Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora

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Fragile Remedy by Maria Ingrande Mora

Fragile Remedy
Maria Ingrande Mora
Flux
Published March 9, 2021

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About Fragile Remedy

Sixteen-year-old Nate is a GEM—Genetically Engineered Medi-tissue created by the scientists of Gathos City as a cure for the elite from the fatal lung rot ravaging the population. As a child, he was smuggled out of the laboratory where he was held captive and into the Withers—a quarantined, lawless region. Nate manages to survive by using his engineering skills to become a Tinker, fixing broken tech in exchange for food or a safe place to sleep. When he meets Reed, a kind and fiercely protective boy that makes his heart race, and his misfit gang of scavengers, Nate finds the family he’s always longed for—even if he can’t risk telling them what he is.

But Gathos created a genetic failsafe in their GEMs—a flaw that causes their health to rapidly deteriorate as they age unless they are regularly dosed with medication controlled by Gathos City. As Nate’s health declines, his hard-won freedom is put in jeopardy. Violence erupts across the Withers, his illegal supply of medicine is cut off, and a vicious attack on Reed threatens to expose his secret. With time running out, Nate is left with only two options: work for a shadowy terrorist organization that has the means to keep him alive, or stay — and die — with the boy he loves.

My Review

So much happens in this one story that I’m having a hard time knowing where to begin.

I loved Nate’s character. He’s young and inexperienced and fierce and hopeful and a little bit self-loathing. I also loved the characters in the gang. Reese is loyal and true, always sticking to his values. Pixel is adorable. And the rest of the girls made it feel like such a little family.

Nate also has a relationship with Alden, a curio shop owner, drug addict, and man with connections. And Remedy, which Nate needs to live. It’s a complex relationship. I feel like I’d need a psychology degree to pick it apart. There are some really unhealthy elements to it, and yet somewhere in there is a protectiveness and loyalty and maybe even friendship? But it’s pretty enmeshed with the other elements, too.

The story itself moves forward pretty quickly. In Nate’s dystopian city, it’s dangerous to stay still too long, and that sense came through in the plot. Though it’s not a story about addiction, the story explores some of the damage that addiction causes, not just to the individual with the problem, but to the family and community. It also explores darker ideas, like using drugs to create dependent people and maintain control.

It’s been a while since I read a good dystopian story, and FRAGILE REMEDY definitely hit a lot of good notes for me. It made me uncomfortable sometimes, but usually in a way that made me think more deeply about the issues at hand. I think readers who enjoy books that explore addiction or dystopian stories will want to add this one to their shelves.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Nate and several other characters are gay. One member of the gang is transgender.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used maybe once or twice per chapter on average.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. References to arousal.

Spiritual Content
Some people worship the Old Gods. Others have no spiritual beliefs.

Violent Content
Scenes show kidnapping and a mob attacking someone. Other scenes show the aftermath of characters injured by others.

Drug Content
One character is a drug addict. Others find the properties of GEM blood addicting.

Note: I received a free copy of FRAGILE REMEDY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: Can’t Take That Away by Steven Salvatore

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Can’t Take That Away
Steven Salvatore
Bloomsbury YA
Published March 9, 2021

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About Can’t Take That Away

An empowering and emotional debut about a genderqueer teen who finds the courage to stand up and speak out for equality when they are discriminated against by their high school administration.

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. They can hit every note of all the top pop and Broadway hits. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother’s spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice.

Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey’s tormentor and others in the school. It’s up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights–and they refuse to be silenced.

Told in alternating chapters with identifying pronouns, debut author Steven Salvatore’s CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY conducts a powerful, uplifting anthem, a swoony romance, and an affirmation of self-identity that will ignite the activist in all of us.

My Review

I had a lot of fun reading this book, but I’m not going to lie– some parts were hard, not because of the storytelling, but because they were hard things. I cried more than once. But I laughed a lot, too. Carey has the best friends. I loved how they rallied around them and offered support and solidarity.

This will surprise exactly no one who knows me, but I LOVED the relationship between Carey and their grandmother. I was super close to my grandmother who also had a form of Alzheimer’s Disease, and the feelings of support and that intergenerational connection totally resonated with me.

Also the food! I’m the most curious about the mint in the meatballs and sauce– which is apparently totally a thing! I also grew up with (and now make) homemade marinara and meatballs, but I’ve never used mint in them. Now I want to experiment.

Also the music. I loved the homage to Mariah Carey and the way that music is such a huge part of this story. I also loved that while Carey’s audition for Wicked was important, the story didn’t center around that moment. Rather, I felt like it elevated Carey’s participation in the musical to be a part of something so much bigger and really, more essential: their right to respect and equality.

Books that craft a meaningful community always seem to stick with me, and I think CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY will be no exception. I loved that Carey’s what began with Carey’s friends and family expanded to touch their whole community. I felt like the book ended on such a huge high note, and really left me feeling inspired and hopeful.

I think readers who enjoyed MUSIC FROM ANOTHER WORLD by Robin Talley or books about theater and music will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Carey is genderqueer. Another character identifies as bisexual, another as lesbian, and another as pansexual.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used regularly through the book.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a genderqueer teen and boy. Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
One character talks about a person who has died watching over them, feeling them present at a significant moment.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning
References to queerphobic terms a few times without the words being named. In one instance, a slur is used.

There are also some instances of bullying and physical assault.

Drug Content
Carey’s mom offers Carey’s friend group small glasses of champagne to celebrate a victory.

Note: I received a free copy of CAN’T TAKE THAT AWAY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Amina’s Song by Hena Khan

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Amina’s Song
Hena Khan
Simon & Schuster / Salaam Reads
Published March 9, 2021

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About Amina’s Song

It’s the last few days of her vacation in Pakistan, and Amina has loved every minute of it. The food, the shops, the time she’s spent with her family—all of it holds a special place in Amina’s heart. Now that the school year is starting again, she’s sad to leave, but also excited to share the wonders of Pakistan with her friends back in Greendale.

After she’s home, though, her friends don’t seem overly interested in her trip. And when she decides to do a presentation on Pakistani hero Malala Yousafzai, her classmates focus on the worst parts of the story. How can Amina share the beauty of Pakistan when no one wants to listen?

In the companion novel to the beloved and award-winning AMINA’S VOICE, Amina once again uses her voice to bridge the places, people, and communities she loves—this time across continents.

My Review

I read AMINA’S SONG at the perfect time– just when I needed a warm, fun story of community and family and belonging. I loved the chapters showing Amina with her family in Pakistan. The descriptions of the market, the rooftop, and the food all made those scenes come to life. I also loved Amina’s relationship with her cousin Zohra and her uncle.

I also loved the way the story followed her faith and her connection with her mosque and the ways she and others sought to help refugees who had just come to America. That generosity and welcoming warmth was really sweet.

As with AMINA’S VOICE, this story also focuses on Amina’s internal journey. She feels caught between her love for America and Pakistan and at a loss for how to explain and show that love to the people in her life on each side. I love that her path led her to compose her own music and challenged her to find ways to speak up, both in her class project about Malala and in her friendships.

All in all, I’d say this book is another winner. It’s got a strong faith-positive message, and a beautiful celebration of community as well as a thoughtful, brave heroine in Amina. Readers who enjoy multicultural stories or are looking for books that celebrate community will definitely want this one on their shelves.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Amina’s family are Pakinstani-American Muslims. The first part of the book takes places in Lahore, Pakistan, where Amina is visiting her family.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Amina makes friends with a boy at school and her friends tease her about being romantically interested. She is not allowed to date, and believes she wants to simply be friends with Nico.

Spiritual Content
Amina and her family are Muslims. She talks about reading the Quran and spending time in prayer. She’s also involved with continued fundraising to rebuild the mosque her family attends after it was vandalized a year earlier.

Violent Content
Amina learns about Malala and briefly discusses that she was shot in the head by the Taliban. She tells her cousin she was afraid to come to Pakistan because of the stories of violence she’d heard on the news. Her cousins in Pakistan worry that Amina and her brother could be shot, since they see reports of school shootings in the news so often.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of AMINA’S SONG in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. All opinions are my own.

Review: As Far As You’ll Take Me by Phil Stamper

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

As Far As You’ll Take Me
Phil Stamper
Bloomsbury YA
Published February 9, 2021

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About As Far As You’ll Take Me

Marty arrives in London with nothing but his oboe and some savings from his summer job, but he’s excited to start his new life–where he’s no longer the closeted, shy kid who slips under the radar and is free to explore his sexuality without his parents’ disapproval.

From the outside, Marty’s life looks like a perfect fantasy: in the span of a few weeks, he’s made new friends, he’s getting closer with his first ever boyfriend, and he’s even traveling around Europe. But Marty knows he can’t keep up the facade. He hasn’t spoken to his parents since he arrived, he’s tearing through his meager savings, his homesickness and anxiety are getting worse and worse, and he hasn’t even come close to landing the job of his dreams. Will Marty be able to find a place that feels like home?

My Review

I have mixed feelings about this one. Mostly, I think, I have mixed feelings about Marty as a character.

He has anxiety– and I thought that part was really well crafted. I felt like I was experiencing it with him, and definitely felt for him. I tend to love angsty musician characters, so I figured Marty would be a sure win.

Plus the oboe holds a special place in my heart, since I’m practically surrounded by oboe players. (My sister, my daughter, my former roommate, and my cousin all either play or played the oboe. Actually, both my sisters played, my youngest only briefly.) So I was super excited to see an oboe player. In a YA novel! Yay!

And I loved that the story featured such complex, twisty friendships. Marty and Megan is a great example. I feel like a LOT of people have had the experience where that one super close friendship we thought we couldn’t live without has some real, undeniable toxicity to it. Marty’s wrestling with how to feel about his friendship with her and the way his new friendships put that relationship into context was SO. Well. Done.

Despite that, I struggled with some feelings about Marty. He stressed about money and agonized over whether he’d be able to land gigs and stay in London, but then off he’d go with his friends and chasing down potential romance. He ignored his friends when they tried to tell him things he didn’t want to hear and seemed pretty comfortable using them. I thought he made a lot of selfish decisions.

Some of that made sense in the context of his being totally swallowed up by his romantic feelings, so I wanted to give him a break. All the breaks.

He does grow a lot through the story. I kind of wanted some of his epiphanies to happen earlier. Some things felt a bit crammed in to the last few chapters, and that didn’t really give me a chance to see him walk things out, which I think would have been really satisfying.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Marty is gay and has anxiety. His mother was born in Ireland. He comes from a conservative Christian family. Marty’s friend group is a pretty diverse group.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used roughly a few times per chapter.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. Brief touching. One scene shows them undressed and leading up to sex. Brief kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
Marty’s parents are deeply religious Christians. Marty is pretty disparaging of their faith, for two reasons that are pretty interconnected. One is that he just doesn’t believe in God anymore. He also feels it’s been pretty hammered into him that who he is is a sin, which has been pretty damaging.

Violent Content – Trigger Warning for Homophobia
A person Marty cares about outs him as gay to people in his hometown. His parents offer support to him personally, but display some homophobic behavior to the LGBT community at large.

Drug Content
Marty and his friends drink alcohol together. Marty and another group member are underage at seventeen.

Note: I received a free copy of AS FAR AS YOU’LL TAKE ME in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Phoenix Flame by Sara Holland

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

Phoenix Flame
Sara Holland
Bloomsbury USA
Published March 2, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Phoenix Flame

Maddie thought her problems were over. She saved the Inn at Havenfall—a sanctuary between magical worlds—from the evil Silver Prince. Her uncle the Innkeeper is recovering from a mysterious spell that left him not quite human. And there are still a few weeks of summer left to spend with her more-than-friend Brekken.
But there’s more work to be done to protect the Inn—Maddie must put an end to the black-market trading of magical objects and open the Inn’s doors to the once feared land of shapeshifters.

As she tries to accomplish both seemingly impossible tasks, Maddie uncovers secrets that could change everything. What if saving everyone means destroying the only home she’s known?

This next breathtaking fantasy from the bestselling author of EVERLESS is perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Holly Black.

My Review

NOTE: I’m really conflicted about promoting this book. On the one hand, I don’t want to harm the author or publisher, but there are serious allegations of racist behavior by Glasstown, and I’m uncomfortable promoting a book or series which benefits them at this time, even though a publisher and author I like are involved.

I think my favorite thing about this book is the plot about stopping a magical form of trafficking. Powerful people have been kidnapping magic-bearers of a certain race and forcing pieces of their souls to bind with objects, creating soul-silver. The practice literally destroys a person. Maddie and her friends have vowed to take down the trade and bring the perpetrators to justice.

From there it gets a little complicated. A couple times, Maddie and her friends use soul-silver, justifying it as a necessary step in their plans. It felt… icky. To me. I don’t know. Like, continuing to abuse someone because the end justified the means. The person whose soul was trapped in the silver had no choice, and the piece of their soul is lost when the magic is used. Which could prevent the person from being rescued, because too many pieces of their soul are missing or used.

I thought the tug of war between Maddie and her feelings for Brekken and Taya added some tension and interest. I couldn’t decide which I wanted her to choose. Until a thing happens– basically Brekken takes responsibility for something while Maddie’s like, yeah, but can’t we just not take responsibility?? And I get that she worried about the consequences, but it felt like another selfish choice, and made me feel like she kinda doesn’t deserve Brekken.

I feel like I’ve listed a lot of the things I struggled with in this book. To be honest, I still read it really quickly and enjoyed a lot of things about it. I liked the politics between the different worlds and Maddie’s complicated relationship with her mom. I like that Maddie never gives up.

If you enjoyed HAVENFALL, it’s worth reading PHOENIX FLAME to see how things resolve. The series is under contract for development with Amazon Studios, so it’s possible you’ll get to see it come to life on screen, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Maddie has romantic feelings for a boy and a girl. She and her family are white. Other characters are from fictional realms.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used about half a dozen times.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Black market sellers trade objects that have pieces of souls in them, giving them magical properties.

Violent Content
Maddie’s mom is on death row following her conviction of killing her son (Maddie’s brother). Some situations of peril. Some brief battles.

Drug Content
At a ball at the inn, Maddie hands out wine laced with truth serum. One reference to a practice at the inn where they offer wine that causes someone to forget what’s happened before that person leaves the inn, in order to protect the secrets of the inn.

Note: I received a free copy of PHOENIX FLAME in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: These Unlucky Stars by Gillian McDunn

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These Unlucky Stars
Gillian McDunn
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published March 2, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About These Unlucky Stars

From the author of CATERPILLAR SUMMER comes a new heartfelt story of a girl’s unexpected friendship that changes her forever.

Annie has always been the odd one out in her family. Her practical dad and brother just don’t understand the way she thinks. Ever since her mother left a few years ago, Annie has been reluctant to get close to anyone.
When a poor decision lands Annie in hot water, she must make amends by watching her elderly neighbor’s weird dog all summer. As Annie begins to connect with her neighbor Gloria, it becomes clear that Gloria won’t be able to live on her own for much longer. But it’s this brief and important friendship that gives Annie the confidence to let people in, and see how rich life can be when you decide to make your own luck and chart your own path to happiness.

Perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Gillian McDunn has crafted another touching story that will remain in readers’ hearts.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of books by Gillian McDunn since her debut (which includes a girl fishing! Be still my heart!), so I was really excited to read THESE UNLUCKY STARS. I also tend to love intergenerational friendships and older characters who are prickly on the outside but have a heart of gold underneath that grouchy exterior. AND I love books about small southern towns. So this was pretty much a guaranteed win for me.

The book has so many great characters. From Otto, the unique dog and his protective, loyal spirit, to the BBQ owners who dote on Annie’s family like adopted grandparents, to the chatty, mischievous mayor’s son who wants to help people.

I loved the setting– the small town, the mountain landscape, and the southern expressions that appeared here and there and made me miss my family in North Carolina.

Most of all, I loved the emotional journey that Annie traveled. On page one, she’s an island of grief over the loss of her mom, and she feels trapped by bad luck. But as she’s faced again and again with opportunities to help people get ready for the town festival and is forced to work off her guilt helping Gloria, she begins to see things in new ways. She begins to come out of her shell and to heal from her grief.

Though I adore this book, there are a couple things I wish had been different. One is a spoiler, so scroll down to the end for that one, if you’re interested. The other thing is that we didn’t really get to see her dad’s reaction to the parade float she made for his shop, and I really wanted that moment. I think it would have been a cool way to resolve the issue between her and her dad over her artwork and a moment for him to show support. He does make a supportive comment, but it’s kind of quick and more really about the fact that Annie took on the job of the float, not really seeing and appreciating her work.

On the whole, though, I really enjoyed this book with its small town setting, intergenerational friendship, and tender exploration of grief and healing. I think fans of McDunn’s other books will definitely want to check this one out as well as fans of NEST by Esther Ehrlich.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
One (minor) character has mental health issues. Two men (minor characters) are married.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Annie worries that her dad may be interested in a new woman.

Spiritual Content
Annie’s mom told her she was born under an unlucky star. Annie clings to that identity and every time something bad happens, she chalks it up to inescapable bad luck. One character makes a reference to the Heavens being in charge of the living.

Violent Content
A woman falls and is injured. A boy punches the wall in anger.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of THESE UNLUCKY STARS in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Spoiler – the Other Reason I Struggled with These Unlucky Stars

The other thing that I struggled with in the book is that Annie learns her mom has bipolar disorder. She didn’t like the way she felt on medication and stopped taking it. Then she realized her illness and the impulsiveness it caused put her children in danger, so she left them to protect them from her.

I feel like I’ve seen that in stories a lot lately– the bipolar parent who leaves the family– and I guess I kind of hoped THESE UNLUCKY STARS would take a different approach. I also tend to struggle with books that show people not taking meds because they don’t like how they feel– not that that doesn’t happen, but I guess because I feel like it’s a reason that’s overused.