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Review: The Wild Season by Dashka Slater

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The Wild Season by Dashka Slater

The Wild Season
Dashka Slater
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published September 8, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Wild Season

When four abandoned bunnies turn up in a city park, the community rallies to save them in award-winning, bestselling author Dashka Slater’s unforgettable middle grade nonfiction debut.

No one knows how a bunch of pet rabbits ended up in a San Francisco park—but one thing is clear: they don’t belong. Predators are circling, and if they aren’t rescued soon, the park itself will be overrun. From the moment they’re spotted, the countdown begins.
 
Join a cast of kids hiding out in forts, keen-eyed teenagers surveying the park, rabbit experts setting traps, and scores of neighbors willing to do anything to help as they rally together in pursuit of rabbits.
 
For fans of Candace Fleming, this exceptional true story comes to life in a beautifully illustrated book, which includes a fun feature that animates a running rabbit when you flip though the pages as well as behind-the-scenes bonus material.

My Review

I’ve read almost every book that Dashka Slater has published. I subscribe to her Substack, too. So, when I heard she was writing a new nonfiction title, that was kind of all I needed to know. And every additional thing I learned about the book only made me want to read it more. A feel-good story about a community coming together for a rabbit rescue? Yes, please. If there’s one thing I need more of in 2026, it’s stories about people doing and being good and making a positive difference in the world. Plus, bunnies!

I really enjoyed this book. It’s peppered with interesting facts about rabbits: their relationships, behavior, diet, and genetics. Each rabbit feels unique and has its own story. The community members who join forces to rescue the rabbits each have a story as well, and those details are well integrated into the whole.

By the end, I felt like I’d been right there in the brush chasing down rabbits and celebrating when each one found a new home. While the story does include some sad moments, it’s ultimately such a hopeful tale.

Readers who love animals and animal rescue stories will definitely find this one appealing. If you’re particularly interested in rabbits as a pet or animal, this is a great book to introduce you to some facts. Or, if you simply need to look for the helpers, as Mr. Rogers reminds us to do in hard times, this book is a great place to find them.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two of the rabbits form a bonded pair.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Reference to rabbits being vulnerable to predatory animals such as coyotes.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I purchased a copy of this book and am sharing my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Hyacinth Labyrinth by Jamie Pacton

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

The Hyacinth Labyrinth
Jamie Pacton
Peachtree Teen
Published June 2, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Hyacinth Labyrinth

A whimsical adventure full of magic, fantastical road trips, and a sapphic slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance—for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries.


All magic begins in stories. That’s what Fae princess Hyacinth has always been told. As the unmagical daughter of Queen Mab, Hyacinth has never fit in at her mother’s court. She hopes that if she learns about her father, who disappeared fifteen years ago, she can finally learn more about herself. 

When Hyacinth and her friend Chloe—a human stablehand trapped in Fae—sneak off to a riverside night market, Hyacinth learns that her father was last seen heading to a library at the heart of a treacherous labyrinth. The problem: The labyrinth was built long ago by three goddesses, and no one has ever returned from it. 

Still, Hyacinth has to try. 

With the help of Chloe and a tiny dragon named Coffee, she defies Queen Mab and sets off into the wilds of the Moonshadow Kingdom. Along the way they face bandits, magical creatures, a centuries-old human who hosts an Endless Ball, and Hyacinth and Chloe’s growing feelings for each other. Meanwhile, an ancient power lies in wait at the center of the labyrinth, and it is eager to write the girls’ ending. 

A lush, fairycore, sapphic YA fantasy that returns readers to the Fae world introduced in Jamie Pacton’s bestselling novel, The Absinthe Underground! 

Perfect for readers who love Sapphic Slow-Burn, Friends-to-Lovers, Grumpy/Sunshine, Princess/Lady Knight, Bodyguard Romance, Fae/Human Relationships, Only One Bed, and Stories Are Magic!

My Review

I was already a huge fan of Jamie Pacton going into this book, so it was a sure bet that I’d like it. And I totally did! I loved Hyacinth’s optimism and hopefulness juxtaposed with Chloe’s grim, suspicious outlook. It made perfect sense, considering the differences in their backgrounds.

The romance develops slowly– in a good way– and kept me looking forward to the moment the girls realized their feelings were returned. I loved how Pacton incorporated fun tropes into the narrative without them feeling too heavy-handed. The story had a definite playful vibe to it even though the writing wasn’t silly or goofy. I found that a lot of fun.

It’s been too long since I read The Absinthe Underground, so some of the references to elements from that story may have gone over my head. Nothing made me feel lost or like I was unable to enjoy a scene or moment. I think this could be read independently without reading the other book first.

If you like stories filled with fae mischief and sweet romance, definitely put this one on your reading list!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Falling asleep together.

Spiritual Content
Some characters can use magic. Fae and other mythical creatures exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle violence.

Drug Content
Chloe must be wary of Fae food, which can enthrall her and make her forget she’s a human from another world. Characters encounter someone who uses enchanted food to manipulate others and harm them.

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: Guardians of Dreamdark: Silksinger by Laini Taylor

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Guardians of Dreamdark: Silksinger
Laini Taylor
Amulet Books
Published September 22, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Guardians of Dreamdark: Silksinger

From New York Times bestselling author Laini Taylor comes a new edition of her first cult favorite series, Guardians of Dreamdark, about a djinn-protector faerie and her quest to save her world.

Whisper Silksinger—the last of her clan—is on the run. As the guardian of the Azazel, one of the seven djinn who created the world, it’s Whisper’s sacred duty to keep him safe from the bloodthirsty devils hot on their trail.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, for if the Azazel dies before he’s restored to his ancient temple, the very Tapestry of the Universe will unravel, and life as she knows it will be lost.

But devils aren’t the only ones who seek the Azazel. Pursued by a band of mercenaries, Whisper is surprised to find herself drawn to Hirik, a mysterious faerie with a powerful sword and a secret agenda of his own. Behind them follows Magpie Windwitch, desperate to reach Whisper before the devils do.

With danger closing in from all sides, Whisper will have to learn who to trust . . . before it’s too late.

My Review

For some reason, I thought this series was a duology, but the story clearly doesn’t end here. The first and second books in the series were reprinted by Amulet, but it doesn’t look like a third story was ever published.

The second book does feel like a complete story. It has its own resolution, but it raises bigger questions about who has been freeing the Devils and seeking to destroy the Djinn, and leaves Magpie regrouping in order to face this new foe.

I really enjoyed the whimsical faerie world in this book. It feels very reminiscent of the Don Bluth cartoons that I grew up watching, and I loved that. I found it really nostalgic.

The story has great characters, even though it doesn’t go very deeply into them. The narrative skips around a bit, giving readers a taste of what this character is thinking before winding away to another character’s perspective. In this kind of story, I think that worked. I didn’t expect long internal monologues about each character. The characters had well-developed voices, which helped fill them out. Keeping a bit of mystery also added to the sense of capriciousness that the faeries all had.

As a fan of Taylor’s other books, I felt like I saw shadows of the stories to come in this series, which also made reading Silksinger a lot of fun.

Fans of the author and fans of books about capricious faeries will definitely want to check out this series. Start with Windwitch before reading this second book in the series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to attraction between faeries.

Spiritual Content
Faeries have magical abilities. Djinn are powerful beings who once ruled the land. Devils are monstrous creatures who try to harm faeries who would wake the Djinn and restore their power.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle violence. Bullying and manipulation.

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: How to Talk to Your Succulent by Zoe Persico

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How to Talk to Your Succulent
Zoe Persico
Tundra Books
Published April 1, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About How to Talk to Your Succulent

After the loss of her mother, Adara struggles to communicate with her family about her grief. When a sympathetic ear arises in an unlikely place, Adara can finally find her words — but can she find the time to listen? A stunning graphic novel for middle-grade readers about family, friendship and magic in unlikely places, for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn and Raina Telgemeier.

Eleven-year-old Adara and her dad are moving from California to the cold and flat lands of Michigan . . . and it sucks. After Mom’s recent passing, it seems way too soon. Talking to Dad has always been harder than with Mom, but now it’s like walking on eggshells. And why did Dad bring so many of Mom’s houseplants across the country? Her mother might have been called the Plant Whisperer back home, but Adara is beginning to wonder if there is something more to it. But when she meets a little succulent named Perle, she unlocks the same magical ability her mother had: talking to plants!

But taking care of Perle isn’t as easy as it seems — the environment isn’t suited for her, and Adara doesn’t know how to meet her needs. Kind of like the situation Adara herself is in. If only Perle could ask Adara for help . . . and Adara could ask her dad.

With a touch of magic, this debut middle-grade graphic novel explores loneliness, mental health and empathy, and shows how communication, openness and a willingness to listen can help young people — and older people — and plants! — navigate their mental well-being and heal from loss, individually and together.

My Review

I started reading this book before I experienced the death of a parent firsthand. As the person who has taken on caring for my dad’s plants and the plants around our house, I found that the book resonated more with me. For me, it was a soothing, cathartic read, honestly.

Adara and Perle’s relationship is really sweet. Perle is the small succulent that Adara begins caring for. The story draws a strong parallel between what you need to do to ensure your plants are thriving and what you need to do to ensure you and your relationships are thriving. I liked that connection, and it works very well in the context of the story.

I also appreciated that Adara and her dad are grieving differently, and it takes them some time to figure out how to share their grief with one another in a way that’s healing and not more painful.

The color palette is also lovely. The warm, bright colors are so cheerful. When someone is upset, they are shown as being surrounded by darker, thorny vines, indicating they’re not okay. It’s a great visual cue and helps connect the dots between the different characters and their emotions.

Give this one to a plant lover in your life or to someone struggling to make new friends.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Adara sees anthropomorphic plants and can talk to them.

Violent Content
References to the death of a parent. (Happened before the start of the story.)

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 public library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Siren’s Kiss by Leslie Vedder

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The Siren’s Kiss
Leslie Vedder
Abrams/Amulet
Published November 10, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Siren’s Kiss

Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Little Mermaid in this swashbuckling Sapphic fantasy!

Three years ago, Dead Shot Rayleigh laid hands on the legendary ruby the Siren’s Kiss andsuffered the wrath of the sea god, Red-Handed Roger.

Now bound as captain of his cursed ship, The Revenant, eighteen-year-old Rayleigh hatches a plan to win her freedom. Everyone knows that Red-Handed Roger’s heart was stolen by the Sea Witch. If she can get it back, she can barter her release.

But Rayleigh isn’t the only one with a score to settle. Fiery mermaid Maren lost her brother to the Sea Witch, and she’s come to the surface to get him back and save the last remaining mermaids at all costs.

When Maren runs afoul of the infuriating cursed pirate Rayleigh, sparks fly, and all her plans go up in flames. Now the only chance they have is each other.

Swashbuckling, sea monsters, pirate kings, siren songs, and stolen hearts!

Red-Handed Roger and the Sea Witch were once friends, before they both fell for the same mermaid and almost destroyed the world. Will Rayleigh and Maren’s love set things right, or just finish what the old gods started?​​​

Some hearts are meant to be stolen…

My Review

I’m just going to say it. I don’t think Leslie Vedder gets the recognition she deserves for her reimagined fairy-tale mashups. Her debut, The Bone Spindle, was my favorite book of the year when it was published, and the whole series is excellent. I feel the same about this book.

I love the way that she blended Pirates of the Caribbean and The Little Mermaid. The beats from the original stories are completely reimagined here, and yet they still made me think of key moments from the originals. I love it. I love the way that Vedder developed the story surrounding the rivalry between the god of the sea and the sea witch. The mermaids and their interaction with the human world was really nicely thought out.

Rayleigh as a pirate on a cursed ship, with all her backstory about her mother and her connection to the pirate community, was also really fascinating. I felt like there was so much going on in the book. So many interesting threads I wanted to follow, and it was so rewarding to find out every bit of backstory that the author included in the novel.

I read this book during a particularly hard week, and having the next chapter to look forward to at night really gave me a boost. I absolutely recommend this book for readers who enjoy books by Stephanie Garber or anyone who likes reimagined fairy tales. This is one I’m absolutely going to reread, and it’ll be on my top reads for this year without a doubt.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
The story contains lore about a god and goddess who fell in love with the same goddess and what happened when she chose one lover over the other. Rayleigh is cursed and bound to a cursed ship.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes involving swords and guns.

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: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

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Walk Two Moons
Sharon Creech
HarperCollins
Published October 6, 2009

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Walk Two Moons

“How about a story? Spin us a yarn.”
Instantly, Phoebe Winterbottom came to mind. “I could tell you an extensively strange story,” I warned.
“Oh, good!” Gram said. “Delicious!”
And that is how I happened to tell them about Phoebe, her disappearing mother, and the lunatic.

As Sal entertains her grandparents with Phoebe’s outrageous story, her own story begins to unfold — the story of a thirteen-year-old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother.

In her own award-winning style, Sharon Creech intricately weaves together two tales, one funny, one bittersweet, to create a heartwarming, compelling, and utterly moving story of love, loss, and the complexity of human emotion.

My Review

This book has been on my reading list for YEARS. I’ve heard so many great things about it, and wanted to read it for so long. I recently went through some drama with my Amazon account, and couldn’t access any of my Kindle books, but I had this one as a Nook ebook, so I figured it must be time to read it.

The story starts very much in the middle of Sal’s life. After her mom’s death nearly a year earlier, she and her dad moved to a new town, and now she’s on a road trip with her paternal grandparents to visit her mom’s grave. It’s a long car trip, so she tells her grandparents the story of her best friend in her new town to pass the time.

Setting up the story this way means juggling a lot of different timelines and revealing a lot of information quickly. I thought the pacing of these reveals and the control of the different timelines (the car trip, Sal’s year in the new town, and her memories of her mom) was really nicely done. I didn’t feel confused or overwhelmed by the information, and it felt pretty close to how a kid of Sal’s age might talk about things.

It’s also kind of a weird story, which I loved. Sal’s grandparents are funny. They have their rituals and ways of doing things, which sometimes Sal finds endearing. Sometimes it’s clear their habits annoy her.

I also liked the way that the stories come full circle and connect. Sal begins to see beyond her grief over her mom’s death. She starts to see her father’s grief, and starts to understand her friend Phoebe’s feelings about her mom, too. I loved how the story pulled all those threads together. The story balances the humor and grief elements really well.

I will definitely be reading more books by Sharon Creech, and I do recommend this one for readers who enjoy emotional books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Sal has a crush on a boy from her class. They have a few near misses with kissing.

Spiritual Content
Sal prays to the trees. Her logic is that sometimes God might be far away, but there’s always a tree nearby.

Violent Content
References to the death of a parent. (Death not shown on scene.)

Drug Content
None.

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