Tag Archives: debut

Finch House by Ciera Burch

Review: Finch House by Ciera Burch

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Paranormal, , , , , ,
Finch House by Ciera Burch

Finch House
Ciera Burch
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published September 5, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Finch House

Encanto meets Coraline in this spooky middle grade story that deals with family ties, fear of change, and generational trauma as it follows a girl who must convince an old, haunted house to release its hold on her and her family.

Eleven-year-old Micah has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop says is Off Limits. Except when she gets there, it’s all fixed up and there’s a boy named Theo in the front yard. Surely that means Finch House isn’t Off Limits anymore? But when Poppop finds her there, Micah is only met with his disappointment.

By the next day, Poppop is nowhere to be found. After searching everywhere, Micah’s instincts lead her back to Finch House. But once Theo invites her inside, Micah realizes she can’t leave. And that, with its strange whispers and deep-dark shadows, Finch House isn’t just a house…it’s alive.

Can Micah find a way to convince the house to let her go? Or will she be forced to stay in Finch House forever?

My Review

Sometimes it feels like a bit of a gamble to read a debut, but this book sounded so interesting right from the moment I heard about it. I loved the eeriness of it. And the fact that it centers on a girl main character and her family.

Micah’s relationship with her grandfather really drove the story home for me. I love the way they connect to one another. He is her anchor in a lot of ways, and I love that.

I didn’t totally follow how the story resolves. Micah made an agreement that felt a little nebulous to me, even after the story concluded. Despite that, I enjoyed the characters, the eerie strangeness of Finch House, and Micah’s explorations through it.

I think readers who like eerie stories, as opposed to horror or truly scary ones, will like the balance this story strikes.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Micah is Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Micah and her friend Theo encounter translucent people they refer to as ghosts.

Violent Content
Micah sees a scene from the past in which a girl falls, and blood pools around her after she lands.

Drug Content
None.

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 FINCH HOUSE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Brick Dust and Bones by M. R. Fournet

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Brick Dust and Bones
M. R. Fournet
Feiwel & Friends
Published July 18, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Brick Dust and Bones

A twelve-year-old cemetery boy and monster hunter–along with his flesh-eating mermaid friend–has to race against the clock to save the ghost of his dead mother in Brick Dust and Bones, M.R. Fournet’s magical middle grade debut.

Marius Grey hunts Monsters. He’s not supposed to. He’s only twelve and his job as a Cemetery Boy is to look after the ghosts in his family’s graveyard. He should be tending these ghosts and–of course–going to school to learn how to live between worlds without getting into trouble.

But, Marius has an expensive goal. He wants to bring his mother back from the dead, and that takes a LOT of mystic coins, which means a LOT of Monster Hunting, and his mother’s window to return is closing.

If he wants her back, Marius is going to have to go after bigger and meaner monsters, decide if a certain flesh-eating mermaid is a friend or foe, and avoid meddling Demons and teachers along the way. Can Marius navigate New Orleans’s gritty monster bounty-hunting market, or will he have to say goodbye to his mother forever?

My Review

Darker middle grade (or YA) isn’t something I have a lot of experience reading, so I was a little nervous picking up this book. I’d never heard of it until a copy from the publisher arrived in the mail, but I wanted to check it out. Darker books have surprised me before, after all. (See THE PLENTIFUL DARKNESS by Heather Krassner or THE DARKDEEP by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs.)

Some of the imagery is very creepy. Monsters stand over sleeping children. What appears to be a woman unzips her skin and a green, sinewy monster steps out. Things like that.

What I truly loved about this story is Marius. He’s alone and lonely, desperate to save his mother and protect his best friend, a monster mermaid who has sworn off eating humans. Marius bravely faces monsters, stopping them from hurting children. At one point, he encounters a boy who indicates he’s being abused. Marius gifts the boy a magical necklace to protect him.

While this isn’t a book that readers in my house (who all seem to have vivid nightmares easily inspired by books or movies), I could see readers who love scary stories eating this one up. It has great characters and a very immersive story world.

A second book in the series is currently scheduled for release next summer.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Marius is described as being basically shades of gray rather than a member of a specific race. Minor characters are POC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kiss between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Marius encounters a boogeyman who feeds on the souls of children. A magic book captures monsters through a recited spell. Marius visits various magical shops and encounters other magical creatures and people who possess magic, like witches. His family is responsible for the care of the ghosts in the graveyard where he lives. Some humans enter a pact with a demon in which they temporarily receive power but owe their soul to the demon.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and scary imagery, such as monsters trying to attack a child.

Drug Content
References to adult characters telling stories while they’re drunk.

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 BRICK DUST AND BONES in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Long Run by James Acker

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

The Long Run
James Acker
Inkyard Press
Published February 7, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Long Run

“A boldly authentic new voice in queer fiction.” —Abdi Nazemian, author of Stonewall Honor book Like a Love Story and The Chandler Legacies

Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut.
 
Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being “Bash the Flash,” fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro.
 
Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back.
 
When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for…

My Review

I was excited to pick up THE LONG RUN in large part because it’s the first time I can remember a big Italian family being featured in a young adult book. I’m from a big Italian family, so I was really excited to see that portrayed on the page.

It was a little disappointing that they were kind of the bad guys in the story. Like, it was very believable, though heartbreaking, that the brash, high volume, high intensity behavior was ultimately weaponized against Sandro. It left him feeling completely bowled over and like it would never be safe to be himself. Which made sense considering how the family treated him. I did like the conversation he had with his mom late in the story and the things she said to fill in some of the reasons behind why things happened the way they did.

I also really liked Bash’s emotional journey, going from someone who couldn’t seem to get through a conversation about his feelings, to someone who was learning to do it, and trying to build his own support network.

Sandro and Bash are both notorious athletes at their school. I thought the decision to feature two athletes in a M/M romance was cool, too– again something I haven’t often seen. Early in the story, during the time that Bash is standoffish and emotionally closed, I had a harder time getting into the book. It was hard to find things about his character that I liked at that point.

But as I read, and as I watched Sandro and Bash grow, not only in their exploration of a relationship together, but pursuing their own personal growth, I felt more drawn into the story.

On the whole, I would say I enjoyed THE LONG RUN, though it didn’t scratch the “big Italian family in YA” itch for me in a satisfying way. I think fans of BEATING HEART BABY by Lio Min or OPENLY STRAIGHT by Bill Konigsberg should check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Bash is biracial and bisexual. Sandro is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used pretty frequently. Bash’s friend and Sandro’s family use the F-slur. Bash and Sandro talk about it at one point and use the word back and forth with each other, as though reclaiming it.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. In more than one scene, they undress together. Some brief or vague descriptions of them having sex.

Spiritual Content
Bash adds a prayer bead to his necklace every year since his mother died. References to prayer.

Violent Content
Bash and another boy get into a fight.

Drug Content
Bash and Sandro go to a party where teens are drinking alcohol. Bash gets drunk and sick. Bash’s friend smokes pot, but Bash doesn’t join him. Bash and Sandro drink alcohol together in a couple scenes. Sandro’s mom and Bash’s stepdad both serve alcohol to them with a meal.

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 THE LONG RUN in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Architect by Jonathan Starrett

Book Review and Content, Christian World-View, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , ,

The Architect
Jonathan Starrett
Tyndale House
Published February 7, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Architect

There’s a golden rule in Phantom City: “No one about when the Zeppelin is out.” But one night, twelve-year-old Charlie Crane comes face-to-face with the Zeppelin, and instead of finding trouble, she is awakened.

Determined to find the truth in a city plagued with lies, Charlie, along with a quirky band of unlikely heroes, works to free the people of Phantom City from the clutches of a shadowy, evil villain. Helped by a mysterious Architect who only communicates over radio and telephone, Charlie wrestles with two big questions: Can she trust a guide she can’t see? And is the truth actually worth the trouble?

Filled with sinister schemes, bumbling superheroes, unexpected friendships, and plenty of humor and plot twists, THE ARCHITECT keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Boys and girls alike will be fascinated by the unique world of Phantom City, with its steampunk and Gotham City-type elements and will quickly find themselves cheering for our heroes in their fight against evil.

My Review

I thought at first (from the cover) that this was a young adult dystopian novel, so I was a little surprised when I started reading and learned it’s middle grade. The cover is so dark, I think I just assumed it was young adult? At any rate, it’s definitely middle grade! Ha.

I really liked the Gotham City feel the story has with its bizarre hero/villain types and strange happenings. The point of view is mainly split between two characters: Charlie, an orphan girl living on the street who doesn’t buy into the glam and glory surrounding the city’s “superheroes”, and Sneed, a boy responsible to create special effects for the heroes as they act out daring rescues in front of their adoring fans.

The story has a quirky, silly sense of humor and a playful tone in the vein of Andrew Peterson’s ON THE EDGE OF THE DARK SEA OF DARKNESS. I enjoyed that playfulness and the way that Charlie, who was a loner at the start of the story, was able to build a community around herself full of people she could depend on. I really liked that, too.

If you’re curious about the author’s journey to writing this book, he has an interesting blog post about it on his website.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Few character descriptions or details. I’m not sure of the race of the characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The children receive instructions from an “Architect” who has a blueprint for the way the world should be, an oblique allegorical reference to God and the Bible. The story never overtly states this, though.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Bad guys tie up characters and kidnap them, at one point threatening to have them killed. A villain kidnaps people and forces them to work for him. At one point it appears a character has died from a fall.

Drug Content
None.

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 THE ARCHITECT in exchange for my honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday: Best Books by New Authors I Read in 2022

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Top Ten Authors New to Me that I Read in 2022

2022 was a great year for me in terms of finding debut authors whose books I loved and finally trying books by authors that I’d had on my TBR for a while. For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, I’m sharing the top ten best books by new authors (or new to me authors) I read in 2022.

Out of the 171 books that I agreed to review in 2022, 121 of them were authors who were new to me. That doesn’t include the backlist titles that I read, which I am not doing a good job keeping track of right now. I would guess that I’ve read a majority of new authors in backlist titles as well, including Dean Atta, Bethany C. Morris, and Alice Oseman.

So, apparently I read a lot of new authors! Of all those authors, here are the books I ranked as the best six young adult and best four middle grade titles I read in 2022 by authors new to me.

Also, a couple weeks ago I posted a list of the best books I read in 2022. Several of those were by authors who could have been on this list, but honestly I read so many great titles last year that I decided to make a fresh list without overlapping the titles I mentioned before.

Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Best Books by New-to-Me Authors

It Looks Like Us by Allison Ames

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: Did I mention that I’m not usually into horror? I couldn’t get enough of the Antarctic setting. The tenuous friendships disrupted by an alien or infection. Also, there’s a wildly rich, rocket launching, electric car manufacturing guy named Anton Rusk. Lol.

The Darkening by Sunya Mara

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: A city surrounded by a powerful storm filled with magic and monsters. A reluctant prince. A failed revolutionary determined to save her people no matter the cost. I loved the writing and the story kept me on the edge of my seat. I can’t wait to read more.

My Mechanical Romance by Alexene Farol Follmuth

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: A robotics team superstar and guy who’s good at everything. A tinkerer who only joins the team under duress and isn’t impressed by him. This was such a fun story. I loved the banter and enemies to lovers elements of this one. Total win.

Year on Fire by Julie Buxbaum

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: This one definitely had WE WERE LIARS vibes for me. I got totally wrapped up in the characters and their connections to one another. Julie Buxbaum has other books out, and I cannot wait to read them all.

Night of the Raven, Dawn of the Dove by Rati Mehrotra

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: A girl with a bond to her queen who will do anything to protect the two princes. Until she learns a secret that causes her to question every loyalty she’s ever felt. I found the cover copy of this one confusing, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I devoured it in less than twenty-four hours. Loved it.

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: I had heard really great things about the adult version of this book, so when I saw that there was a young adult version, I jumped at the chance to read and review it here. I loved the introspective questions, the history and ecology lessons woven together in perfect harmony.

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: Another title longlisted for the National Book Award– and so deservedly! Lotus is vibrant and talented. I loved the way she heard music in everything. Great writing, and fabulous story.

Ghostcloud by Michael Mann

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: A kidnapped boy is forced to work in a power plant. Then he discovers a ghost who may be able to help him escape. Totally fresh, fascinating story. I loved the ghostly world and relationships between characters.

The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: Three friends connected by a mysterious room that appears when they most need an escape from school. I loved the characters and the way the room responded to their stories. Super great book for anyone experiencing bullying and needing an escape.

Set Me Free by Ann Clare LeZotte

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads | My Review

What you need to know: A Deaf girl from Martha’s Vineyard is hired to teach a young girl who cannot speak. This one went straight to my heart. I loved Mary and walking with her as she processed her own trauma and found healing through helping another girl. Fantastic historical novel.

What are the best books by new authors you’ve read lately?

Do you read a lot of books by new authors, or do you tend to stick with tried-and-true authors you know? If you read new authors, which new authors or new-to-you authors are your current favorites?

Have you read any of the books on my list? What did you think of them? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Review: The Darkening by Sunya Mara

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

The Darkening
Sunya Mara
Clarion Books
Published July 5, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Darkening

In this thrilling and epic YA fantasy debut the only hope for a city trapped in the eye of a cursed storm lies with the daughter of failed revolutionaries and a prince terrified of his throne.

Vesper Vale is the daughter of revolutionaries. Failed revolutionaries. When her mother was caught by the queen’s soldiers, they gave her a choice: death by the hangman’s axe, or death by the Storm that surrounds the city and curses anyone it touches. She chose the Storm. And when the queen’s soldiers—led by a paranoid prince—catch up to Vesper’s father after twelve years on the run, Vesper will do whatever it takes to save him from sharing that fate.

Even arm herself with her father’s book of dangerous experimental magic.

Even infiltrate the prince’s elite squad of soldier-sorcerers.

And even cheat her way into his cold heart.

But when Vesper learns that there’s more to the story of her mother’s death, she’ll have to make a choice if she wants to save her city: trust the devious prince with her family’s secrets, or follow her mother’s footsteps into the Storm.

My Review

It took me a couple chapters to really get into this book, but once I was in, I was completely hooked. I love Vesper’s character. She feels things so passionately, and she never gives up. Even though she has a complicated relationship with her dad, she still loves him and will do anything to save him.

I also loved the prince and both of his closest warriors. I liked that they didn’t turn out the way I expected them to. They had a lot more depth to them than I anticipated, and I liked the way Vesper built tenuous but deep alliances with them.

Also– the Storm. Filled with magic, strange beasts, fierce winds… the descriptions of it carried me away every time. I love that there’s so much more to it than Vesper initially believes.

In the story, anyone who encounters the Storm and lives bears some kind of “curse”. This can be a physical abnormality, like a disability or something less visible, maybe bearing a kind of magic. I had mixed feelings about a scene early in the book where a whole group of Stormtouched (storm cursed) people get killed because they harbored Vesper and her dad. It did feel a little bit like the only purpose those characters served was to humanize Vesper and make her a more empathetic character and driven for revenge on behalf of her murdered friends.

The story features other characters who are Stormtouched, so that isn’t the only representation of them. I don’t feel like I have the expertise to really speak to whether that early scene had issues. In any case, it left me with mixed feelings.

On the whole, I enjoyed the fast-paced storytelling and the unique approach to magic as well as the deepening layers of history revealed as the story progresses. I loved the cast of characters, and I really want to see where the story goes next.

Content Notes for The Darkening

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are described as having brown skin.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
The Regia rules by carrying the spirit of a Great King from the past. Trained warriors use ikons, symbols they inscribe to create a kind of magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Battle scenes. In two scenes characters fight opponents to the death in an arena.

Drug Content
None.

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 THE DARKENING in exchange for my honest review.