Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera

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We Light Up the Sky by Lilliam Rivera

We Light Up the Sky
Lilliam Rivera
Bloomsbury YA
Published October 26, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About We Light Up the Sky

Pedro, Luna, and Rafa may attend Fairfax High School together in Los Angeles, but they run in separate spheres. Pedro is often told that he’s “too much” and seeks refuge from his home life in a local drag bar. Luna is pretending to go along with the popular crowd but is still grieving the unexpected passing of her beloved cousin Tasha. Then there’s Rafa, the quiet new kid who is hiding the fact that his family is homeless.

But Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find themselves thrown together when an extraterrestrial visitor lands in their city and takes the form of Luna’s cousin Tasha. As the Visitor causes destruction wherever it goes, the three teens struggle to survive and warn others of what’s coming–because this Visitor is only the first of many. But who is their true enemy–this alien, or their fellow humans? Can Pedro, Luna, and Rafa find a way to save a world that has repeatedly proven it doesn’t want to save them?

Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Lilliam Rivera examines the days before a War of the Worlds-inspired alien invasion in this captivating and chilling new novel.

In a haunting, genre-bending YA, award-winning author Lilliam Rivera explores the social and racial ramifications of an alien invasion from the perspective of three Latinx teens.

My Review

I read and loved NEVER LOOK BACK, a retelling of the Greek myth Orpheus and Eurydice by Lilliam Rivera, so when I saw this new book, I pretty much knew I was going to have to read it.

Sci-fi isn’t my top preferred genre, but I have found that I love a solid contemporary story that incorporates science fiction into the story. I don’t know if that makes a whole lot of sense. I think it’s the difference between reading a romance novel, where the romance IS the story, versus reading a story where the romance is a subplot. The alien encounter is pretty much the focus of this particular story, but it’s also firmly centered around Luna, Rafa, and Pedro’s connections to each other and their individual grief. That part of the story– grief and connections– is what really hooked me.

I loved that the relationships they build with each other aren’t just part of a character arc, but they also play into the final battle of the story. I felt like that elevated the whole story from interesting to compelling.

On the whole, I really liked this book. I haven’t had a lot of reading time lately, so if I didn’t like it, probably it would have sat on my night stand waiting for me. Instead, I found myself grabbing it to read a chapter while I waited in a parking lot or in the few minutes I had before starting dinner. The short chapters and sharply focused narrative made it easy to pick up and put down, and the realistic characters kept me eager to come back for the next chapter.

I think readers who enjoyed WHEN LIGHT LEFT US by Leah Thomas or who like character-driven sci-fi will love this book.

Content Notes for We Light Up the Sky

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Pedro, Luna and Rafa are Latinx. Pedro has dated boys and girls. Rafa develops feelings for a boy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to sex. Kiss between boy and girl. One boy kisses another on the cheek.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Several scenes show descriptions of violent attacks on people. Some references to police brutality.

Drug Content
References to smoking pot.

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

Review: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1)
Lemony Snicket
HarperCollins
Published September 30, 1999

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Bad Beginning

Dear Reader,

I’m sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.

In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.

It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.

With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

My Review

Lemony Snicket is one of the few authors, I think, who can do something like write a letter to the reader instead of paragraphs of back cover copy and it honestly works. His writing is playful and he breaks all kinds of conventions but in such a clever way that I never mind. I actually started reading this book years ago to my daughter when we’d read aloud together before she went to bed, but I think she loved the story so much she must have started reading it on her own since I wasn’t going fast enough in those few minutes before bed. Ha! That’s writing success right there.

Anyway, so I kind of knew the rest of the story because she and I had talked about it, but I’d never read the whole book on my own. And lately, to be honest, I’ve just needed the pick-me-up that cheeky middle grade books can be.

I liked this book a lot, but it’s really weird thinking back on my experience reading it. There are a lot of dark moments: the children are placed with a guardian who pretty much treats them like free labor. He’s controlling and creepy and obviously a villain.

The relationships between the children are so great. They each have really different personalities (Sunny is my favorite), and each add something special to the story.

I’m not sure if I’ll be able to read and review the whole series, because I’m terrible about finishing a series, and this one is 13 books! As it is, I still haven’t finished the last book in Snicket’s All the Wrong Questions series. But I definitely liked THE BAD BEGINNING enough to read more of this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white. The story is set in England.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
An adult tries to trick a child into marrying him. It’s clear the intention is financial.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
An adult threatens to kill or harm one or all of the children. One is placed in a cage.

Drug Content
Several adults drink wine and behave badly.

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

Review: Destiny at Dolphin Bay by Diane Delacruz

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

Destiny at Dolphin Bay (Desert Island Diaries #1)
Diana Delacruz
Heart Ally Books
August 3, 2021

Amazon | Goodreads

About Destiny at Dolphin Bay

God always has a purpose. We always have a choice.

In this compelling Genesis Award finalist, fifteen-year-old Melissa Travis finds herself floundering into uncharted waters when she is exiled from her Christian high school. Dreading a month of “mom talks” over endless cups of tea, she accepts her missionary sister’s invitation to visit the remote Chiloé Islands of southern Chile. There she discovers a world utterly unlike the South Pacific paradise she imagined, where dire poverty dwells with enchanting beauty, and ancient customs conspire with modern corruption. While a pod of playful dolphins casts an irresistible spell, sinister evil simmers beneath the surface.

A suspicious drowning, a ghost ship, and a shaman’s chilling prediction of her death on the island force Melissa to question everything she believes. Amid the storm of human greed and natural disasters, a soulful young islander inspires her to make life-changing choices, while faith and friendship draw her to reckon with destiny.

My Review

I found it really easy to get lost in this story. The relationships between the characters felt real– especially between Melissa and her sister and Melissa and Nico. I liked that romance wasn’t the central theme of the book. There’s a bit of attraction between Melissa and Nico, but other events seem to keep them from exploring their feelings, like an earthquake and a possible crime operation threatening the people they love.

The book is set in 1990, so it’s historical fiction. Some of the phrases Melissa used seemed more dated than that, but maybe they were still being used in Maryland, where she’s from, in the 90s? I’m not sure, as I’m from Florida, so I am giving the benefit of the doubt there. They did make Melissa sound pretty sheltered as a person, which fit her character.

The setting is amazing. I felt like I could see the places described in each scene, and that added a lot to the story for me. I loved the adventure of the dolphins and the earthquake rescue and trying to uncover the truth about the ghost ship and possible nefarious activities it was masking. Melissa’s journey to deeper faith also really resonated with me. I loved the way some of her moments of awakening were described.

This is a super old-school comparison, but I feel like readers who enjoyed the Christian classic CHRISTY by Catherine Marshall or books by Julie Cantrell or Carla Stewart would really enjoy this book.

Note: I was a beta reader for this book several years ago, so my name is listed among the beta readers in the acknowledgments.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Melissa and her family are white. Her close friends Nicolás and Marco are Chilean.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The story is told from a Christian perspective and features a few scriptures and stories from the Bible. A local religious leader uses local beliefs and superstitions to cover up crimes or manipulate others.

Violent Content
A man drowns to death. Melissa attends an open casket wake for him. A violent earthquake destroys the town where Melissa is staying and kills some of the people there.

Drug Content
Brief mention of people getting drunk as part of a ritual. Melissa also got expelled from her school over an incident that involved injecting oranges with alcohol.

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

Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

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

If You Find Me
Emily Murdoch
St. Martin’s Griffin
Published March 26, 2013

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About If You Find Me

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

My Review

In retrospect, reading this book was probably not the best idea for me. I didn’t realize what it was about when I started reading it. I purchased the e-book years ago and saw the blurb on the front cover by Jennifer Brown saying it was basically impossible to put down, so I started reading it.

She’s not wrong. I definitely found this super dark story impossible to put down. Carey’s protectiveness and love for her sister made her a huge hero to me. Plus she just never gives up. There’s a LOT of stuff in this book that’s really difficult to read, but the heart of the story is about recovering from trauma, having a second chance, discovering that you’re still worthy of love.

Those are the things that made this book unputdownable for me. I also loved the music and the way music was such a refuge and place of healing for Carey and her sister. Fans of WHAT UNBREAKABLE LOOKS LIKE by Kate McLaughlin may want to add this one to their reading lists.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Major characters are all white. Carey’s sister, Jenessa, is diagnosed with selective mutism.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content – Trigger Warning for sexual abuse and rape of a child.
Several references to and some brief descriptions of men molesting a girl at her mother’s direction (for payment to support her drug habit). One scene shows a man raping a girl and preparing to rape a girl.

In one scene, a girl places a boy’s hand on her. Another briefly shows a boy and girl having sex. One scene shows kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content – Trigger warning for physical abuse
References to and descriptions of Carey and Jenessa’s mom physically abusing them. She states that their father also abused them.

In one scene, a man is killed with a gun.

Drug Content
Graphic descriptions of Carey’s mom using crystal meth.

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

Review: The Splendor by Breeana Shields

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

The Splendor
Breeana Shields
Page Street Kids
Published on September 28, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Splendor

The Splendor isn’t just a glamorous hotel, it’s a magical experience that gives its guests the fantasy fulfillment of their dreams. But The Splendor didn’t make Juliette’s dreams come true. It ruined her life.

After a weeklong stay, Juliette’s sister, Clare, returns from the hotel changed. Her connection to Juliette―the special bond they once shared―has vanished. In a moment of hurt and frustration, Juliette steals their meager savings and visits The Splendor herself.

When she arrives, she’s taken in by the lush and sumptuous hotel. But as she delves more deeply into the mystery of the place, and how they make their illusions work, she grows more and more uneasy. The Splendor has a seedy underbelly, but every time she gets close to discovering something real, she seems to hit a wall.

Meanwhile, Juliette meets Henri, an illusionist who lives and works at the hotel. Henri’s job is to provide Juliette with the same Signature Experience he gives all the guests―one tailored fantasy that will make her stay unforgettable. As he gets to know her, he realizes that not only is he ill-equipped to make her dreams come true, he’s the cause of her heartache.

My Review

This is another book that I simply couldn’t stop reading. I stayed up way too late finishing it, and even though I’m super tired now, I have zero regrets. I had to know how it would end.

Both Juliette and Henri are the kinds of characters that hit me like an arrow to the heart. They’re vulnerable and smart and loving and wounded, desperate to help someone they love. I loved the tension between them, but also that the story didn’t push the romance to the forefront. Like, sometimes their connection or their feelings for each other would be on the brink of becoming obvious, and all of a sudden, some big hairy bad thing would happen. After, they processed what had happened rather than being like “wow, we almost died, how about that kiss?” So it felt really organic the way their relationship developed and didn’t overtake the story. I really liked that.

I also liked the pacing of the story. So much happens. THE SPLENDOR is one of those books where there’s a really strong rhythm, and so many of the chapters ended with that stakes leaping higher or some new danger emerging. I loved that! It’s one of the things that totally kept me reading.

The only thing I wasn’t totally in love with was that the opening chapter reads a bit like backstory. It’s kind of bringing us up to speed on Juliette’s relationship with her sister and the significance of the hotel to the two of them. I think it would have been cool to have that chapter feel more immediate, like the rest of the book, and have that information woven into the first few chapters, but I can see why the author chose to introduce the story that way. It worked, it just felt a lot different than the rest of the book.

I think readers who liked CARAVAL by Stephanie Garber or THE SCORPIO RACES by Maggie Stiefvater will love this story steeped in magic and mystery.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The story is set in a French or French-inspired city.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
The hotel is built on top of springs that well up with magic. Hotel staff harness the magic and use it to create illusions and other magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some instances of gaslighting. A girl is murdered.

Drug Content
Juliette drinks a bubbly pink drink that changes how she feels. Most of the food and drink at the hotel is infused with a kind of magic that affects how people feel once they’ve consumed it.

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

Review: This Is Why We Lie by Gabriella Lepore

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

This Is Why We Lie
Gabriella Lepore
Inkyard Press
Published September 21, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About This Is Why We Lie

Everyone in Gardiners Bay has a secret.

When Jenna Dallas and Adam Cole find Colleen O’Dell’s body floating off the shore of their coastal town, the community of Gardiners Bay is shaken. But even more shocking is the fact that her drowning was no accident.

Once Jenna’s best friend becomes a key suspect, Jenna starts to look for answers on her own. As she uncovers scandals inside Preston Prep School leading back to Rookwood reform school, she knows she needs Adam on her side.

As a student at Rookwood, Adam is used to getting judgmental looks, but now his friends are being investigated by the police. Adam will do whatever he can to keep them safe, even if that means trusting Jenna.

As lies unravel, the truth starts to blur. Only one thing is certain: somebody must take the fall.

My Review

This one had me on the edge of my seat.

I liked the complexity of the characters. There wasn’t really anyone who was all good or all bad. Everyone had layers and made choices for reasons that, even if I didn’t agree with them, I understood what they were thinking or what motivated them to do those things. Adam especially had a lot of conflicting feelings and guilt, and it was obvious that he wanted to be a good person but struggled to believe his past hadn’t already decided what kind of person he was.

There were a few frustrating moments where Jenna would do things that seemed naïve, but I think that fit her character. She wanted to believe the best in everyone, from her best friend whose explosive argument with the girl later found murdered put her in the center of the police investigation to her absent mom. So even though I was ready to shout at the book because I didn’t want her to do something, her choices made sense, and her optimism and compassion often led to things in the story being revealed. I liked that it had more of an impact than just potentially placing her in danger.

I think fans of ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen McManus or PRETTY LITTLE LIARS by Sara Shepard will love THIS IS WHY WE LIE.

Content Notes for This Is Why We Lie

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One minor character is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to sex. Kissing between boy and girl. Two boys are caught coming out of the woods together after obviously having some kind of romantic contact.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content – Trigger warnings for drug overdose, domestic violence, and murder.
Situations of peril. A girl’s body is found with bruises on her neck showing she was strangled. A boy dies by drowning after being drugged with Rohypnol. A girl is hit on the back of the head.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol in several scenes. One character sells drugs to other teens.

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