Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: There’s Always Next Year by Leah Johnson and George M. Johnson

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
There's Always Next Year by Leah Johnson and George M. Johnson

There’s Always Next Year
Leah Johnson and George M. Johnson
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Published December 2, 2025

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About There’s Always Next Year

From New York Times-bestselling author George M. Johnson and USA Today-bestselling author Leah Johnson comes a revolutionary new holiday romcom for fans of Lynn Painter, Alice Oseman, and Nicola Yoon.

Andy was supposed to shed her too-serious student journalist persona and reinvent herself on New Year’s Eve. Instead, she puked on her crush, dropped her phone in a fish tank, and managed to get her car stolen. Now, she only has the first day of the year to stop the gentrification that’s threatening her family’s business right her wrongs from the night before, and figure out why she feels so drawn to the electric new-girl-next-door. How can Andy find her voice when everything’s being turned upside down?

Dominique is an influencer on the verge of securing a major brand deal that will ensure his future and family legacy. But when he runs into his former best friend, unresolved feelings emerge — and in a small town, there’s nowhere to hide. Not from his cousin, Andy, who has always seen him for his true self, not from his busybody manager, Kim, whose favorite color is money green, and certainly not from himself. When all the world’s a stage, can Dominique rise to superstardom without leaving the ones he loves behind?

There’s Always Next Year is a dual POV, double love story about what it means to nearly blow your life up, and race to put it back together before your time runs out. And if they fail? Well, there’s always next year.

My Review

I read George M. Johnson’s incredible memoir, All Boys Aren’t Blue, so I was excited to see his name on this book. I haven’t read anything by Leah Johnson, though I have a copy of You Should See Me in a Crown, and I’ve heard awesome things about it. This book made me sorry I’ve waited so long to read any of her books!

The opening scene is so much fun. Dominique is just getting off a plane, returning to his small town for the first time since he’s been living in New York as an influencer and model. He is prepared to be recognized as a local celebrity! I love how that scene plays out.

The story alternates between Andy and her cousin Dominique’s perspectives, telling two side-by-side holiday romance stories filled with hijinks and small-town drama. It’s got that perfect snow-covered holiday vibe, and it made a perfect upbeat read to break up the more serious books I’m often drawn to.

While this is a charming romance novel, it also highlights the harm that gentrification inflicts on small communities, destroying family businesses and driving residents from their homes and neighborhoods. The story balances this topic well with the development of the romance and the thawing of the estrangement between Dominique and his family and friends.

All in all, this is a perfect sweet romance to read this winter.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong language used occasionally throughout.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Dominique visits his mom’s grave and speaks to her.

Violent Content
One character commits some destructive pranks.

Drug Content
In her first scene, Andy wakes up with a horrible hangover and embarrassing stories about what she did while drunk the night before.

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: Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar by Anahita Karthik

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

Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar
Anahita Karthik
HarperCollins
Published January 27, 2026

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About Better Catch Up, Krishna Kumar

“Come for the road trip of a lifetime. Stay for the kissing!”— Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Princess Diaries series.

Buckle up for a wild ride with this cheeky and charming rom-com where one girl’s quest across India to seal her first kiss turns into finding first love in the most unexpected places. Perfect for fans of Axie Oh, Ann Liang, and Jenny Han!

Eighteen-year-old Krishna Kumar may have gotten into her dream college, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped being a bi disaster. Even after spending her whole summer in India flirting with her gorgeous neighbor Amrit, she has nothing to show for it. And now, her fate is sealed: she’s destined to be the only freshman who’s never been kissed.

Then her flight home is delayed right as a distinctly flirty text from Amrit lights up her phone. Krishna is determined to seize her last chance at a perfect first kiss with her summer crush, even if it means asking her cousin-turned-nemesis, Priti, for help. Because Amrit is miles away at a family wedding—and Priti’s best friend, Rudra Desai, is the only one with a car.

The unlikely trio set off on a road trip to crash a wedding and save Krishna’s summer. But as she starts to fall for the quiet but irresistibly hot and charming Rudra, who everyone knows is unrequitedly in love with Priti, Krishna’s heart better catch up to her head before she skips right past her first kiss and falls directly into her first heartbreak.

My Review

I enjoyed the pacing of this road trip romance. Krishna is a fun narrator, taking readers with her through mishaps, awkwardly blurted comments, and her desperate attempts for a first kiss.

Though at its core, this is a romance, the story also highlights the relationship between Krishna and her cousin, Priti. Krishna doesn’t understand why her cousin became so distant after Krishna’s move to the States, and at first, she is kind of resigned that she’ll never get it. But the close proximity of the road trip forces Krishna to confront more surprising feelings than those she develops for Rudra. As she understands more about why Priti’s behavior changed, she sees a path to reconciliation and realizes how much she misses her cousin. I loved that.

I also loved the romance between Krishna and Rudra. Watching her fall for him and trying to figure him out was lots of fun. There’s one miscommunication toward the end that would have resolved quickly if the two actually talked to one another. Despite that stretch, I am super glad I read this one.

If you’re looking for a road trip romance, definitely check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing and making out. References to arousal. Vage references to sex.

Spiritual Content
Krishna visits a holy site with a group. They remove their shoes before entering the site. They attend part of a wedding celebration. Some wedding traditions are briefly described.

Violent Content
In a couple of scenes, men eye Priti and Krishna or call out at them in a suggestive way.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at a party and a nightclub. Whether they’re of legal drinking age isn’t discussed, but they could be. Several unfortunate things happen when a character drinks too much.

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: Eureka by Victoria Chang

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

Eureka
Victoria Chang
Farrar, Straus, & Giroux
Published January 27, 2026

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About Eureka

A novel-in-verse by poet Victoria Chang that relates the tragic events surrounding the 1885 expulsion of Chinese Americans from Eureka, California.

Love illuminates the dark.

The year is 1885. San Francisco is dangerous for Chinese immigrants like twelve-year-old Mei Mei. She must venture on her own, without her family or friends, to Eureka, California, where it is supposedly safe.

But 300 miles from home, Mei Mei misses her Ma Ma’s kindness, helping out in her Ba Ba’s store, and playing hide-and-seek with her best friend, Hua Hua. Despite her fear and the increasing violence against her community, she finds hope in an unexpected friend, the giant Redwood trees, and a new learning how to read in English. As the world around her grows more scary, Mei Mei discovers her own power, as well the joy of found family, the importance of courage, and the nature of freedom.

My Review

This is the second historical novel-in-verse that I’ve read this month, and the second about a moment in history that I’m not as familiar with as I’d like to be. I love that authors are bringing these stories to the page.

Mei Mei faces some intense circumstances, but the descriptions and her understanding of what’s happening stays appropriate for a middle grade audience. She finds friends and builds community even when she moves far from her family. It’s easy to root for her and cheer her on as she faces difficulties.

While the story identifies some of the cruel and racist things that happened to Chinese immigrants in 1885, the novel also highlights the power of hope and the importance of taking care of one another. Mei Mei helps others when she can, and others look out for her at different points in the story, too.

If you enjoyed Lion of the Sky by Ritu Hemnani, a novel in verse set in the 1940s during the British Partition of India, add this book to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A thief steals items from Mei Mei’s parents’ store. Dangerous people come to the shop looking for Mei Mei, planning to kidnap her in exchange for her parents’ debts. Mei Mei witnesses someone mistreating household staff. Someone locks her in a closet to punish her. Mei Mei worries about anti-Chinese sentiment that could lead to violence against her or others.

Mei Mei’s mother’s feet have been badly damaged due to the practice of foot binding that was common in her generation in China. Walking is painful for her, which limits what she’s able to do.

Drug Content
Mei Mei witnesses an adult who’s been drinking alcohol.

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: 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 (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.