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Review: Going Overboard by Caroline Huntoon

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Going Overboard by Caroline Huntoon

Going Overboard
Caroline Huntoon
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 27, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Going Overboard

From author Caroline Huntoon comes a sparkling new middle grade novel, Going Overboard, a reverse-Parent Trap story where tweens Piper and Colton must force their parents to break up, or their lives will change forever.

Piper Shapiro has the best mom in the world: Noura, a single parent by choice who always has a plan, whether it’s for a spontaneous Saturday adventure or helping Piper navigate middle school as a nonbinary kid. They’re a package deal, and they tell each other everything. At least, they used to. But then Noura invites Piper out to dinner with her girlfriend Gwinny… and Gwinny’s son, Colton—a boy Piper knows, and doesn’t exactly get along with. Piper panics when the realization Noura and Gwinny are serious about each other. Suddenly, Piper’s life as half of a duo has an expiration date, and ze is horrified.

To put a stop to any potential wedding bells, Piper makes a plan to break up the parents and keep things the way they are—the way they should be. When Gwinny surprises everyone with a getting-to-know-each-other cruise for spring break, Piper’s game is on—and Colton is in on it. The two of them work hard to make it clear that they are not one big happy family, even though it turns out that Colton might not be so bad after all. But when things with Operation Break Up go a bit too far, Piper starts to question everything… and realize that maybe a little change isn’t a bad thing.

My Review

I read Linus and Etta Could Use a Win, another book by Caroline Huntoon, earlier this year, so when I saw a review copy of this one up for grabs, I jumped at the chance to read it. Going Overboard is the first novel I’ve read in which the main character uses neopronouns. Piper uses the nonbinary pronouns ze/zir/zem. Piper’s pronouns don’t come up as often as you’d think in the story. At one point, a salesperson in a store misgenders zem, but someone immediately corrects the clerk, and she switches to the correct pronouns. Piper’s pronouns simply aren’t the focus of the narrative beyond the support that Piper feels from zir mom and others around zem.

The real focus of the story is the attempt to break up Piper’s mom and her girlfriend, Colton’s mom. The narrative does a great job showcasing the shift in Piper’s feelings about the relationship despite the commitment to the breakup project. While Piper is certain Colton is a jerk and Gwinny is too perky, ze begins to see qualities ze enjoys and admires in both of them.

The cruise creates a close-proximity environment in which Piper really only has Colton to talk to, and an artificial deadline (return to port) in which to accomplish zir mission. Both of those things drive the story forward and keep the narrative from drifting too far from the central plot.

Piper and zir mom’s relationship is really sweet. I think it borders on maybe too enmeshed at some points, but I loved seeing a mom of a middle schooler so engaged and supportive.

Going Overboard feels like the perfect read for someone needing a slightly aged-up Alex Gino book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently (twice, I think).

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to Piper’s best friend’s crush on someone. Colton also has a crush on someone.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A group of older kids make fun of Piper and Colton, who are dressed similarly at the dance.

Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol socially on a vacation.

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: Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

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

Coyote Queen
Jessica Vitalis
GreenWillow Books
Published October 10, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Coyote Queen

When a twelve-year-old decides that she must get herself and her mother out of a bad situation, an eerie connection to a coyote pack helps her see who she’s meant to be—and who she can truly save. The Benefits of Being an Octopus meets The Nest in this contemporary middle grade novel about family class, and resilience, with a magical twist.

Twelve-year-old Fud feels trapped. She lives a precarious life in a cramped trailer with her mom and her mom’s alcoholic ex-boxer boyfriend, Larry. Fud can see it’s only a matter of time until Larry explodes again, even if her mom keeps on making excuses for his behavior. If only Fud could find a way to be as free as the coyotes roaming the Wyoming countryside: strong, smart, independent, and always willing to protect their own.

When Larry comes home with a rusted-out houseboat, Fud is horrified to hear that he wants to fix it up for them to live on permanently. All she sees is a floating prison. Then new-neighbor Leigh tells Fud about Miss Black Gold, a beauty pageant sponsored by the local coal mine. While Fud doesn’t care much about gowns or talents or prancing around on stage, she cares very much about getting herself and her mom away from Larry before the boat is finished. And to do that, she needs money, in particular that Miss Black Gold prize money.

One problem: the more Fud has fantasized about escape, the more her connection to the coyotes lurking outside her window has grown. And strange things have started happening—is Fud really going color-blind? Are her eyebrows really getting bushier? And why does it suddenly seem like she can smell everything?

Jessica Vitalis crafts a moving and voice-driven novel about family and resilience, with a fantastical twist. Coyote Queen is perfect for readers of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise and The Elephant in the Room.

My Review

I just recently read Unsinkable Cayenne by Jessica Vitalis, but Coyote Queen has been on my list for a long time. I’m really glad I finally got to read it.

One of the things this book does so well is that it puts the reader right in the middle of a complex family situation. Fud (short for Felicity Ulyssa Dahlers) recognizes the danger in the situation she lives in, but she feels powerless to get her and her mom away from her mom’s boyfriend and his explosive temper.

Through the story, Fud faces situations in which she asks herself whether what’s happening is abuse. It doesn’t feel so clear when she feels she’s in danger, but no one has harmed her yet. Where is the tipping point? Those are awful questions for a child to face alone, and yet to many do.

This sensitive story explores those feelings of isolation and the pressure of trying not to add burdens to the adults in the family. It’s so easy to understand why Fud does what she does.

The magical realism element is an unusual choice for a contemporary novel, but I really think it works here. Fud’s transformation creates a powerful visual showing that her body knows when she’s feeling threatened. If she learns to listen to those cues and respond by setting boundaries or getting to a safer place, her body responds by calming down, too. I love that metaphor and the message of trusting our bodies to know when we’re in danger. It’s something we probably don’t talk about enough with our kids.

Readers who enjoy novels about relationships or the transition to middle school will enjoy Coyote Queen.

Content Notes for Coyote Queen

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Fud is in a family with low income and lives with someone who displays violent outbursts.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to Fud’s mom and boyfriend kissing.

Spiritual Content
Fud begins noticing changes in her body, like color blindness, bushier eyebrows, and a desire to bite people she perceives as a threat.

Violent Content
A man displays violent outbursts. A group of girls bullies another girl, calling her unkind nicknames and ostracizing her. A girl attacks another girl, knocking her to the ground and hitting her. Someone pushes a girl down the stairs.

Drug Content
Scenes show an adult 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.

Review: Dog Trouble by Kristin Varner

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , ,

Dog Trouble
Kristin Varner
First Second
Published October 29, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Dog Trouble

From the author of Horse Trouble comes a graphic novel perfect for fans of PAWS and Allergic!

Ash is a good kid at heart. But his grades are slipping, and when he gets caught vandalizing an old building, it’s the last straw. It’s decided: Ash will spend some time away from the city, at his dad’s place on Ferncliff Island.

It’s bad enough that Ash has no friends on the island (just an annoying little stepsister), but his parents are also making him do community service! He volunteers at the local animal shelter, even though he’s not really a dog person. Dogs slobber! They smell! And the dogs at the shelter bark, bark, and bark. But as Ash bonds with the dogs―especially Cooper, a clever, fun-loving pointer that gives sloppy kisses―he starts to see that maybe his time on Ferncliff Island isn’t a total loss.

My Review

If a book had the power to make me a dog person, this one would probably do it! (I don’t hate dogs, but I’m solidly a cat person.)

The story follows Ash, a boy who must spend his summer volunteering at an animal shelter after getting into trouble with some friends. At the start of many of the chapters, a dog profile appears, introducing readers to a dog that will appear later in the story and giving some information about its breed and personality. Some terms related to the care of animals appear in bold in the text. Those are defined at the bottom of the page. I liked that format of keeping the panels focused on the story but continually making caring for animals accessible to inexperienced readers.

Ash makes a lot of mistakes, and sometimes, even when he’s doing the right things, accidents happen. I loved that his supervisor at the shelter responded calmly, acknowledged his anxiety, and helped him navigate whatever issue was at hand.

Ash also makes an unexpected friend and forms a closer bond with his stepsister than he imagined would be possible through his experience of staying with his dad for the summer. Having gone through some of the blended family challenges, I felt like the portrayal of those relationships made a lot of sense, and the evolution felt organic.

All in all, if you love dogs and/or stories about navigating family challenges or skateboarding, Dog Trouble is one story you won’t want to miss.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Representation
Ash’s parents are divorced. His stepmom and stepsister are Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to animal abuse or trauma. (Nothing shown on scene.) One of the dogs in the book dies (off-scene). The loss is unexpected and difficult for Ash.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The One That Got Away With Murder by Trish Lundy

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

The One That Got Away with Murder
Trish Lundy
Henry Holt & Co.
Published April 16, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The One That Got Away with Murder

Be careful who you fall for…

Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have a body count—the killer kind. Handsome and privileged, the Crestmont brothers’ have enough wealth to ensure they’ll never be found guilty of any wrongdoing, even if all of Happy Valley believes they’re behind the deaths of their ex-girlfriends. First there was soccer star Victoria Moreno, Robbie’s ex, who mysteriously drowned at the family lake house. Then, a year later, Trevor’s girlfriend died of a suspicious overdose.

But the Crestmonts aren’t the only ones with secrets. Lauren O’Brian might be the new girl at school, but she’s never been a good girl. With a dark past of her own, she’s desperate for a fresh start. Except when she starts a no-strings-attached relationship with Robbie, her chance is put in jeopardy. During what’s meant to be their last weekend together, Lauren stumbles across shocking evidence that just might implicate Robbie.

With danger closing in, Lauren doesn’t know who to trust. And after a third death rocks the town, she must decide whether to end things with Robbie or risk becoming another cautionary tale.

This is an edge-of-your-seat debut YA thriller about a teen who is forced to confront her past in order to catch a murderer before she ends up the next victim. Perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

My Review

This tightly-paced book definitely kept me turning pages. I read the whole thing in one afternoon. The stakes ratchet up as the story progresses, which also made me want to just-one-more-chapter all the way to the end.

I also appreciated that Lauren and Robbie’s connection isn’t too insta-lovey. She recognizes him as a fellow trauma survivor, and that connection makes it hard for her to walk away from a relationship with him. I also found his character believable because of his background and experience. I liked that the author set him up to be that brooding, untrusting loner for reasons rather than because it turns Lauren’s head.

The only thing that tripped me up a little bit is the brief point-of-view shift near the end, in which the story flips to the murderer’s perspective. I can see why the author chose to include those chapters, as they did heighten the tension and keep the action going at a critical point. I did find myself wishing that the story had played out in a way that made that unnecessary, though. For me personally, reading from the viewpoint of a person intending someone else harm feels icky, so I would have preferred to stay in one point-of-view all the way through the book, but that would have required telling the story in a different way.

I do think the author handled those chapters in a good way. It was creepy, but the story didn’t revel in harming others, which does sometimes happen when you’re in a villain’s point of view.

All in all, I can see readers who enjoy books by Karen McManus or Diana Urban loving this one, too.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Lauren is white. Her soccer team is pretty diverse. A couple of the players are lesbians.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to sex. A couple of scenes imply the characters are going to or have had sex, but it happens offscene. Two girls talk openly about being in a relationship with each other.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Lauren briefly sees a person who has died from an apparent drug overdose. She has flashes of memories from a fire she survived that injured someone. There are also brief descriptions of a girl being coerced and blackmailed by someone who wants her to perform sexual acts. Three chapters are from a murderer’s point of view and briefly describe him killing someone.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol. One teen snorts cocaine.

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

Review: The Awakening Storm by Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, Sci-Fi, , , , , , ,

The Awakening Storm (City of Dragons #1)
Jaimal Yogis
Illustrated by Vivian Truong
Graphix
Published September 21, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Awakening Storm

Grace and her friends must protect a newly hatched dragon from mysterious evildoers.

When Grace moves to Hong Kong with her mom and new stepdad, her biggest concern is making friends at her fancy new boarding school. But when a mysterious old woman gifts her a dragon egg during a field trip, Grace discovers that the wonderful stories of dragons she heard when she was a young girl might actually be real–especially when the egg hatches overnight.

The dragon has immense powers that Grace has yet to understand. And that puts them both in danger from mysterious forces intent on abusing the dragon’s power. And now it’s up to Grace and her school friends to uncover the sinister plot threatening the entire city!

My Review

I think I expected something a little different based on the cover art of this book, so as I started reading, it took me a while to catch up to what the story was actually about. Based on the cover art, I expected there to be more dragons in the story. Some are mentioned, but only one is a main character.

I really liked Grace’s friend group. They’re an inclusive bunch, and they have well-defined personalities. I liked how their input shaped Grace’s quest, and the banter and jokes kept the tone light.

Though the story started off slow, once Grace and her family moved to Hong Kong, I felt like things picked up. She finds the dragon, and bad guys start chasing her. The tension just kept going up from there.

I got this book because I know my nephew loves stories about dragons. I liked the book well enough to consider buying the rest of the series, too. It was really fun to read once I got past those opening scenes.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Grace is Chinese American and biracial. Her mom is white, and her dad is Chinese American. Her friend Ramesh is Indian, and her friend James is Black and Australian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Grace’s dad tells her tales about the Yellow Emperor and the warriors who served him. Grace cares for a young dragon and searches for others. A goddess speaks to a fisherman.

Violent Content
Racist comments and bullying. Death of a parent.

Drug Content
Grace learns about medical experimentation that took place years before.

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

Review: Together for Never by Marilyn Kaye

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

Together for Never
Marilyn Kaye
Holiday House
Published March 14, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Together for Never

The Parent Trap meets Mean Girls when two polar opposites are squeezed into a tiny vacation house just because their parents are dating.

Charlotte is the queen bee of her 8th grade class—popular, confident, always wearing the trendiest clothes—and judging others for what they wear. Lily is a loner who dreams of becoming a writer—and she wants nothing to do with Charlotte and her snobby crowd.

Then Charlotte’s divorced father starts dating Lily’s single mother. Neither one of the girls even notices—until the day they learn that they are going on vacation together. Worse than that, they’ll have to share a small bedroom for two whole weeks. 

When The Parent Trap meets Mean Girls , can two girls ever make peace, or will they drag their vacations—and their parents’ romance—into disaster?  Every teen girl’s nightmare becomes an entertaining, surprising and heartfelt story in the hands of seasoned middle grade pro Marilyn Kaye.

My Review

This is a super quick read at about 150 pages. I liked that the girls were so different from one another– it created a lot of opportunities for misunderstandings and conflicts. The relationships between the girls and their parents were interesting, too. Charlotte’s relationship with her mom definitely broke my heart a bit. You could really feel Charlotte’s need to connect and that plus her mom’s behavior leading to Charlotte trying to act older than she was.

When Charlotte gets involved with the older kids at the beach, I couldn’t help feeling nervous for her. There were clear warning signs that this was going to go badly, but it made sense why she persisted in hanging out with them. I loved the way Lily was strong and independent, but that her independence and not caring what anyone thought about her left her vulnerable to some mistakes, too.

Ultimately, I thought this was a cool story about divorce and blended families as well as peer relationships. For a short book, the author really packed a lot in. Every scene, every page felt essential to the story.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white. A minor character is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. He’s older and in high school, while she’s in eighth grade. Lily’s mother makes a comment about needing to look “beneath the suit” to discover that Charlotte’s dad is a good person. Lily feels embarrassed at the double entendre.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A girl is injured in an accident.

Drug Content
Charlotte’s mother pressures her to drink wine with her. Charlotte pretends to enjoy it, but doesn’t like the taste or the pressure.

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 TOGETHER FOR NEVER in exchange for my honest review.