Tag Archives: Brothers

Review: 16 Forever by Lance Rubin

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,
16 Forever by Lance Rubin

16 Forever
Lance Rubin
Publisher
Published January 6, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About 16 Forever

It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls, and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16?

Filled with tender moments, silly banter, and lots of teenage angst, 16 Forever is the latest YA page-turner from New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Lance Rubin.

My Review

It’s not unusual for me to spot a twist coming before it hits the page of a book, but the reveal of the secrets in 16 Forever totally took me by surprise. I suspected one secret that a character was keeping from Carter. But I really didn’t see some of the other stuff coming.

I don’t read a ton of books written by men these days, but I really enjoyed reading a teen romance written by a man. I just finished reading Room to Breathe by Kasie West a few days ago, so contrasting those two has kind of fascinated me. The tone in 16 Forever and the humor are different. I love that our shelves are big enough to include both approaches to romance.

The story shows scenes from three different perspectives: Carter, his brother Lincoln, and Maggie, his former girlfriend. Lincoln’s scenes are mostly written in second person, directed at Carter, and share memories Lincoln has of each of Carter’s 16th-birthday mornings and significant moments from the months that follow. The chapters from Maggie and Carter’s perspectives show the present-day scenes unfolding.

Including perspectives outside Carter’s makes this book really interesting. Lincoln used to be Carter’s younger brother, but now he has surpassed him and become the older brother. This made me think of some stories I’ve read about characters who’ve lost a sibling, and the feeling that the sibling remains stuck at the age they died or disappeared. For Lincoln, though, Carter is still alive and present, though just as stuck.

I liked the way the ending unfolded, though I wonder if it will be too subtle for some readers. Ultimately, Carter has to chase down the clues and learn why he got stuck before he can have a chance to move forward again. I love how Rubin pieces all those elements together to lead to a meaningful conclusion.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Some references to touching under tops. Characters discuss if and when to have sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Someone says cruel things to another character, embarrassing them in front of another person.

Drug Content
Teens drink alcohol at a house party. Carter makes use of his driver’s license, which shows his date of birth and implies that he is over 21, to purchase alcohol, vape juice, and edibles for kids at school.

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 Demon and the Light by Axie Oh

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

The Demon and the Light (The Floating World #2)
Axie Oh
Feiwel & Friends
Published October 21, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Demon and the Light

Final Fantasy meets Shadow and Bone in The Demon and the Light, the hotly anticipated follow-up to Axie Oh’s The Floating World.

The battle is over, but the war is just beginning…

With the help of her friends and allies, Ren managed to topple the General’s insurrection, but the Floating World and its territories are still under threat of attack from the rival Volmaran Empire. And far worse, she was powerless to save Sunho from being overcome by the monstrous power in his blood. Now he’s gone, transformed into a feral, deadly creature that doesn’t even recognize her anymore, and her heart aches for the sweet boy she’s grown to love.

But the escalating war will not pause for her grief. Seen by some as a heavenly savior and others merely a figurehead to be manipulated, Ren must use all her courage and cunning to survive the royal court’s game long enough to find Sunho and bring him home before he loses himself to the Demon forever.

My Review

The Demon and the Light is the second part of a duology that began with The Floating World, which came out last spring. This book is a lot more focused on the romance between Sunho and Ren than I remember the first book being. Ren faces some uncertainty about her future as queen, and a powerful enemy rises to destroy her people, so she and Sunho have more going on than the question of whether or not they’ll be together. Their feelings for one another are never far from their thoughts, though, which keeps the romance a central focus.

The story also follows Jaeil, Ren’s childhood friend and now military adviser, who relates some of the political turmoil and observes Ren and Sunho’s relationship. A romance blooms between him and Ren’s adopted uncle (he’s one year older than Ren) as well.

Just like the first novel in the duology, this book is packed with Final Fantasy vibes. We learn more about the experiment that led to Sunho’s demon transformation. Ren learns more about her ancestry and her mother’s life and death. A powerful villain rises, intent on destroying the world in revenge. All we need are wild hairstyles and a super giant sword.

I remember racing through the first book in the duology, so eager to read every chapter. I enjoyed this second book a lot, too. It’s awesome that we got both books in the duology in the same year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Ren is descended from a goddess and has some supernatural abilities. By entering a dreamlike state, she revisits her ancestors. Some characters transform into beings with monstrous characteristics and violent natures, referred to as demons.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Reference to execution. Some battle scenes.

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: Silenced Voices by Pablo Leon

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Historical, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide
Pablo Leon
HarperAlley
Published September 2, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Silenced Voices

In this moving intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, Eisner-nominated creator Pablo Leon combines historical research of the Dos Erres Massacre with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to depict a powerful story of family, sacrifice, survival, and hope.

Langley Park, Maryland, 2013.

Brothers Jose and Charlie know very little about the life their mother lived before she came to Maryland. In fact, Clara avoids even telling people she’s from Guatemala. So when Jose grows curious about the ongoing genocide trial of former military leader Efrain Rios Montt, at first the questions he asks Clara are shut down—he and Charlie were born here, after all, and there’s no reason to worry about places they haven’t been. But as the trial progresses, Clara begins to slowly open up to her sons about a time in her life that she’s left buried for years.

Dos Erres, Guatemala, 1982.

Sisters Clara and Elena hear about the civil war every day, but the violence somehow seems far away from their small village of Dos Erres, a Q’eqchi Maya community tucked away in the mountains of Guatemala. They spend their days thinking of other things—Clara, of gifts to bring her neighbors and how to perfect her mother’s recipes, and Elena, of rock music and her friend Ana, whose family had to flee to the US the year before. But the day the Kaibiles come to Dos Erres and destroy everything in their path, the sisters are separated as they flee through the mountains, leaving them to wonder…Have their paths diverged forever?

My Review

Kudos to authors like Pablo Leon who draw attention to important parts of recent history. The story begins in 2013 and shows the two brothers and their mother living in Maryland. As Jose becomes curious about his mother’s life in Guatemala and the Montt’s trial for genocide, we begin to see scenes from Clara and Elena’s lives as young women fleeing the violence.

The graphic panels keep the story moving, showing the characters’ emotional reactions and allowing readers to fill in some of what’s left unsaid about the terror and injustice they face. The story shifts between the past and present timeline smoothly. I didn’t find it confusing.

The author includes facts about Montt’s trial and the frustrating outcome. It also helps to add context to reasons people immigrate from places like Guatemala and how the U.S. involvement sometimes exacerbates instability in the region. Both the discussion about the real history and the context of these events when considering current issues like immigration are important. I love that this book offers this story inspired by real events as a graphic novel, making it very accessible to teen readers.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to genocide and warfare. Racist statements against indigenous people.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the library. All opinions are my own.

MMGM Review: Ghoul Summer by Tracy Badua

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, , , , , , ,

Ghoul Summer
Tracy Badua
Storytide
Published September 2, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Ghoul Summer

In this beachside ghost story that’s perfect for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Wednesday, twelve-year-old Barnaby is forced to spend his summer helping his grandpa move, only to be confronted by Maxwell—a moody ghost boy with some unfinished business. 

Barnaby had grand plans for his summer. He should’ve been spending his days watching movies and gaming with his friends. Instead, his parents drag him to the boring beach town of Sunnyside to help his grandpa move.

Just when he thinks this summer can’t get any worse, a ghost boy named Maxwell shows up in their vacation rental home to kick Barnaby and his family out.

Barnaby tries everything to get rid of Maxwell on his own. But when his attempts fail and Maxwell actually becomes stronger, Barnaby realizes that there’s only one solution to his ghost helping Maxwell figure out his unfinished business. If he doesn’t, the ghost might ditch the rental home for Barnaby’s body instead.

With the clock counting down to the end of the trip, Barnaby is forced to enter an uneasy truce with Maxwell to find the truth—or be haunted forever. 

My Review

Helping a ghost resolve their unfinished business is a premise some readers will already be familiar with. I love that Badua shakes things up a bit in her book. For instance, Maxwell, the ghost, isn’t all that friendly. He’s moody and willing to get Barnaby in a lot of trouble if he doesn’t get what he wants. In many of the other ghost-with-unfinished-business stories I’ve read, the ghost is sad or friendly. Seeing Barnaby, who is himself a bit prickly, wrestle with his conflicting feelings about Maxwell made for a more interesting story.

While Barnaby is able to solve some mysteries about what Maxwell needs, others remain largely unresolved. This could be challenging for readers who like their stories wrapped up neatly, with consequences for all the parties who wronged the characters. On the other hand, I think the way Badua chose to end the book creates more opportunity for discussion, and I appreciate that. I love a hijinks-filled middle grade book that gives you some stuff to think about.

I’m surprised this came out in September. It seems like the kind of book that would have come out in May, at the start of the summer season. Kids here in Florida go back to school a lot earlier than some other places, though, so maybe it’s just me. Either way, Ghoul Summer is a fun story that packs a lot of character growth. I suppose a September release date is perfect for those of us not ready to let go of that summer feeling and readers anxious for the Halloween season.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
One character is a ghost with an attitude. In one scene, Barnaby tries to exorcise the ghost using a ouija board. This backfires and somehow connects him to the ghost, so he can take control of Barnaby’s body.

Violent Content
The ghost makes threats to get Barnaby in trouble, such as threatening to use Barnaby’s hands to punch someone.

Drug Content
References to a possible poisoning.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of Ghoul Summer from the library. 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: Under the Fading Sky by Cynthia Kadohata

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

Under the Fading Sky
Cynthia Kadohata
Atheneum
Published April 22, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Under the Fading Sky

A teen boy thinks his vaping habit is harmless until it becomes a crippling addiction of nightmarish dimensions in this searing young adult novel from Newbery and National Book Award winner Cynthia Kadohata.

Sixteen-year-old Elijah is pretty damn sick of his parents always being on his case about vaping. It’s not like he’s shooting up or knocking back pills. Until something changes, so slowly Jacob isn’t even aware it’s happening. Instead of vaping every now and then when he wants to, he’s vaping all the time because he has to.

And soon, Elijah and his friends need even more than vaping and are stumbling their way into the sprawling drug culture of Southern California, where girls sell pictures of themselves for vape and pill money, and the dealers are cutthroat. The more desperate the teens become, the more money they need. And to get that money they’re being blackmailed into an impossible choice—and an end you won’t see coming.

My Review

Under the Fading Sky gets pretty dark. It has a strong, conversational voice. Elijah speaks directly to the reader in what sometimes feels like a stream-of-consciousness narrative. It creates the sense that we’re figuring things out right alongside him.

Elijah is a biracial sixteen-year-old. His dad and grandfather served in the military, and they talk about things they witnessed in combat. While Elijah isn’t part of a military campaign, he views the experience of his generation as being at war, citing the high numbers of teens who die from drug overdose or suicide each year. As someone deeply interested in history, he sometimes connects events from his current life to moments or trends from history, which draws some interesting comparisons.

As Elijah becomes more deeply enmired in drug culture, he and his friends begin doing things that are far out of character for themselves. Elijah has moments of clarity, where he can’t believe what he’s doing, but he also has a lot of moments where he’s so fixated on what he wants that he isn’t able to feel discomfort or shame about his other choices.

One thing that I found myself really wishing for with this novel is an author’s note at the end. I listened to this novel as an audiobook, and it didn’t include any extra material, like resources for getting help for drug or mental health issues or any clarification for what elements of the story are based on research. I would have liked to know what led her to write the novel and, more importantly, what she learned in her research as she wrote the story.

Conclusion

Under the Fading Sky will appeal to readers who like gritty contemporary young adult novels about kids who face addiction and mental health issues. Please take care reading this. The book contains suicide death and a character who repeatedly tries to pressure others to commit murder.

Content Notes for Under the Fading Sky

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man Elijah and his friends buy drugs from exposes himself to them. References to sexual abuse and coerced sex. Kissing.

Spiritual Content
References to Elijah’s family identifying as Christian and praying together before their meals. Elijah describes some of the people with bad intentions that he meets as demons, and meeting them makes him feel as though he has stepped into a demon world.

Violent Content
A boy gets injured doing a dangerous skateboarding stunt. Elijah’s dad and grandfather briefly share war stories from their time in combat, including reference to buddies who were killed. One describes a person severely injured who begged for death. References to sexual abuse and assault. One character repeatedly encourages another to commit murder for money. References to blackmail and drug overdose. One character dies by suicide. It doesn’t happen on page, but the main character is immediately aware and is first on-scene/first to call emergency services afterward.

Drug Content
Elijah and his friends vape and take pills. He attends recovery meetings with other kids who have used other drugs. The story explores the ways in which vaping and the pills affect Elijah’s attitude about school, his family, and his behavior/boundaries. Elijah learns about a person who overdosed.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my library. All opinions are my own.

Review: Bingsu for Two by Sujin Witherspoon

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

Bingsu for Two
Sujin Witherspoon
Union & Co.
Published January 7, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Bingsu for Two

This outrageously charming and infuriatingly adorable enemies-to-lovers coffee shop romance is perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Better Than the Movies.

Meet River Langston-Lee. In the past 24 hours, he’s dumped his girlfriend, walked out of his SATs, and quit his job at his parents’ cafe in spectacularly disastrous fashion—even for him.

Somehow, he manages to talk his way into a gig at a failing Korean cafe, Bingsu for Two, which is his lucky break until he meets short, grumpy, and goth: Sarang Cho. She’s his new no-BS co-worker who’s as determined to make River’s life hell as she is to save her family’s cafe.

After River accidentally uploads a video of his chaotic co-workers to his popular fandom account, they strike viral fame. The kicker? Their new fans ship River and Sarang big-time. In order to keep the Internet’s attention—and the cafe’s new paying customers—River and Sarang must pretend that the tension between them is definitely of the romantic variety, not the considering the best way to kill you and hide your body variety.

But when Bingsu for Two’s newfound success catches the attention of River’s ex and his parents’ cafe around the corner, he faces a choice: keep letting others control his life or stand up for the place that’s become home. And a green-haired girl who’s not as heartless as he originally thought . . .

My Review

In her debut young adult contemporary romance novel, Sujin Witherspoon makes the unorthodox decision to tell the entire story from a boy’s point of view. At first, I wasn’t sure how this would feel, since the more common approach is to either alternate points of view or tell the story from the girl’s perspective, if the story is a M/F romance. In fact, for the first several pages, I wasn’t sure of the gender identity of the main character.

River is a bit of a cinnamon roll character. He reads the room, tries to anticipate problems before they arise to avoid conflict as much as possible. When we get introduced to his family, we learn why this feels like a good strategy to him. It makes sense, and it makes his jump to working at Bingsu for Two, which is the first place where he has the freedom to be himself without his parents or his girlfriend looking over his shoulder, evaluating his choices.

The narrative thoughtfully explores River’s avoidance behavior and how his new job affects him. I liked that the changes in his life happen gradually, sometimes deliberately. At other times, he shifts his behavior in response to the new environment and only realizes on reflection that he likes the new behavior patterns better.

That sounds like a very clinical analysis, but the book has a lot of fun, goofball moments, too. The cast of characters working at Bingsu for Two banter back and forth and mess around the way that friends do in several scenes. I enjoyed seeing the relationships grow and the sweet way that River and Sarang’s relationship develops.

I think readers who enjoy stories with an inclusive cast of characters with fun and a few sparks will definitely enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
River and his family and Sarang and her family are Korean American. Two girls are in a romantic relationship. Two boys were in a romantic relationship. Sarang references having crushes on boys and girls in the past.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few F-bombs and some profanity used moderately.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
River and Sarang get into a physical altercation in which she dumps a cup of coffee over his head. He retaliates by dumping a bag of coffee beans down her shirt. A boy kisses another boy without consent.

Someone spreads a rumor that a boy harassed a girl online, asking her to send nude photos of herself.

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.