alpha in line, Remy Holt has spent years guarding the Blackwater pack and his family from those who seek to seize control and destroy them. The last thing he needs or wants is Skye Markham and the dangers she brings with her adding to the stress on his pack, but his wolf has a different opinion. He wants her, and after one moment that shouldn’t have been possible, he knows he’ll never be able to let her go.

A bond unlike any other

Skye thought she was finally safe, but as her bond with Remy strengthens, the shifter world starts to break apart at the seams. Missing shifters, a dying population, and pack wars are all causing their sanctuary to crumble around them, and Skye is trapped in the middle of it all. Someone is out to destroy the pack and if they succeed, there will bring down everything Remy has sought to protect and for Skye… maybe there is no such thing as a sanctuary.

*SANCTUM is the first book in the Blackwater Pack series. Possible trigger warnings: abuse, violence, language, and bullying.

About Author Hannah McBride

Facebook | Instagram | Twitter |Goodreads

Hannah McBride has been many things in her life – a restaurant manager, a clinical research coordinator, a dreamer, a makeup brand ambassador, an event coordinator, a blogger, and more. But at heart, she’s always been a writer, and in 2020 she decided to make it official with her first release, SANCTUM. 

An Excerpt from Sanctum

He shifted towards me. “This is all new to me, too, Skye.”

A sobering thought crossed my mind. The one that had been plaguing me since the woods. “Do you want this, Remy?”

The corner of his mouth hitched up for a second as he looked at me. Slowly, he raised a hand, tracing the curve of my jaw. I shivered, remembering the feel of his hands stroking when I was a wolf.

This was so much better.

He inched even closer. His breath, minty and warm, fanned over my face. His eyes tracked the movements of his fingers hungrily.

“Yeah,” he answered roughly, thickly. “I want this. I want you.” He dipped his head and covered my mouth with his.

As far as first kisses went, I was pretty sure this was one for the record books. 

Fire ignited in me the second Remy’s lips touched mine, soft but demanding all at once. His hands settled on my hips, pulling me closer. The smell of him from earlier in the evening, pine and soap and something that was entirely Remy, filled my senses. 

I was going to combust in the most exquisite ways.

His large hands almost spanned my waist, his fingers flexing against the soft material of my yoga pants. His tongue teased the seam of my lips until I opened my mouth on a gasp, letting him in.

I groaned as his tongue stroked mine, one hand sliding from my waist up my spine.

My hands had been clenched into fists on his chest, the fabric of his t-shirt bunched in my grip. I relaxed my hold now, letting my hands slide over the hard muscle and up around his neck, pressing my chest flush against his.

Now Remy groaned, changing the angle of his head to deepen the kiss.

Flames licked through my blood, and I was sure I was going to combust any second.

I was one hundred percent okay with death by kissing.