Tag Archives: friendship

Review: The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

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The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang cover shows a girl with a measuring tape facing a boy in formal wear. She holds a measuring tape and looks into his face. In the background, there's a large image of a red-haired girl in a dress looking over her shoulder toward the couple.

The Prince and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang
First Second
Published February 13, 2018

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About The Prince and the Dressmaker

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon is his brilliant dressmaker, Frances―his best friend and one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect her friend?

Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER will steal your heart.

My Review

Consider my heart stolen.

THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER has been on my reading list for a long time, but I finally picked it up after seeing it on a list of challenged books in Florida schools. I was able to borrow a copy from my local library, but I hope to add a copy to my bookshelves as well.

The relationship between Frances and Sebastian hooked me from their first scene together. I thought Frances was absolutely fantastic. Her artistic eye and her ability to translate what was unique about her clients and bring it to the clothes she designed was really cool. I liked that she and Sebastian became best friends, and that they both learned things from one another. Everyone needs that kind of friend who sees who you are and is with you no matter what.

While the story addresses some more serious conversations– Sebastian being outed to his parents and whole kingdom, for example– it also delivers some playful moments. The first meeting between Sebastian and Frances. The fashion show toward the end of the book. I loved that the book wove both those awful and wonderful moments together and connected them through people loving and supporting Sebastian for all he was.

I truly enjoyed reading this book, and I’d love to read more of Jen Wang’s books. Readers who enjoy fairytale stories or sweet romances will want to check this one out. I’m not sure I’ve read anything else like it– the closest might be TIDESONG, though I think that one is for a slightly younger audience than THE PRINCE AND THE DRESSMAKER.

Content Notes for The Prince and the Dressmaker

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Sebastian expresses that sometimes he identifies as a prince and other times he identifies as a princess and wears dresses to express that.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Another prince finds Lady Crystallia unconscious and realizes she is also Sebastian. He kidnaps and outs her to the king and queen.

Drug Content
A bartender gives Lady Crystallia a mood-altering drink.

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

Review: The Deadlands: Hunted by Skye Melki-Wegner

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The Deadlands: Hunted (The Deadlands #1)
Skye Melki-Wegner
Henry Holt & Co.
Published April 4, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Deadlands: Hunted

Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in this action-adventure middle grade debut series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.

“My favorite middle grade book of the year.” ― New York Times -bestselling author Amie Kaufman

Battle rages between the dinosaur kingdoms of Cretacea.

When the Fallen Star struck, it brought death and despair, ash and toxic rain. But some dinosaurs survived . . . and were changed. Their minds grew alert. They learned to speak. To dream. To wage war.

As the two remaining dinosaur kingdoms fight for territory, Eleri, the disgraced son of a prince, is exiled from his home for saving an enemy soldier. Banished to the merciless Deadlands, a terrifying desert full of tar pits, poisonous gas, and ruthless carnivores, he must join forces with a group of questionable allies―including the enemy soldier he saved―to avoid becoming prey.

When Eleri and his fellow exiles discover the horrific truth behind the war, the unlikely heroes must do all they can to save their kingdoms from a lurking predator. . . and a secret plot that might destroy them all.

My Review

This is such a clever book! I super enjoyed the fact that all the main characters are dinosaurs. It was like WARRIORS, but all dinos. The setup of the conflicts and lore about the herds, alliances, and kingdoms was woven into the story and introduced at a nice pace.

The story follows both Eleri, an oryctodromeus, and Zyre, an anurognathid, though more chapters are told from Eleri’s point of view. I really enjoyed both of them as characters. Zyre observes silently, trying to make some hard moral choices and needing to survive as a small animal.

Eleri is a tunneling dinosaur who longs to be a storyteller. He believes that his herd doesn’t love or value him because he isn’t a gifted warrior. What it takes him a long time to realize, though, is that he is a gifted strategist. I loved the way he interacted with the other characters, especially Tortha, the triceratops, and Sorielle, the ankylosaur. Tortha focuses on her identity as a warrior, and Sorielle has a mind for math, so altogether, they make a great team.

The beginning pages have a list of the types of dinosaurs, descriptions of them, and what alliances they’re part of, if any. I still had to do an image search for some of them because I wasn’t sure what they looked like. I kind of wish there had been line drawings of each type or something included with the descriptions. But thankfully, a quick internet search gave me what I was looking for.

All in all, I thought this book was really nicely done. I’ve got a review copy of the second book, so I’ll be reading that one pretty soon, and I’m looking forward to it! Readers who enjoy books featuring animals as main characters should definitely check out this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
All characters are dinosaurs.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The Sauropods (long-necked dinos) have a kind of spirituality and speak in a stilted way. They are storytellers, and the lore about them is that they used their long necks and tails to sweep stars across the skies.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to battle scenes. Some brief descriptions of predators or rivals attacking the main characters. The descriptions are not overly graphic.

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 DEADLANDS: HUNTED in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm by Kimberly Behre Kenna

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Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm
Kimberly Behre Kenna
Black Rose Writing
Published August 3, 2023

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About Jett Jamison and the Secret Storm

Jett Jamison can’t catch a break. Her home in small town Wisteria is noisy as a zoo, and her mind buzzes with bits of a traumatic memory she’d rather forget. She’s filled a shoebox with one hundred thirty-three to-do lists, her roadmaps to peace, but they only lead to dead ends. Sister Gia, master gardener and cat-whisperer extraordinaire, suggests a book by an anonymous author, but it’s disappeared from all local libraries, and nobody wants to talk about it.

Enraged at the injustice, Jett continues to dig for answers and is drawn into a censorship battle with a high-profile radio host. Her peaceful protest backfires big time, and the town goes berserk. Now, for peace to be within reach, Jett must either face up to her past or remain forever bound by silence much more suffocating than the din in Wisteria.

My Review

Throughout this book, Jett’s anxiety felt palpable. She tries her best to manage by making everything in her life absolutely predictable. It doesn’t work, especially not in her family full of nonconformists and free spirits.

What Jett does find, however, is a friend and mentor who gives her the space to be anxious and afraid. With Sister Gia, Jett slowly begins unpacking some of the secrets she’s kept deeply buried. I loved the way their relationship evolved and that Jett consistently stayed in an active role in the story rather than showing up and letting an adult lead her to all the answers. Sister G does say lots of wise things, but it’s Jett’s actions and interpretations of that counsel that helps her break through the things holding her back.

I enjoyed the more mystic representation of the Christian faith, as well. Catholic mysticism seems to be a faith sweet spot for me, so I was pretty excited to find that very nonjudgmental, connect with your body, listen to one another kind of approach here.

The only thing I wish had had more screen time is the confrontation between Jett and her family. For so much of the story, Jett seems to be crying out for more structure and stability in her life, and her parents kind of treat that need like a character flaw. I wish that when Jett finally spoke with them about what had been going on inside her, they realized she’d been asking for safety and stability and that they could find some ways to meet her halfway in that.

Conclusion

On the whole, I really enjoyed the book. It’s a really quick read– perfect for readers looking for shorter books and interested in deeper topics. I think fans of CHIRP by Kate Messner would like this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 13.

Representation
Major characters are white. Jett has panic attacks and anxiety.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two characters talk about the fact that a girl was sexually assaulted. No graphic description of the event, but it obviously caused lasting trauma.

Spiritual Content
Jett’s family is against participation in organized religion. Jett befriends a nun who shares her beliefs on prayer and spirituality with her. Jett mentions praying and feeling like no one is listening. Later, she prays in Sister Gia’s garden and feels the plants answer her.

Violent Content
Brief, vague references to sexual assault.

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 JETT JAMISON AND THE SECRET STORM in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Roll for Initiative by Jaime Formato

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Roll for Initiative
Jaime Formato
Running Press Kids
Published September 27, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Roll for Initiative

Perfect for fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Raina Telgemeier, and Jessica Kim, a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about finding your voice and believing in your best geeky self.

Riley Henderson has never taken a bus to school in her entire life. Or made an afterschool snack, or finished her homework on her own, or—ewww—done her own laundry. That’s what her older brother Devin was for.

But now Devin’s gone. He’s off in California attending a fancy college gaming program while Riley is stuck alone in Florida with her mom. That is, until a cool nerd named Lucy gives Riley no choice but to get over her shyness and fear of rejection and become friends. The best part is . . . both girls are into Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, playing D&D was something Riley and Devin used to do together, with Devin as the dungeon master, guiding Riley through his intricately planned campaigns. So, of course, Riley is more than a little nervous when Lucy suggests that she run a campaign for them. For the chance at a friend, though, she’s willing to give it a shot. 

Soon, their party grows and with the help of her new D&D friends, Riley discovers that not only can she function without Devin, she kind of likes it. She figures out that bus thing, totes the clothes down to the laundry room and sets up her D&D campaigns right there on the slightly suspect folding table, makes her own snacks and dinner— the whole deal. But when Devin runs into trouble with his program and returns home, it’s pretty clear, even to Riley, that since he can’t navigate his own life, he’s going to live Riley’s for her. Now she has to help Devin go back to college and prove to her mom that she can take care of herself . . . all before the upcoming Winter-Con.

It’s time to Roll for Initiative.

My Review

Oh my gosh, this book! It’s got so many great layers. First, I really enjoyed the way the Dungeons and Dragons games were captured in the text. The Dungeon Master’s narration is written in italics, so it feels really atmospheric and stands apart from the characters’ dialogue and questions. I thought that was super clever.

The story contains some really great character arcs and contrasts, too. For example, there’s a strong contrast between Devin and Riley. At first, Riley sees herself as kind of a bumbling goof next to her brother, who has everything hyper-organized and planned to within an inch of its life. As she begins to stretch her wings and builds some confidence in herself, she begins to see that her style– more creative and spontaneous– is both valuable and valid. She starts having her own preferences instead of deferring to his.

She also notices similarities between her brother and her friend, Hannah, though at first, she thinks they’re nothing alike. Once she sees the common ground between them, it really helps her formulate how to break through the fog of fear and grief her brother is caught in.

I loved the creativity of the D&D games, and the ways the characters interacted came across as so genuine and full of heart. I would play tabletop with Riley any day of the week. Readers who enjoy video games or D&D should obviously check this one out, but I think it would also appeal to readers in late elementary school navigating changing friendships.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Two of Riley’s friends are Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
“Heck” is used a few times, but nothing stronger.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Some descriptions of game characters’ actions in a role-playing game.

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 ROLL FOR INITIATIVE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Sorceline Book 2 by Sylvia Douyé and Paola Antista

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Sorceline Book 2 (Sorceline #2)
Sylvia Douyé
Illustrated by Paola Antista
Andrews McNeel Publishing
Published August 22, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Sorceline Book 2

Return to the Island of Vorn, where mythical creatures roam free and only the brightest students are invited to study them! Follow along as the kids (and creatures) of Professor Balzar’s famous school of cryptozoology unearth the long-hidden secret at the heart of their story.

Sorceline has proven herself a star student at Balzar’s prestigious academy—but her gifts might have gotten the best of her. As Sorceline fights for her life, her classmates must work to uncover her origin story, revealing details of her past that may offer a key to their present.

At the back of the book, enjoy an illustrated bestiary along with behind-the-scenes bonus material!

My Review

This graphic novel begins right where the first book in the series left off: Sorceline is in a deep sleep, and the professor and her friends must figure out how to wake her. As they pursue a cure, they run into pieces of other mysteries and dangers.

I felt like I got to know the characters better in this book, even though much of the story is about the quest to find and stop a bad guy from the past. I liked the way the relationship between Sorceline and Merode developed– he’s one of my favorite characters.

Though it’s a pretty short book at just over 100 pages, a lot happens in those few chapters. The panels are gorgeous, showcasing lots of mythical creatures and beautiful forest scenes. I’m super glad I read this one. It’s definitely a series I want on my library shelves!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
The main character is white-passing. Other characters are POC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy has a crush on one of the girls.

Spiritual Content
Characters have the ability to perform magic and encounter magical creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A vampire tries to bite Sorceline so she’ll never grow up. She faces a deadly enemy.

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 SORCELINE BOOK 2 in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Katzenjammer by Francesca Zappia

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, , , , ,

Katzenjammer
Francesca Zappia
Greenwillow Books
Published June 28, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Katzenjammer

AMERICAN HORROR STORY meets the dark comedy of Kafka’s THE METAMORPHOSIS as Cat searches for a way to escape her high school. A tale of family, love, tragedy, and masks–the ones others make for us, and the ones we make for ourselves. Katzenjammer will haunt fans of Chelsea Pitcher’s THIS LIE WILL KILL YOU and E. Lockhart’s WE WERE LIARS.

Cat lives in her high school. She never leaves, and for a long time her school has provided her with everything she needs. But now things are changing. The hallways contract and expand along with the school’s breathing, and the showers in the bathroom run a bloody red. Cat’s best friend is slowly turning into cardboard, and instead of a face, Cat has a cat mask made of her own hardened flesh.

Cat doesn’t remember why she is trapped in her school or why half of them–Cat included–are slowly transforming. Escaping has always been the one impossibility in her school’s upside-down world. But to save herself from the eventual self-destruction all the students face, Cat must find the way out. And to do that, she’ll have to remember what put her there in the first place.

Using chapters alternating between the past and the present, acclaimed author Francesca Zappia weaves a spine-tingling, suspenseful, and haunting story about tragedy and the power of memories. Fans of Marieke Nijkamp’s THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS and Karen McManus’s ONE OF US IS LYING will lose themselves in the pages of this novel–or maybe in the treacherous hallways of the school.

My Review

So I read this book after hearing Marines at My Name Is Marines talk about it in her video. From what she said about it, I was super intrigued. So when I got a chance to snag a review copy from Children’s Literature, an organization that I also review for, I grabbed it.

First– it’s very weird. Like, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head that’s as off-beat and truly strange as this book is. It felt like it could be a BLACK MIRROR episode.

The sentient School and all the physical changes Cat and her classmates are experiencing feel really purposeful and symbolic. Like there’s meaning to be gathered, or like if Cat can just recollect all her memories, it will all make some kind of sense. So I loved that setup and all the tension there. Being trapped in the School makes the story a closed circle, and right away Cat gets pulled into trying to find out who killed one of her classmates.

I’m not usually a horror reader, but I think the weird factor is what drew me to the book. There were a couple times that the gory descriptions of things got a little overwhelming to me. By that point, I was so wrapped up in the story that I kept reading anyway. Though there are those gory descriptions, they’re usually pretty short. There’s one scene where that’s kind of extended, but it’s the climax of the story, so it makes sense that that scene would be the most intense.

On the whole, I did enjoy the book. I liked what it has to say about bullying and the way that friends can change in ways we don’t recognize– for good and bad. It’s certainly not a book for everyone, but if you’re into weird and you don’t mind horror elements, definitely check out KATZENJAMMER.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Cat expresses attraction to both boys and girls. She has a lazy eye. One of her classmates has eczema.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between a boy and girl. At one point they discuss doing more, but decide to wait until later. A video appears online of a boy and girl making out. Someone has added a soundtrack from a porn video to suggest that they’re doing more than kissing.

Spiritual Content
Cat lives in a School that is sentient and changes itself unpredictably. Showers spray blood. Rooms appear in different places. The school inhales (stretching hallways high and wide) and exhales, compressing spaces uncomfortably small. Some of the students experience changes, too. For example, Cat’s face is a cat-shaped mask made of hardened flesh. Her best friend’s head is a cardboard box.

Violent Content
A group of students bully others, using cruel words and social media posts. At one point, they destroy the property of another student. One boy takes advantage of a girl’s crush on him, trying to make a fool of her.

In the School, some students no longer remember who they are and wander the halls, attacking anyone they come across. Cat and Jeffrey find the mutilated bodies of multiple classmates. One classmate cuts off his hand in front of her. Later they see it nailed to a door. A boy cuts off a girl’s finger. Cat battles another student who intends to kill her in a room where knives fall from the ceiling. Someone shoots a boy in the chest and a girl in the face.

Some graphic descriptions of injuries and peril.

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 KATZENJAMMER in exchange for my honest review.