Category Archives: By Genre

Review: The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
The Other Side of Infinity by Joan F. Smith

The Other Side of Infinity
Joan F. Smith
Feiwel & Friends
Published April 25, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Other Side of Infinity

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END meets THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT in this YA novel by Joan F. Smith, where a teen uses her gift of foreknowledge to help a lifeguard save a drowning man―only to discover that her actions have suddenly put his life at risk.

It was supposed to be an ordinary day at the pool, but when lifeguard Nick hesitates during a save,
seventeen-year-old December uses her gift of foreknowledge to rescue the drowning man instead. The action comes at a cost. Not only will Nick and December fall in love, but also, she envisions that his own life is now at risk. The other problem? They’re basically strangers.

December embarks on a mission to save Nick’s life, and to experience what it feels like to fall in love―something she’d formerly known she’d never do. Nick, battling the shame of screwing up the rescue when he’s heralded as a community hero, resolves to make up for his inaction by doing December a major solid and searching for her mother, who went missing nine years ago.

As they grow closer, December’s gift starts playing tricks, and Nick’s family gets closer to an ugly truth about him. They both must learn what it really means to be a hero before time runs out.

My Review

I can definitely see the comparisons to both THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END and THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT. In TBDATE, the story carries this feeling of an inevitable march toward doom. I think this book captured that pretty well in some pivotal scenes. So I felt the comparison the most at those moments.

One of the things that was tricky about this book for me was how internal both characters are. We spend a lot of time inside December’s mind, sifting possibilities and memories and thinking through what-ifs. With Nick, we spend a lot of time diving into what it means to have dyslexia, how he experiences the world, and how he feels about it.

I liked that up-close look at what they were thinking and feeling, but sometimes it did leave me feeling disconnected from what was happening in the scenes of the story.

I think Maverick was actually my favorite character. He’s bright and silly and added a lot of pep to what is otherwise a pretty serious story. I also liked Nick and December as characters. Nick really cares about doing the right thing. December wrestled with vulnerability, which felt very easy to identify with.

On the whole, I think the premise is really engaging, and I like the inner life of both characters, but I wish I was able to connect more to them in the way they related to other characters.

I could see readers who enjoyed THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera or BEFORE TAKEOFF by Adi Alsaid enjoying this one.

Content Notes for The Other Side of Infinity

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Nick has dyslexia. December’s uncle dates men. December’s grandmother has Alzheimer’s. Two minor characters, both girls, start dating.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
December can see the future in most instances. (She has some blind spots.)

Violent Content
Nick and December help a drowning man. He hit his head and then passed out in the water. They perform CPR as a team and revive him. December injures her arm on a nail and needs stitches. December knows her grandmother’s death is coming soon. An object falls, fatally injuring someone.

Drug Content
Some references to drug addiction. December has a relative who was an addict.

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 OTHER SIDE OF INFINITY in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Me: Moth by Amber McBride

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

Me: Moth
Amber McBride
Feiwel & Friends
Published August 17, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Me: Moth

Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.

Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones.

Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable.

Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe.

My Review

I have fallen in love with novels in verse before, and I love that ME: MOTH allows me to add a new favorite novel-in-verse to my list. I loved the journey of the story, both in the relationship between Moth and Sani and in their road trip together.

This one I listened to as an audiobook. It’s read by the author, and I loved the way she performed the story. I think there were certain sections that would have been easier to read a paperback or ebook version of. There are some poems that are written as conversations, and I sometimes had to go back and listen again because I got confused. I think they would probably be easier to enjoy visually. But overall, I enjoyed the audiobook version.

The story focuses a lot on family and celebrating past connections. Moth was very close to her grandfather, and she remembers things he taught her about rituals and practices to honor her ancestors and celebrate life. Sani shares Indigenous history and a creation story. His father is a medicine man and talks to him about his health, too.

Moth and Sani’s relationship is bittersweet. They take a road trip together and bond over the places they go, but shadows linger over them. For Moth, it’s the deaths of her family members. For Sani, it’s his depression. But as they learn to trust one another, they find truths they didn’t realize they were missing and help one another heal.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I’m super glad I was able to read it, and really thankful to my friend Danielle, who recommended it!

Content Notes

Content warning for domestic violence and grief.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Moth is Black. Sani is Navajo.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. In one scene they undress and swim together.

Spiritual Content
Referencs to Hoodoo and Navajo traditions and celebrations.

Violent Content
One scene shows a man hit a teenage boy.

Drug Content
Sani takes medication for depression.

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

Review: A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

A Work in Progress
Jarrett Lerner
Aladdin
Published May 2, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Work in Progress

A young boy struggles with body image in this poignant middle grade journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustration.

Will is the only round kid in a school full of string beans. So he hides…in baggy jeans and oversized hoodies, in the back row during class, and anywhere but the cafeteria during lunch. But shame isn’t the only feeling that dominates Will’s life. He’s also got a crush on a girl named Jules who knows he doesn’t have a chance with—string beans only date string beans—but he can’t help wondering what if?

Will’s best shot at attracting Jules’s attention is by slaying the Will Monster inside him by changing his eating habits and getting more exercise. But the results are either frustratingly slow or infuriatingly unsuccessful, and Will’s shame begins to morph into self-loathing.

As he resorts to increasingly drastic measures to transform his appearance, Will meets skateboarder Markus, who helps him see his body and all it contains as an ever-evolving work in progress.

My Review

I feel like this graphic novel was an unusual choice for me, but the topic and the fact that it’s told in verse really made me want to read it.

The story itself has some truly heartbreaking scenes. It shows the terrible power words can have when they’re weaponized against someone. It shows the power the words we use about ourselves have over us, too. My favorite thing, though, is its message about the power of friendship. I loved the message about how being truly seen by another person can be a huge step toward healing.

I also love the message about all of us being a work in progress, that we are changing all the time. That we have the power to change. It’s such a powerful, hopeful message. This is definitely a book worth reading, whether you’ve experienced the kind of bullying or loneliness Will has or not.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Characters are white. Will struggles with body image and disordered eating.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Will has a crush on a girl at school.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A boy calls Will fat in a cruel way, and he begins saying cruel things to himself. He stops eating at one point.

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 A WORK IN PROGRESS in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Also, it’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday! Check out the other MMGM posts at Always in the Middle.

Review: Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

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

Yes No Maybe So
Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed
Balzer + Bray
Published February 4, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Yes No Maybe So

YES
Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.

NO
Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.

MAYBE SO
Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.

My Review

I’ve had this book on my shelf for a long time. I think I ordered it during the early days of the pandemic. When I noticed the audiobook version was available at the library, I decided it was time to read it! I’ve liked books by both Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed before, so I figured it would be a solid pick.

And it is. It’s a sweet story about childhood best friends who lost touch and reconnect during their volunteer work with a local political campaign. I liked the development of the friendship and romance between Jamie and Maya. I liked Jamie’s friend group, too, and his relationship with his little sister, Sophie.

I’d say the focus of the story was pretty evenly split between Maya and Jamie’s relationship and the political campaign. We get to follow some of the ins and outs of how a local campaign operates and see Maya and Jamie canvas houses. I thought that was a cool idea. It seems like that could easily inspire readers to get involved in their own local politics by sort of demystifying the process a bit.

On the whole, this was a sweet story about love and getting involved in your community. I enjoyed reading it, and I think readers who liked THE VOTING BOOTH by Brandy Colbert should definitely check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Jamie is Jewish. Maya is Muslim.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently in the book.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Someone leaves a suggestive comment on a picture of Maya and Jamie that appear online.

Spiritual Content
Maya celebrates Ramadan and Eid with her family. Her mom talks to her about keeping her relationships halal– no kissing or physical intimacy before marriage. Jamie celebrates Shabbat with his family. His sister celebrates her bat mitzvah.

Violent Content
An antisemitic meme has been appearing in Jamie’s town. He and Maya witness a woman confronting someone who was placing meme stickers on a car. A politician sponsors a bill that would discriminate against women who wear hijab.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Flip Turns by Catherine Arguelles

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

Flip Turns
Catherine Arguelles
Jolly Fish Press
Published September 13, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Flip Turns

Thirteen-year-old Maddie just wants her classmate, Lucas, to leave her alone. He keeps asking her out—as if she hasn’t already said no a thousand times! Focusing on her competitive swim team, the Electric Eels, Maddie tries to ignore him, hoping he’ll go away.

But then, when someone starts sabotaging Maddie’s family-owned pool—glass on the deck, ketchup in the pool, followed by a “code brown”—Maddie worries it’s her “admirer” trying to get even. After Maddie’s parents rule the problems at the pool just harmless pranks, Maddie and her best friend Ez decide to investigate on their own. Could it be Lucas? And how can Maddie get him to leave her alone once and for all? The future of the Electric Eels and Maddie’s family legacy are on the line.

My Review

I’ve been hearing about this book a lot on Twitter, so I was really excited to check it out. Plus the characters being on a swim team and the main character dealing with unwanted romantic attention both caught my eye– I wanted to see how those played out in a middle grade book.

I’ve never been part of a swim team or anything like that, but I loved the opportunity to read about a team. The story hit just the right balance between describing meets, races, and different strokes and making everything very accessible to readers who aren’t familiar with the sport.

I found Maddie’s character so relatable, especially as she deals with Lucas, the boy who won’t stop asking her to go out with him. She tries to be chill and calm, but inside, she’s really uncomfortable. She worries that whatever she does will just escalate his behavior. When the pranks start happening at the pool, she worries that’s exactly what is happening.

Maddie’s best friend Ez is also great. She’s a high-achieving, outspoken girl who helps Maddie face her fears and energizes her to do things that Maddie feels anxious about. She’s not pushy or over-the-top. I felt like those two were a great pair.

I also liked the way the story juxtaposes Lucas, who does not respect Maddie’s space or boundaries, with Nico, who does. While Nico isn’t perfect, he offers Maddie space when she needs it and takes responsibility when he’s wrong. I thought putting those two very different experiences with boys side by side helped create a bigger picture of relationships and how to navigate them in a healthy way.

Conclusion

All in all, I really liked FLIP TURNS. It has a little bit of intensity, but not too much for the target audience. It gently but clearly introduces ideas about boundaries and respect in relationships, which is a great message for middle school readers. And it’s all wrapped up in a fun, mysterious story.

I think fans of CHIRP by Kate Messner or THE QUEEN BEE AND ME by Gillian McDunn will really enjoy this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Maddie has anxiety. Nico is half-Latino. Maddie’s older sister is dating a girl. Two of the girls on her swim team are dating. Maddie’s best friend has alopecia.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Someone puts poop in the pool.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy is making unwanted advances at Maddie. She’s told him no multiple times, but he continues pursuing her romantically. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Maddie’s parents’ pool business receives a series of pranks, some obnoxious, others dangerous. Maddie finds glass next to the pool. A girl collapses after inhaling chlorine fumes.

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 FLIP TURNS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Poetry, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Poet X
Elizabeth Acevedo
HarperTeen
Published March 6, 2018

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Poet X

Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

My Review

I’ve had a copy of this book for years, and somehow I hadn’t managed to read it before. When my youngest was little, I read WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH by Elizabeth Acevedo, and I loved the depth and descriptions in the book. Since then, I’ve been a huge fan of this author. So. Finally I read her award-winning, debut novel in verse.

And I loved it.

Which I suppose should not be a surprise.

As mentioned, it’s a novel in verse. Even though the lines are spare, the story is so rich with its descriptions, characters, and emotions. The relationship between Xiomara and her mom. Her brother. The priest. Her best friend, and a boy at school. They’re all so well-developed and described.

I also loved the way the story explored her feelings about her faith. It’s complicated. But Xio doesn’t really feel understood by or interested in church and the things the priest teaches in her confirmation class. Her mom has really specific expectations and beliefs about church and faith. Her brother has other beliefs and values as a devout person of faith. I liked that the story showed a spectrum of belief and experience without making the book really about those things.

Really, this is a story about a girl finding her voice. Believing in her value. Learning about love– how to love herself, how to love someone else, and how to receive love from others, too. It’s about the power of words.

So. Yeah. I feel like in a lot of ways, I’m still in awe of the story. I have a hard copy, but I also borrowed the audiobook (which is read by the author) from the library. As I read, I went back and forth between those two versions, and I really enjoyed both. I definitely recommend this book.

Content Notes on Poet X

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Xiomara is Dominican American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Brief description of masturbation. Xio sees two boys walking together and realizes they are a couple.

Spiritual Content
Xio’s mom is very religious and focused on Xiomara’s confirmation and piety. Xiomara attends confirmation classes but has so many questions about her faith and why they aren’t learning stories about girls like her. Her priest says it’s important to let her take time to find the answers to those questions.

Xio describes her brother as being very devout.

Violent Content
Xiomara has a reputation as a fighter. She will beat up anyone who picks on her twin brother or use her fists to defend herself.

Drug Content
References to smoking pot. In one scene, she drinks a beer with a boy.

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