Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: The Gender Binary is a Big Lie by Lee Wind

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The Gender Binary is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World by Lee Wind

The Gender Binary is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World (Queer History Project)
Lee Bind
Zest Books
Published August 6, 2024

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About The Gender Binary is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities Around the World

What if you discovered that the whole concept of a gender binary is an illusion?

While many people identify as men or women, that is not all there is. The idea that all humans fall into one of two gender categories is largely a construct created by those who benefit from that belief. The reality is that gender is naturally diverse, falling inside and outside of those boxes, and more expansive ideas of gender have always existed.

In the second book of the Queer History Project, The Gender Binary Is a Big Lie: Infinite Identities around the World, author Lee Wind uses historical evidence and primary sources―poetry, ancient burial sites, firsthand accounts, and news stories―to explore gender roles and identities. Gender identities and physical bodies are as diverse as the human experience. Get ready to shatter those preconceived notions of nothing but a gender binary and dive deep into expressions of gender―both past and present―that reveal the infinite variety and beauty of everyone’s gender.

My Review

Last year, I read the book Genderqueer by Maia Kobabe, and I feel like that left me with a lot to think about. So, when I saw a copy of this book available for review this year, I felt like it was great timing.

I’ve been increasingly aware of the fact that I live at a particular point in history and in a particular place. Lots of the rules and values I encounter are heavily influenced by this truth. It impacts even the way we interpret things like the Bible, and I think we don’t give enough thought to that.

At any rate. So. The Gender Binary is a Big Lie. Let’s talk about it.

The book begins with a lengthy introduction that gives readers a framework for how to talk about intersex and transgender people. This section defines terms and offers some insight into why certain words are not used anymore. It also gives a high view of some important historical discoveries that support the books core idea: that many cultures have not subscribed to a limited gender binary across history and the globe.

After the introduction, the book focuses on a few examples of cultures with well-defined outside-the-binary gender identities. I thought this was the coolest part of the book. References appear throughout the text. (The backmatter lists more than fifty pages of source material.)

The last chapter is also great information. One of the things I have had multiple conversations with people about is the existence of intersex people, so it is very helpful to have some references for myself to refer back to or to refer others to for more information.

Conclusion

While I’m sure this is not an exhaustive text, it’s a great introduction to thinking beyond our American, 21st century experience with identity and gender norms. Though the chapters are long, the text is broken down into shorter sections that make the information much easier to digest. I highly recommend this text for readers looking for more information on identities beyond the gender binary. I’m excited to read a few of the books listed in the backmatter as well.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to romantic relationships of real historical people. One chapter offers facts and information about intersex people (people whose genetic biology doesn’t fit a gender binary).

Spiritual Content
One chapter shows teachings from Classical Judaism. Another section offers some information about Australian First Nations traditions. A different chapter talks about Hindu beliefs and the hijra community. One chapter talks about Hawaiian and Tahitian traditions and identity.

Violent Content
Some explanation of how colonialism impacted indigenous communities and belief systems. In the chapter on intersex identities, the author explains that historically (and still sometimes currently) people are forced to have medical surgery to alter their bodies to fit a gender binary. This chapter also mentions death by suicide.

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: Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen

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Her Name in the Sky
Kelly Quindlen
Roaring Brook Press
Published January 27, 2026

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About Her Name in the Sky

Hannah wants to spend her senior year of high school going to football games and Mardi Gras parties with her tight-knit group of friends.

The last thing she wants is to fall in love with a girl–especially when that girl is her best friend, Baker.

Hannah knows she should like Wally, the kind, earnest boy who asks her to prom. She should cheer on her friend Clay when he asks Baker to be his girlfriend. She should follow the rules of her conservative Louisiana community–the rules that have been ingrained in her since she was a child.

But Hannah longs to be with Baker, who cooks macaroni and cheese with Hannah late at night, who believes in the magic of books as much as Hannah does, and who challenges Hannah to be the best version of herself.

And Baker might want to be with Hannah, too–if both girls can embrace that world-shaking, yet wondrous, possibility.

My Review

This book originally came out in 2012 but is being re-released in 2026. This year, I read it for the first time. Kelly Quindlen is a new author for me as well. I’d heard of her books, but hadn’t read them before.

The thing that I think this book does absolutely brilliantly is to capture Hannah’s emotional and spiritual journey. We see her wrestle with her faith and her identity in heartbreaking, anguished scenes. I love that Quindlen shows this, not once, but as an ongoing process for Hannah.

I also like that the book shows characters with a spectrum of beliefs. Some support Hannah immediately, while others seem to want to opt out of responding to her at all, and others target her with cruel words.

The relationship between Hannah and Joanie, her sister, was really nicely done. Joanie absolutely had my heart by the end of the book. If there’s ever a spinoff novel about her, I need to read it. The way that she and Hannah navigate their estrangement and reconciliation felt so much like true sisterhood.

The only thing I struggled with was how much time the characters spent drinking alcohol. In fairness, some of those scenes weren’t really about casual drinking, but showed an unhealthy pattern that involved drinking or needing to be drunk in order to do certain things. So from a plot perspective, it was an integrated part of the story and evidence of some destructive behavior. (Mainly an attempt at shame-avoidance.)

There’s a scene toward the end where a dad confronts a man who’s saying some homophobic things, and I need more dads like this in young adult literature and everywhere. I cheered at how both parents handled one moment in the book.

Reading this book was such an emotional roller coaster, in all the ways it was meant to be. I feel like I bawled through almost half of the story. It’s really moving. Definitely grab you some tissues for this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Brief descriptions of and references to sex.

Spiritual Content
The main characters attend a Catholic school. The school’s priest speaks about spiritual topics. Hannah wrestles with questions about whether her identity as a lesbian makes her bad and shameful. The priest’s teaching says it does. Another teacher tells her it doesn’t.

Violent Content
Some homophobic statements and behavior. A girl shoves another girl. Two boys get into a fistfight that starts a brawl.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol in several scenes. One teen drinks alcohol as part of a self-destructive spiral and nearly ends up hospitalized.

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: Worst-Case Scenario by Ray Stoeve

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Worst-Case Scenario
Ray Stoeve
Amulet Books
Published January 20, 2026

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About Worst-Case Scenario

New from Ray Stoeve comes an enemies-to-lovers romance about nemeses who are forced to share their school’s Queer Alliance presidency following a tie in the election.

Sidney has one goal for their junior year. Well . . . two, if they’re being honest. Number become president of their school’s Queer Alliance club. And number keep their self-diagnosed anxiety in check so their grades don’t tank like they did last year.

But when the election results in a tie with none other than Sidney’s arch nemesis, the class clown Forrest, the two are forced to share the presidency until a revote at the end of term. Sidney expects Forrest to be insufferable, but it turns out that working together is . . . kind of nice?

As surprising feelings for Forrest emerge, Sidney’s techniques for managing their anxiety stop working. With the reelection approaching and assignments starting to pile up, will all this pressure be too much for Sidney to handle on their own?

My Review

I felt Sidney’s emotions throughout this story. Their fear was palpable. I could see them slip into hamster-wheel thinking, where their thoughts spiral, and they couldn’t stop. Stoeve did an incredible job bringing these experiences to the page. I was absolutely lost in the story and desperate to see Sidney get the help they needed.

The characters had a lot of life in them, too. Sidney, their moms, their dad, their friend Anna, and Forrest all have really distinct personalities and characteristics. When a character entered a scene speaking or texting, I knew immediately who it was. Sidney also has a lot of layers, too. I like that the story never reduces them to their mental health issues. Their hopes, relationships, and other feelings consistently drive the story forward.

The development of the relationship between Sidney and Forrest is so sweet. I like that they both had misconceptions about one another, but they both have to give and grow to find their way to romance.

I’m loving that more authors are writing novels that include their own mental health experiences now. I think this can’t help but make it easier for kids to understand what it’s like to have a mental illness or to help them feel less alone and potentially find the courage to speak up about what they’re going through.

Readers who enjoy books by Sonora Reyes or Adam Silvera should pick this one up.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to making out.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Sidney remembers some intense arguments between their parents.

Drug Content
Sidney’s dad is a recovering alcoholic. Sidney remembers him behaving badly while drunk in the past.

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.

MMGM Review: The Big Bad Wolf Murder by P. G. Bell

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The Big Bad Wolf Murder
P. G. Bell
Feiwel & Friends
Published January 20, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Big Bad Wolf Murder

A girl accused of killing a famous wolf must solve his murder while on the run, in this twist on Little Red Riding Hood!

At twelve years old, Ruby Calvino is the youngest human player in the Tooth & Claw championships. It’s her fast legs and even faster mind that leaves her as the last player left during the final game, and she’s ready to claim victory. But when the undefeated Alarick— the wolf player hunting her— is finally upon her, he…drops dead?

With poison found in Ruby’s bag, all fingers (and paws!) point to her. Desperate to prove her innocence, she teams up with a young wolf accused of helping her commit the crime. But figuring out who killed Alarick certainly won’t be easy while on the run from cops and another vicious wolf.

Luckily, Ruby’s Tooth & Claw training just might come in handy!

My Review

This is the first I’ve read of P. G. Bell’s books, but I will absolutely read more. I loved this mystery-laced twist on Little Red Riding Hood and the game the characters compete in during the book. The Tooth & Claw Championship is a little bit like capture the flag. One team’s goal is to cross the field without being captured and to raise their flags, while the other team (made up of anthropomorphic wolves) wins by capturing all players. Alarick’s murder interrupts Ruby’s team’s potential championship win.

The elements of the championship and the game were easy to understand and very well integrated into the story. In order to track down Alarick’s murderer, Ruby even had to use some of her best Tooth & Claw moves. I also enjoyed Ruby and Fillan as a team. They have very different backgrounds and personalities, and it takes them some time to learn to trust one another. Once they do, though, they make a powerful team.

At 224 pages, this fast-paced story is easy to read. Give this to readers who enjoyed The Great Texas Dragon Race by Kacy Ritter or who enjoy stories where fantasy and sports themes or mysteries intersect.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Ruby witnesses a wolf dying from poisoning. A wolf bites a girl in an attempted robbery. A wolf hunts Ruby and Fillan, clearly intending to kill them. Ruby and Fillan face other potentially fatal threats.

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.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.

Review: Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo

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Lunar Boy
Jes and Cin Wibowo
HarperAlley
Published May 14, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Lunar Boy

For fans of The Witch Boy and Squished, Lunar Boy is a must-have heartwarming coming-of-age graphic novel about a young boy from the moon who discovers a home in the most unlikely places, from debut twin creators Jes and Cin Wibowo.

Indu, a boy from the moon, feels like he doesn’t belong. He hasn’t since he and his adoptive mom disembarked from their spaceship—their home—to live on Earth with their new blended family. The kids at school think he’s weird, he has a crush on his pen pal who might not like him back, and his stepfamily doesn’t seem to know what to do with him. Worst of all, Indu can’t even talk to his mom about how he’s feeling because she’s so busy.

In a moment of loneliness, Indu calls out to the moon, begging them to take him back. And against all odds, the moon hears him and agrees to bring him home on the first day of the New Year. But as the promised day draws nearer, Indu finds friendship in unlikely places and discovers that home is more than where you come from. And when the moon calls again, Indu must decide: Is he willing to give up what he’s just found?

My Review

I’m sure I saw a review of this book somewhere or saw someone posting about it on social media, but I’m terrible at keeping notes on that, so I can’t remember who told me to read this book. If it was you, thank you.

Lunar Boy is an unusual story. Indu begins alone on the surface of the moon. He hears a voice in his head that he identifies as belonging to the moon. The voice warns him that being alone is safe, and that forming connections to others opens a person up to the possibility of pain and heartache. Indu decides to leave anyway and lives as a part of a blended family. He and his mom move to a newly colonized planet where he learns a new language and attends school.

He faces some big adjustments, and learns to navigate different conflicts, both external and internal. He also explores his identity and encounters others coming to terms with their own identities. The book handles this very gently. There is one spot where someone misgenders Indu. He apologizes and is supportive after the fact, though.

I really liked the elements of found family/adoption in the story. It was also interesting that Indu faced being part of a blended family after acclimating to a smaller family with just him and his adopted mom.

I could see readers who enjoyed The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu or The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang liking this one a lot. I’m eager to see these authors create more books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to an older couple in a dating relationship. One panel shows two characters kissing.

Spiritual Content
Indu hears the Moon speaking to him about the risks of forming relationships with others and living in community (loneliness and pain). At one point the Moon tells Indu he can come home at a certain cycle of the moon. References to ceremonies to honor coming-of-age for boys and girls.

Violent Content
Some homophobic or transphobic statements. One instance of misgendering. (The person apologizes and promises to do better in the future.)

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: I, in the Shadows by Tori Bovalino

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

I, in the Shadows
Tori Bovalino
Page Street
Published January 13, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About I, in the Shadows

Liam has been dead for ten months, haunting the house he used to share with his family, and facing intermittent and terrifying encounters with an eldritch entity called The Beast, who seems determined to consume his soul. Besides that complication in Liam’s new existence, he’s actually adjusted well enough to boredom. But all of that changes when a new family moves in and Liam finds himself sharing a room with Drew Tarpin, who is all of the things Liam never was when he was athletic, queer, and effortlessly cool.

Except, Liam and Drew do have something in their hopeless attraction to Hannah Steward, the nerdy captain of the school mock trial team. After Drew stands in to protect Liam from the Beast, he agrees to help her win Hannah over if Drew keeps Liam from spending the entirety of his afterlife as demon food. It shouldn’t be hard, since Liam was in unrequited love with Hannah for his entire natural life, and her best friend until his untimely death. But the Beast will not be satisfied no matter how much Drew fights back on Liam’s behalf—and when Hannah catches on that Liam might not be totally gone, it puts all of their lives at risk.

My Review

I kept seeing books by Tori Bovalino around, so I’ve been wanting to read one, and I’m excited that I finally did.

The ghostly parts of this story follow a pretty well-traveled path. Drew can see ghosts, and so can other family members. Her sibling has been a lot more involved in helping ghosts move on. Usually, Drew steers clear of ghost work, but she’s now the only child at home, and the ghost lingering in the house is attracting dangerous creatures.

Once she agrees to help the ghost, Liam, move on, she becomes entangled in Liam’s old friend group. The group felt like a cohesive unit, and Drew’s experience hanging out with them reminded me of similar experiences I’ve had as an outsider with a group like that, so I thought it was pretty realistic.

I also liked the slow development of Drew’s feelings for Hannah. Drew’s promise to help Liam move on quickly complicates Drew’s possible relationship with Hannah. I liked that the feelings didn’t trump the mistakes made. I thought Bovalino did a nice job making space to address the conflicts.

Readers who enjoy stories about ghosts and falling in love will definitely want to check out this supernatural mystery-slash-romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Someone shares their romantic (unreciprocated) feelings with a friend. A girl describes feeling pressured to have a romantic relationship with a boy because of a loss they share and his strong feelings for her.

Spiritual Content
Drew and a few other family members can see and interact with ghosts. They’re supposed to help ghosts move on to the afterlife. If ghosts linger in this world too long, they become husks, hollowed-out, hungry, ghostly creatures with no memories of their previous existence. An octopus or spider-like creature made of shadows appears to devour husks. Husks and this shadowy creature can harm living things, too.

Violent Content
References to a car accident that killed a teenage boy. Journal entries reference the death of another family member.

Drug Content
References to drug addiction. (Not shown on the page.) References to a party where teens drank alcohol that happened before the story began. Teens drink alcohol at a party.

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.