Tag Archives: family

Review: These Bodies Ain’t Broken edited by Madeline Dyer

Anthology or Collection, Book Review and Content, Horror, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,
These Bodies Ain't Broken edited by Madeline Dyer

These Bodies Ain’t Broken
edited by Madeline Dyer
Page Street YA
Published October 7, 2025

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About These Bodies Ain’t Broken

A monstrous transformation within your own body.
A sacrificial imprisonment.
A fight to the death against an ancient evil.

These stories showcase disabled characters winning against all odds.

Outsmarting deadly video games, hunting the predatory monster in the woods, rooting out evil within their community, finding love and revenge with their newly turned vampire friend—this anthology upends expectations of the roles disabled people can play in horror. With visibly and invisibly disabled characters whose illnesses include Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, PTSD, and more, each entry also includes a short essay from the author about the conditions portrayed in their stories to further contextualize their characters’ perspectives. From breaking ancient curses to defying death itself, these 13 horror stories cast disabled characters as heroes we can all root for.

Contributors include bestselling and award-winning as well as emerging authors: Dana Mele, Lillie Lainoff, Soumi Roy, Anandi, Fin Leary, S.E. Anderson, K. Ancrum, Pintip Dunn, Lily Meade, Mo Netz, P.H. Low, and Carly Nugent.

My Review

I love the premise of this collection and how it’s set up. The anthology opens with a note from Madeline Dyer commenting on how horror often limits the presence of disabled characters to the villain roles. (For more on this, please read Amanda LeDuc’s incredible book, Disfigured: On Fairytales, Disability, and Making Space.) This collection gives its disabled characters protagonist roles. A brief essay by the author accompanies each short story, where the author will, if desired, offer information about their experiences that informed the writing in the short story. The essay offers some context about the disability represented in the work, too.

I really like how the disabilities represented in each story impact the protagonist’s experience. There’s no magical healing. There’s no special exception to the rules simply because plot. These protagonists must fight their way through literal horrors despite the limits of their bodies.

The stories span many places and range from long past to present-day settings. Some characters are in the midst of adjusting to or preparing to leave for college while others navigate grief, military capture, and long distance moves.

Because horror has so many layers and often requires buildup, I imagine it was challenging to write succinct, compelling tales. While a few had some meandering moments, most drew me immediately into the strangeness of the story and had me rooting for the main character to make it through.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to romantic feelings. Kissing. Mentions of marriage and pressure to become pregnant. References to child marriage.

Spiritual Content
Reference to spiritual beliefs and practices, including sacrificial rituals. Reference to Catholic services and practices.

Violent Content
Some stories contain instances of ableism, homophobia, transphobia, and bullying. Some instances of body horror and gore. References to murder, imprisonment, and assault. One story has implied sexual assault, reference to child marriage, and emotional abuse. Some stories show self-harm, suicidal ideation, or mention of suicide. A couple stories include references to cannibalism, and one includes human sacrifice.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol in several stories.

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 Tear Collector by R.M. Romero

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

The Tear Collector
R.M. Romero
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published October 14, 2025

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About The Tear Collector

This darkly fantastical climate change tale explores hope, memory, and what really makes a monster—set after the end of the world.

Climate change culminated in the Flood, an enormous wave that wiped out entire countries. Malka and her younger brother Ezra survived and now live with Dr. Jonas Hollman on the Island, the only piece of land left on Earth. Scavenging useful things from the shoreline under the watchful eye of the Island’s sinister leader Mr. Gray, Malka and her family get by. Barely.

But an illness called the Sorrow is changing people into monsters when their memories of the Mainland grow too sad…and Ezra is the latest to get sick. Desperate not to lose her brother, Malka throws herself into helping “Uncle” Jonas with his research to find a cure.

Then her family’s dismal lives are turned upside down by the mysterious Olivia, who crashes a plane on the beach. More people are out there, she says. The world isn’t lost forever. To save Ezra and the other Islanders, Malka will have to uncover the secrets of her flooded world—and the lies even the people she loves have told her about the true nature of the Sorrow.

R.M. Romero tackles our fear and anxiety surrounding climate change and weaves it through with hope in this beautifully told adventure that will resonate with readers young and old.

My Review

With her signature darkly whimsical writing, Romero introduces readers to a small island populated with survivors of a catastrophic flood. They subsist on items that wash up on the shore, scavenging for signs of life before the flood. The island community has a very rigid hierarchy, with a rich man at the top. He kidnaps any residents who become the Sorrowful, people who lose hope and grow animal-like characteristics. It’s a desperate way to live, and one that no one challenges until Olivia and her plane crashland on the island.

Olivia’s presence changes everything. Suddenly, someone voices the injustice and asks the difficult questions out loud. Someone offers the islanders hope, the thing they most desperately need and are most afraid to grasp.

I really enjoyed the reminder of how important hope is. Earlier in the story, the islanders are scared of remembering the past and feeling sad. They worry that if they think of sad things, they’ll lose hope. But, of course, they come to discover that sometimes remembering the sad things gives them reasons to hope for the future. I liked that the story explored that nuance a bit.

At one point Olivia needs a new engine for her plane. She and another character carry one from a car over to the plane to install it. I don’t think that would work in real life, but I was content to suspend my disbelief.

Throughout the book, I kept asking myself whether the story was stigmatizing depression. It clearly isn’t the author’s intent, and the difference between grief and depression doesn’t really come up in the story. That might have been something interesting to explore or to include in a note at the end.

All in all, I think readers who enjoy standalone fantasy about siblings will love this one. Give this to fans of The Firebird Song by Arnée Flores.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
People who lose hope transform by growing extra limbs, fur, wings, antlers, etc.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One character enslaves others and imprisons them in his basement.

Drug Content
An adult character drinks champagne at a party.

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: My Life: Growing Up Native in America edited by IllumiNative

Anthology or Collection, Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,

My Life: Growing Up Native in America
IllumiNative
MTV Books
Published October 1, 2024

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About My Life: Growing Up Native in America

A moving collection of twenty powerful essays, poems, and more that capture and celebrate the modern Native American experience, featuring entries by Angeline Boulley, Madison Hammond, Kara Roselle Smith, and many more.

With heart, pathos, humor, and insight, 20 renowned writers, performers, athletes, and activists explore what it means to be Native American today. Through a series of essays and poems, these luminaries give voice to their individual experiences while shedding light on the depth and complexity of modern Native American identity, resiliency, and joy.

The topics are as fascinating and diverse as the creators. From Mato Wayuhi, award-winning composer of Reservation Dogs, honoring a friend who believed in his talent to New York Times bestselling author Angeline Boulley exploring what it means to feel Native enough, these entries are not only an exploration of community, they are also a call for a more just and equitable world, and a road map toward a brighter future.

Edited by IllumiNative, an organization dedicated to amplifying contemporary Native voices, My Life: Growing Up Native in America features contributions from Angeline Boulley, Philip J. Deloria, Eric Gansworth, Kimberly Guerrero, Somah Haaland, Madison Hammond, Nasugraq Rainey Hopson, Trudie Jackson, Princess Daazhraii Johnson, Lady Shug, Ahsaki Baa LaFrance-Chachere, Taietsaró Leclaire, Cece Meadows, Sherri Mitchell, Charlie Amaya Scott, Kara Roselle Smith, Vera Starbard, Dash Turner, Crystal Wahpepah, and Mato Wayuhi.

My Review

This collection features everything from narrative essays recounting deeply formative experiences to poetry to advice for young readers on finding success and happiness. Some explore one’s relationship with oneself. Others unpack their experiences, examining internalized racism and prejudice directed at them.

Each piece differs in style, but the common theme running through them all is a love for Indigenous communities and hope and optimism about the future. The authors come from different tribes and geographical areas, and some share a snippet or two of history. This really highlights the differences in experiences that someone from one tribe may have from another, and yet simultaneously draws attention to the values and beliefs that run true across tribal lines.

I listened to this collection as an audiobook, and I really enjoyed it. I went back and reread some of the entries via the ebook version so that I could sit with the ideas a little more deeply in a few of the entries, especially the poetry.

While the intended audience of this book is young Indigenous readers, I would recommend that anyone read it. How often do we get a chance to listen to so many different Indigenous perspectives in one place? It’s a quick read and definitely worth checking out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Very few instances of profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a romantic relationship.

Spiritual Content
References to offerings and traditions, beliefs, and rituals.

Violent Content
References to racism and indian residential schools. One essay explores an instance in which someone was bullied for their appearance. One essay briefly mentions that the author attempted suicide at one point in life.

Drug Content
References to alcohol use.

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 public library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs

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

The Unfinished(The Unfinished #1)
Cheryl Isaacs
Heartdrum
Published October 15, 2024

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About The Unfinished

In this debut YA horror novel by Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk), small-town athlete Avery is haunted by the black water and Unfinished beings of Kanyen’kehá:ka stories and must turn to the culture she hasn’t felt connected to in order to save her town.

The black water has been waiting. Watching. Hungry for the souls it needs to survive.

When small-town athlete Avery’s morning run leads her to a strange pond in the middle of the forest, she awakens a horror the townspeople of Crook’s Falls have long forgotten.

Avery can smell the water, see it flooding everywhere; she thinks she’s losing her mind. And as the black water haunts Avery—taking a new form each time—people in town begin to go missing.

Though Avery had heard whispers of monsters from her Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) relatives, she’s never really connected to her Indigenous culture or understood the stories. But the Elders she has distanced herself from now may have the answers she needs.

When Key, her best friend and longtime crush, is the next to disappear, Avery is faced with a choice: listen to the Kanyen’kehá:ka and save the town but lose her friend forever…or listen to her heart and risk everything to get Key back.

In her stunning debut, Cheryl Isaacs pulls the reader down into an unsettling tale of monsters, mystery, and secrets that refuse to stay submerged.

My Review

Unsettling is the perfect word to describe some moments in this story. Like, how does the author make a simple, undisturbed body of water seem so sinister? It’s wild.

I like a lot of things about this book. It’s set in a small town, and Avery works at a local bookstore after school. She’s a runner, so she’s very aware of her body and thinks about things in terms of her sport. She’s also Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk), though she doesn’t feel particularly connected to her community. That changes through the course of the story, though.

She has two best friends, and gradually begins to accept that she has feelings for her friend Key. Of course she realizes this right about the time he disappears.

I love how the author uses spiritual beliefs throughout the story. At one point, an Elder shares the creation story with Avery and her friends. Avery knows the story already, but it becomes this touchstone for her through the rest of the book. I loved that.

Avery’s story doesn’t end with this book, either. A sequel, The Others, continues where this one leaves off, which I think is a little more unusual for a horror novel. I’m excited to see where it goes.

Give this one to readers who like environmental horror, especially eerie stories set in the woods. There’s not really blood or gore in the book, which is nice. It’s unsettling, for sure, but more in a “make you jump at shadows” way.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to attraction between characters.

Spiritual Content
An Elder tribe member shares the creation story with Avery and her friends. Avery references this spiritual story later in the book. A dark force in a lake in the woods has supernatural abilities and appears to be causing people to disappear into it.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Strong descriptions of fear and panic. The lake appears to be sending sinister humanlike messengers after Avery.

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: We Fell Apart by E. Lockhart

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

We Fell Apart
E. Lockhart
Delacorte Press
Published November 4, 2025

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About We Fell Apart

This gorgeous edition of We Fell Apart will feature stunning sprayed edges, unique printed endpapers, and an exclusive foil-stamped case!

#1 New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart returns to the world of her TikTok sensation We Were Liars with all her signature beachy gothic atmosphere, family intrigue, and high-stakes romance.

The invitation arrives out of the blue.

In it, Matilda discovers a father she’s never met. Kingsley Cello is a visionary, a reclusive artist. And when he asks her to spend the summer at his seaside home, Hidden Beach, Matilda expects to find a part of herself she’s never fully understood.

Instead, she finds Meer, her long-lost, openhearted brother; Brock, a former child star battling demons; and brooding, wild Tatum, who just wants her to leave their crumbling sanctuary.

With Kingsley nowhere to be seen, Matilda must delve into the twisted heart of Hidden Beach to uncover the answers she’s desperately craving. But secrets run thicker than blood, and blood runs like seawater.

And everyone here is lying.

My Review

I was so excited to return to the We Were Liars story world, which is weird, because it’s a trauma-filled landscape. I love the characters and the way that everything feels a bit distorted, like looking at a story through funhouse mirrors. While this isn’t a Halloween-themed story, and it has an eerie quality that makes it feel like the perfect October read.

Matilda is great. She’s vulnerable because of her abandonment issues and desperate search for identity and permanence. But she’s fierce and practical and not easily pushed aside or silenced.

When she arrives at her father’s house, she finds a community of people who seem adrift in their own ways. It’s a strange group, and I felt driven to keep reading as much because I wanted to understand why everyone was behaving so strangely as wanting to know whether Matilda would finally meet her father.

At first, the secrets unravel slowly, and they seem fairly innocuous. Okay, so her brother isn’t great at cleaning up after himself. Not too serious. Then, things start to unravel more quickly, and Matilda starts to wonder how deep the treachery goes.

Once I hit the 60% mark, I read straight through to the end of the book. I remember really being enamored with We Were Liars when it came out, but I think I like this book just as much.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used a few times.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. At one point someone holds a pair of scissors to another person’s throat, threatening them. Someone injects another person with a sedative without their consent. This happens a second time, off-scene. References to a fire that killed several teenagers. (Happens before Matilda reaches the town where it occurred.) References to a car accident that killed two people. A dog kills several young birds. Characters discover the body of someone who has died.

Drug Content
References to addiction and recovery. Matilda and some friends drink alcohol together one night. They wind up sick and faced with terrible hangovers the next day.

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 Crimson Throne by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

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

The Crimson Throne
Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
Sourcebooks Fire
Published October 7, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Crimson Throne

Powerless meets Reign in this new historical romantasy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Night of the Witch.

Samson Calthorpe’s curse has isolated him from everyone he has ever cared about. So, when the opportunity arises to break the curse, he grabs it. All he has to do for his freedom is risk his life and become a royal spy, using every bit of the skills and resolve he’s picked up on the streets of London to infiltrate the court of the Scottish Queen and uncover a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.

For years, Alyth Graham has been protecting Mary Queen of Scots from threats both physical and magical, including the Queen’s own husband, Lord Darnley. Alyth is more than meets the eye though, the child of a fae prince and a human mother, she is among the most powerful protectors in Scotland: guardians sworn to defend against the Red Caps, a bloodthirsty fae clan . . . that Lord Darnley is in league with to overtake Scotland.

As Alyth and Samson circle each other in the volatile and glamorous Scottish court, both seek to uncover threats to their own countries. They have one unifying link: their shared hatred and suspicion of Lord Darnley…and their undeniable pull towards each other. Using secret codes, hidden messages, and a little bit of magic, Alyth and Samson unravel a plot centuries in the making. Lord Darnley is only a pawn, and in this game, the queen takes all.

“A biting historical fantasy series launch that fuses Tudor-era courtcraft with Celtic fae legend… …confronting duty, destiny, and betrayal” —Publishers Weekly

“An atmospheric fantasy brimming with intrigue and heart.” —Kirkus Reviews

My Review

I really liked Night of the Witch, so I had this book on my reading list as soon as I saw it announced. This one is steeped in Scottish history with legendary creatures threaded throughout. I liked the way the authors blended history and myth together to tell a sort of alternate, magic-infused account of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.

As you’d expect with a romantasy, Alyth and Samson have an immediate, powerful connection, though it takes some time for them to stop denying it. I think it really works because though they should be enemies, they both have many reasons to question what’s happening and whether they really belong on opposing sides. I like that it takes a bit for them to overcome their resistance to their feelings of attraction. It created a lot of tension, which really kept me reading.

I’m very happy that I read this book. I think I like this even more than Night of the Witch, though I enjoyed that one, too. The sequel will absolutely be on my reading list next year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
References to Queen Mary’s Catholic faith. Alyth is part fae, and has some ability to do magic. Other characters share similar lineage. The story contains other characters and creatures from Scottish folkstories.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Characters use magical artifacts to control and/or kill others. Brief descriptions of characters attacking and killing someone.

Drug Content
One character is often drunk.

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.