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Review: The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Romance, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu cover shows a girl in coveralls holding hands with a tall humanoid AI. Cactus and succulents are immediately behind them. Behind them in the distance is a village.

The Infinity Particle
Wendy Xu
Quill Tree Books
Published August 29, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Infinity Particle

In this gorgeous graphic novel by Wendy Xu, co-creator of the award-winning Mooncakes, a young inventor falls for a lifelike AI and confronts questions of freedom and autonomy.

Clementine Chang moves from Earth to Mars for a new start and is lucky enough to land her dream job with Dr. Marcella Lin, an Artificial Intelligence pioneer. On her first day of work, Clem meets Dr. Lin’s assistant, a humanoid AI named Kye. Clem is no stranger to robots—she built herself a cute moth-shaped companion named SENA. Still, there’s something about Kye that feels almost too human.

When Clem and Kye begin to collaborate, their chemistry sets off sparks. The only downside? Dr. Lin is enraged by Kye’s growing independence and won’t allow him more freedom. Plus, their relationship throws into question everything Clem thought she knew about AI. After all, if Kye is sentient enough to have feelings, shouldn’t he be able to control his own actions? Where is the line between AI and human?

As her past and Kye’s future weigh down on her, Clem becomes determined to help him break free—even if it means risking everything she came to Mars for.

My Review

I’ve read both MOONCAKES and TIDESONG, and love the story and illustrations so much. When I saw that Wendy Xu had a new graphic novel coming out this year, I could not wait to get my hands on it.

This book has the same expressive, detailed illustrations that I’ve come to love in Xu’s other books. I love the way she draws characters’ expressions and how she places them on the page. Both these elements really call attention to the relationships between the characters. I found it easy to feel the friendships and romance building as I turned the pages of the story.

I don’t really know anything about the field of AI, and I felt like I could enjoy the book just fine without being familiar with the field. But there were moments when I felt like I might have had a deeper or more resonant experience reading the book if I knew more. It made me want to check out the podcasts the author mentions in her book dedication.

All in all, I devoured this gorgeous graphic novel in one sitting. It’s a beautiful, tender story that deserves to sit on the shelf with Xu’s other works.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Major characters are survivors of or experiencing domestic violence. A minor character wears a hijab.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between girl and masculine AI.

Spiritual Content
The story examines questions about the meaning of personhood and humanity.

Violent Content
Scenes show or reference a person in a position of power verbally abusing someone with less power than them.

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 THE INFINITY PARTICLE in exchange for my honest review.

10 Best Middle Grade Books I Read From Summer 2023

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This summer definitely did not go as I planned. Looking back, I wonder why I imagined I’d have so much more time to do things like create list posts. Ha! Alas, here I am at the end of summer, and instead of a big list of the middle grade books that looked so great, please enjoy a list of the 10 best middle grade books I read from summer 2023.

10 Best Middle Grade Books I Read From Summer 2023

The Gray by Chris Baron

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A boy with anxiety forced to spend an unplugged summer with his aunt meets new friends who challenge how he sees himself. This was the first book by Chris Baron that I’ve read, and I can’t wait to read more!

Published: June 13, 2023 | My Review

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thompson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl portals to another world filled with magic and danger– and a fabulous cat! This could be my favorite book this year.

Published: June 6, 2023 | My Review

The Hunt for the Hollower by Callie C. Miller

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl struggling to control her magic may be the only person who can save her twin brother. Full of fun, magic, friendships, and adventure.

Published: June 13, 2023 | My Review

Maybe There Are Witches by Jude Atwood

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: In a small town with deep history, a girl with a magical diary must stop a great evil bent on destroying the town. Perfect for the Halloween season.

Published: June 13, 2023 | My Review | Author Q&A

Theo Tan and the Iron Fan by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A boy and his fox spirit journey to hell and back (literally) for his family. Fun and filled with magic and adventure.

Published: June 27, 2023 | My Review

Brick Dust and Bones by M. R. Fournet

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A twelve-year-old monster hunter battles evil to bring his mother back from the dead. This one surprised me in the best ways. Powerful storytelling and great characters.

Published: July 18, 2023 | My Review

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu (Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #2) by Erika Lewis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Kelcie and her friends race to stop the theft of a magical artifact that protects life in her kingdom. Great for kids interested in a magic school story.

Published: July 25, 2023 | My Review

The Great Texas Dragon Race by Kacy Ritter

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: In a world in which dragons are often enslaved, the daughter of a rancher enters a race in order to save their dragon sanctuary. Fans of SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF would like this one.

Published: August 1, 2023 | My Review

The Raven Throne (Raven Crown #2) by Stephanie Burgis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: When their sister falls into an enchanted sleep, triplets Giles and Rosalind race to save her. The twisty conclusion to the Raven Crown duology.

Published: August 8, 2023 | My Review

Sorceline 2 by Sylvia Douyé, Paola Antista, and Tanya Gold

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: In an enchanted sleep, Sorceline fights for her life while her classmates unravel the mystery of her origin in hopes of waking her. Beautifully illustrated– a fantastic follow-up to the first book.

Published: August 22, 2023 | My Review

What Were Your Favorite Middle Grade Books of Summer 2023?

Did you read any great books over the summer this year? Are there great books I should add to my reading list? What are your new favorites? Did you read any of the books I listed here? Leave a comment and let me know!

Review: Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones

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

Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara
S. Jae-Jones
Wednesday Books
Published August 1, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara

Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.

Magic flickers.
Love flames.
Chaos reigns.

Magic is forbidden throughout the Morning Realms. Magicians are called abomination, and blamed for the plague of monsters that razed the land twenty years before.

Jin Zhara already had enough to worry about—appease her stepmother’s cruel whims, looking after her blind younger sister, and keeping her own magical gifts under control—without having to deal with rumors of monsters re-emerging in the marsh. But when a chance encounter with an easily flustered young man named Han brings her into contact with a secret magical liberation organization called the Guardians of Dawn, Zhara realizes there may be more to these rumors than she thought. A mysterious plague is corrupting the magicians of Zanhei and transforming them into monsters, and the Guardians of Dawn believe a demon is responsible.

In order to restore harmony and bring peace to the world, Zhara must discover the elemental warrior within, lest the balance between order and chaos is lost forever.

My Review

I don’t know why I mistook this for middle grade when I first agreed to review it. Maybe the cover reminded me of a different middle grade title? I’m not sure. At any rate, the book page on Amazon recommends it for ages fourteen and up. I think maybe 11 or 12-year-olds could read it just fine, though.

My favorite thing about the book is definitely the way Zhara and Han relate to one another. They’re so cute. She gets all giggly, and he is so easily flustered. I loved it! I also loved Xu, Han’s best friend and often the voice of wisdom.

The story has some strong Cinderella vibes, but I wouldn’t call it a Cinderella retelling. I definitely see the comparison to CINDER— which was a Cinderella retelling couched in a story of revolution. Similarly, GUARDIANS OF THE DAWN: ZHARA follows characters through political upheaval and what could lead to revolution.

I’m super curious about what the rest of the series will be like. Will each subsequent book contain elements of a familiar fairytale, a la The Lunar Chronicles or the Everland series? I hope it does. I would love to see more East Asia-inspired remixes of fairytale stories.

All in all, I enjoyed this book a lot, especially the character interactions. I’m really eager to read more of this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The Land of the Morning Realms is inspired by East Asia. More than one minor character is LGBTQIA+.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity very rarely used.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to romantic encounters between other couples, including same-gender couples. Characters discuss romance novels and explicit novels– the quotes and titles included are metaphorical.

Spiritual Content
Magic exists as a balance between order and chaos. Chaos includes demons, which can be summoned and can possess someone with magic. Powerful magicians have the ability to battle those forces of chaos.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Domestic violence. Some graphic descriptions of battle and monsters.

Drug Content
Zhara’s stepmother frequently gets drunk and physically/emotionally abuses her and her sister.

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 GUARDIANS OF THE DAWN: ZHARA in exchange for my honest review.

Review: J.R. Silver Writes Her World by Melissa Dassori

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

J.R. Silver Writes Her World
Melissa Dassori
Christy Ottaviano Books
Published July 19, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About J.R. Silver Writes Her World

What if you could write your dreams into reality with the stroke of a pen? 

Sixth grade is off to a difficult start for Josephine Rose Silver. Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. Kline, is full of secrets. When Ms. Kline unveils a collection of old Gothamite magazines and tells her students to build their writing skills by crafting short stories inspired by the iconic covers, J.R. discovers a peculiar power: The stories she writes come true. Soon J.R. is getting a cell phone, scoring game-winning goals, and triggering school cancellations. But it’s not long before she realizes that each new story creates as many conflicts as it does solutions. And when J.R. tries to write about her fallout with Violet, all of her problems converge.

With a pinch of magic, mystery, art history, and language arts woven into a journey of growth and self-confidence, this promising debut is a heartfelt and satisfying tribute to the power of words.

My Review

Something about stories that explore the ways friendships change in sixth/seventh grade always resonates with me. Probably because around that time, I went through an unexpected shift in a friendship I’d thought was super close. J.R.’s feelings about Violet’s new outlook on friendship (wanting to do things with other kids a lot more) rather than be the exclusive dynamic duo they’d always been were so easy to understand. As she tried all different tactics to get Violet’s attention and reestablish their closeness, I couldn’t help wishing they would work, even though ultimately what needed to happen was for J.R. to learn to speak up for the things she wanted or needed.

I really enjoyed the references to other childhood books, like THE MIXED UP FILES OF MRS. BASIL E. FRANKWEILER, and the scenes which included the Met. As a suburbanite, some of the issues about living in the city weren’t obvious to me, but I think the story paints them pretty clearly, so I felt welcomed into the picture of city life.

I think readers who enjoy books by Claire Swinarski and Gillian McDunn will definitely want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
J.R. is white. Some of her friends are people of color. A Black business owner is a close family friend.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some of J.R.’s friends are interested in beginning to go on dates.

Spiritual Content
J.R. discovers that the things she writes for an English assignment come true. She must bear both the good and bad outcomes of these written wishes.

Violent Content
None.

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 J.R. SILVER WRITES HER WORLD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Squire by Sara Alfageeh and Nadia Shammas

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Squire
Sara Alfageeh
Nadia Shammas
Quill Tree Books
Published March 8, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Squire

Aiza has always dreamt of becoming a Knight. It’s the highest military honor in the once-great Bayt-Sajji Empire, and as a member of the subjugated Ornu people, Knighthood is her only path to full citizenship. Ravaged by famine and mounting tensions, Bayt-Sajji finds itself on the brink of war once again, so Aiza can finally enlist in the competitive Squire training program.

It’s not how she imagined it, though. Aiza must navigate new friendships, rivalries, and rigorous training under the unyielding General Hende, all while hiding her Ornu background. As the pressure mounts, Aiza realizes that the “greater good” that Bayt-Sajji’s military promises might not include her, and that the recruits might be in greater danger than she ever imagined.

Aiza will have to choose, once and for all: loyalty to her heart and heritage, or loyalty to the Empire.

My Review

After seeing so many positive things about this book last year, I decided I really needed to read it. My nephew is really interested in graphic novels, so I’m always looking for new ones he might be interested in.

In its simplest terms, SQUIRE is the story of Aiza, who joins the army for an opportunity to train as a squire when she’s promised she’ll be granted full citizenship if she passes her training. She meets other recruits and an unlikely mentor and has to navigate through trials and betrayals.

I really liked Aiza and the small, close-knit group she forms at training. I loved the way the panels showed the characters’ expressions and the way the action sequences were laid out. The story pulled me in. I wanted to know what would happen to Aiza, so it was really easy to just keep reading all the way through this book.

The story addresses some racism and marginalization of Aiza and the Ornu people. She faces prejudice and betrayal. She feels caught in the middle as a soldier serving an empire that doesn’t acknowledge her people as equal members and who could be tasked with fighting against her own people. I thought those parts were well-incorporated into the fantasy setting and story.

On the whole, I really enjoyed this book. I will definitely be looking out for more work by these authors. Readers who enjoyed Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu, and Joamette Gil should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Aiza is Ornu, a marginalized minority race in her country. There are characters with a variety of skin tones.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Aiza and others sign up to join the army and train to be squires. Aiza experiences a battle in which one of her team members is injured. Characters make disparaging and racist comments about Aiza and her people.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Historical, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
First Second
Published February 13, 2018

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Prince and the Dressmaker

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon is his brilliant dressmaker, Frances―his best friend and one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect her friend?

Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER will steal your heart.

My Review

Consider my heart stolen.

THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER has been on my reading list for a long time, but I finally picked it up after seeing it on a list of challenged books in Florida schools. I was able to borrow a copy from my local library, but I hope to add a copy to my bookshelves as well.

The relationship between Frances and Sebastian hooked me from their first scene together. I thought Frances was absolutely fantastic. Her artistic eye and her ability to translate what was unique about her clients and bring it to the clothes she designed was really cool. I liked that she and Sebastian became best friends, and that they both learned things from one another. Everyone needs that kind of friend who sees who you are and is with you no matter what.

While the story addresses some more serious conversations– Sebastian being outed to his parents and whole kingdom, for example– it also delivers some playful moments. The first meeting between Sebastian and Frances. The fashion show toward the end of the book. I loved that the book wove both those awful and wonderful moments together and connected them through people loving and supporting Sebastian for all he was.

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I’d love to read more of Jen Wang’s books. Readers who enjoy fairytale stories or sweet romances will want to check this one out. I’m not sure I’ve read anything else like it– the closest might be TIDESONG, though I think that one is for a slightly younger audience than THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER.

Content Notes for The Prince and the Dressmaker

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Sebastian expresses that sometimes he identifies as a prince and other times he identifies as a princess and wears dresses to express that.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Another prince finds Lady Crystallia unconscious and realizes she is also Sebastian. He kidnaps and outs her to the king and queen.

Drug Content
A bartender gives Lady Crystallia a mood-altering drink.

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