Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Holloway by Elana K. Arnold

Review: Holloway by Elana K. Arnold

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Holloway
Elana K. Arnold
Clarion Books
Published May 5, 2026

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About Holloway

“Elana K. Arnold paints prose like a master. A fascinating journey through time, love, and forgiveness.” – A.S. King, Printz Award-winning author of Dig

Award-winning author Elana K. Arnold returns with a boldly visionary, deeply felt story that crosses space and time to examine loss and love in a world on the brink.

It is the late summer of 2021, and a girl named Nora is on the Paris Metro.

Nora, whose mother loved her, even though Nora was broken.

Nora, who couldn’t help her mother when her mother needed her most.

Nora, from whom the pandemic has taken nearly everything, save the object she clings to: a cylinder containing her mother’s ashes.

With no family left, no friends to speak of, and no way to turn back time, Nora has come to France to keep a promise she never got to make: to spread the ashes in a place her mother never got to see. But instead, Nora finds herself on the run through a forest in the night, taking refuge in a dark holloway. And when she wakes, and tries to make her way back to something she recognizes, she realizes that is impossible. 

Because it is no longer 2021.

Questioning everything—including her own sanity—Nora sets out on a journey through a time and place completely foreign to her, and yet one that, much like the time and place she came from, is defined by death, loss, fear, and uncertainty. A journey in which she must find a way to honor her mother—and heal herself—in a world that feels irrevocably broken.

My Review

I read a short piece by Elana K. Arnold in the anthology, Banned Together. I’ve seen her name on banned book lists as well. Holloway is the first novel that I’ve read by her, though.

I think, weirdly, one of my favorite parts of the book is what happens after Nora is no longer in 2021. She reacts pretty reasonably to the news, first deciding someone is tricking her, then trying to evaluate whether she’s having some kind of breakdown, and ultimately wondering when to accept that the impossible has truly happened and she is somehow in another time.

I just really appreciated that Arnold put that whole mental progression on the page. More often, characters experience something unbelievable, like slipping through a portal to elsewhere, and they simply must accept it because the plot is moving forward. I am willing to suspend my disbelief and carry on, but I loved that this book made space for the protagonist to explore those questions and feelings.

Holloway is a bit dark, and it wrestles with some hard realities. Nora grieves both the loss of her mother, with whom she has a complicated relationship, and her grandmother, who cared for her in her mom’s absence and pressed Nora’s mom to make space for Nora’s neurodivergence. Nora’s mom says some ugly things about Nora’s need for extra processing or her stimming behavior. She also blames vaccines for causing Nora to have autism and frames the diagnosis as a negative thing.

Another thing I thought was really cool about this book is that having Nora experience two separate time periods gave the narrative room to explore how the broader cultural understanding of, and treatment of, neurodivergent people differs in each timeline. That exploration contains a lot of nuance and layers. Nora knows people in her present and the past who seem to accept her as she is without question. Other people in each timeline judge or restrict her in varying ways.

Initially, I wasn’t going to try to read this book this year because of the parental loss the story includes. It wasn’t actually too hard for me once I got into it. Nora’s experience with her mom was so different from my experience with my dad that I didn’t feel the same kind of connection to the book.

Conclusion

Holloway is a compelling, thoughtful read that I think fans of stories exploring complex relationships will enjoy. I’m really glad I read it, and I’ll definitely look for more books by Elana K. Arnold.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to sexual assault. Kissing. Nora unexpectedly notices two people making love.

Spiritual Content
Nora leaves one time period and steps into another.

Violent Content
Nora encounters prejudice for her autism. She compares the ways she was treated in 2021 to how people perceive and treat people with autism in the earlier time period.

Drug Content
At one point, Nora is sedated and taken to a facility.

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: Just the Good Parts by Robbie Couch

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Paranormal, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Just the Good Parts
Robbie Couch
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published September 29, 2026

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About Just the Good Parts

From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow comes a stunningly romantic, speculative novel about a teen looking for his missing dad, who keeps getting pulled into others’ memories and crossing paths with a handsome stranger who also doesn’t belong there.

Caspen Coolsby’s dad is missing. But even though it’s only been a few months, everyone has given up on finding him. Except for Caspen.

He finally gets a break in the case when he meets his new upstairs neighbors and discovers he can somehow transport himself into each of the college students’ memories using candle scents that remind them of important moments. No one loved candles more than his dad, so Caspen is sure there must be clues pointing toward where to find him hidden in the memories.

His thinking hits a snag, though, when a handsome boy named Lars keeps popping up in memories where he also doesn’t belong. As the lines between memory and reality begin to blur, Caspen can’t help but fall for the mysterious boy who keeps chipping away at the rose-colored lens he’s always seen life through. But will Caspen be able to find his dad and his crush outside of these stolen moments if it means reliving the hard truths of his past and not just the good parts?

My Review

This book manages to be both playful and serious at the same time. I loved the wacky whimsy of a boy disappearing into his friends’ memories when they light a candle. Why Lars appears in the memories is never explained, but that didn’t bother me too much. I think it would have been cool if there was a connection that Caspen hadn’t realized until the end, but I was okay with the open-ended storyline there.

The fact that his family owns a candle store is super cute. Between that and the paranormal elements of the tale, I think this book works really well as a cozy fall read with slight Halloween vibes. Nothing truly spooky happens during the story, but the fact that this strange situation is happening and all the references to fall leaves and candles made me really glad I was reading this book during the fall season.

A lot of pieces of the story do get explained, and Caspen learns a lot about himself and his family along the way. I enjoyed seeing those connections, even though the conclusion of the story is pretty emotional. I wasn’t prepared for that considering how goofy and lighthearted the rest of the book is. I think the story works; I just probably wouldn’t have read the last five chapters in a Starbucks if I’d known where things were heading.

Just the Good Parts is the first book by Robbie Couch that I’ve read, and I enjoyed it. I think fans of Lance Rubin will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Caspen experiences the memories of three other people when they light candles and he touches them. Someone else appears in the memories, too.

Violent Content
Caspen’s dad is missing. References to the death of a girlfriend and unresolved grief. Reference to an injury from falling.

SPOILER: (Select the text below to view.)

Death of a parent.

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: The Wild Season by Dashka Slater

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

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

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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

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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: Dead Girls by Beck Kubrick

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Horror, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Dead Girls
Beck Kubrick
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published September 22, 2026

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About Dead Girls

The teen daughter of an infamous serial killer must prove she isn’t the one behind recent copycat murders in this “tongue-in-cheek” (Booklist, starred review) graphic novel that’s a campy, feminist send-up of slashers that both celebrates and subverts classic tropes.

In the cozy town of Clossdale, a serial killer rampages! Five girls missing in as many weeks! Bodies turning up on the forest floor! And all fingers point to one vile fiend: Ash Hargreeves.

Except Ash didn’t do it. She may be the daughter of the infamous Clossdale Killer, and these copycat killings aren’t exactly convincing proof of her innocence—and okay, she’s kind of a weirdo who has two friends total, but when the murders strike a little too close to home, Ash decides to take a stand.

With the help of her besties, Ash is going to hunt down the killer, clear her mother’s name, and stop there from being any more dead girls—now and forever. After all, WWJLCD: what would Jamie Lee Curtis do?

My Review

Far from delicate damsels waiting in fear as a brutal murderer closes in, these girls have decided to run toward danger and stop it in its tracks. I love the energy on the page as Ash and company gather their courage and go on the hunt.

Though the graphic novel includes some slasher themes and tropes, I appreciated how the illustrations used the animal costumes to blunt the violence a bit. It adds just enough creepiness to have those blank-eyed costume heads looming in doorways, and yet… they’re literally cute costume pieces. I thought that was pretty genius, honestly.

Slashers aren’t my favorite horror subgenre, but something about this one really drew me in. I think it’s because it both subverts tropes and also embraces them? There’s a kind of playfulness in the writing that I can’t help but like.

Ash’s small friend group is a lot of fun, too. I loved the banter and jokes, as well as their deep commitment to one another and the unexpected bit of romance.

This book offers so much for readers looking for a fun twist on classic fall horror tropes. Definitely check this out if you’re a horror fan craving a bit more feminism in your reading life.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and dating relationships.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Several characters are murdered on the page. References to past murders. Some characters fight off attackers.

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: 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.