Tag Archives: friendship

Review: A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

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A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi cover shows a girl looking back over her shoulder toward the camera. In the background is a tall tree whose leaves form a path, winding around the tree and swirling around the girl.

A Bit of Earth
Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books
Published March 14, 2023

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About A Bit of Earth

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places?

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember–first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world.

When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home.

With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A BIT OF EARTH is a reimagining of THE SECRET GARDEN.

My Review

I probably say this every time, but I feel like it’s always a little bit of a risk to read a reimagined version of a childhood favorite story. One of the reasons I was excited about this is that it centers on a girl from Pakistan with an inclusive cast.

I loved the way this book highlighted and connected Maria’s rigidity and contrariness with her grief and loneliness. This is present in the original story, too, but I loved the way the author brought those parts of Maria to the page. I felt like I understood Maria’s character and her heart in a way that I’m not sure I ever understood the main character from the original.

Another fantastic but unexpected element of the story for me was in the relationship between Maria and Lyndsay. She’s the second wife of Mr. Clayborne, the wealthy couple who has taken Maria in. Not only does Maria find a way to bring life back into the neglected garden, but she also helps Lyndsay’s courage to blossom again. I loved the way the story captured that transformation and celebrated the relationship between those two girls.

Readers who enjoy reimagined stories will like this one. I think readers looking for realistic fiction about a lonely girl and the way that gardening helps her find herself again will also love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Maria is from Pakistan. Additional characters are Desi, too.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Maria attends a Milaad, which she tells Lyndsay is a religious celebration.

Violent Content
None.

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 A BIT OF EARTH in exchange for my honest review.

20 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2024

Lists, News and Fun, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

20 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2024

I’m scurrying to catch up from a long Christmas celebration with family and friends, but at last– here I am with a list of young adult books coming out in January and February that I can’t wait to read.

As you can tell from the list, my interests generally land somewhere near contemporary romance and fantasy. I’m also trying to catch up on the Remixed Classics series, which I’ve only read a couple of novels from so far. (I loved both the books I read.)

Note: This list contains affiliate links that don’t cost anything for you to use but do generate support for this blog when you use them to do your shopping. Thanks!

20 Most-Anticipated Young Adult Books Coming Winter 2024

Diary of a Confused Feminist by Kate Weston

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What you need to know: Fifteen-year-old Kat journals her adventures pursuing a feminist mindset, something she’s still trying to wrap her brain around. Hilariously awkward and relatable.

Published January 2, 2024 | My Review

Sky’s End by Marc J. Gregson

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What you need to know: A seventeen-year-old desperate to save his family joins a team of elite hunters tasked with taking down the giant monsters threatening the floating cities of his people. Packed with adventure and high-stakes danger.

Published January 2, 2024 | My Review

Dungeons and Drama by Kristy Boyce

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What you need to know: Theater. After school jobs at the family business. Dungeons and Dragons. Fake dating. I think I’ve always been okay with fake dating as a trope, but this book made me love it.

Published January 9, 2024 | My Review

Most Ardently by Gabe Cole Novoa

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What you need to know: A young adult reimagining of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE in which a transgender boy longs for freedom to be himself and finds the unexpected possibility of solace in a wealthy young man named Darcy. Part of the Remixed Classics series, a project I want to follow more closely.

Published January 23, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Summer Queen by Rochelle Hassan

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What you need to know: In the sequel to THE BURIED AND THE BOUND, Leo, Aziza, and Tristan face a new threat from the fairies of the Summer Court. I devoured the first book in the series and must have more.

Published January 23, 2024 | My Review to Come

Destroy the Day (Defy the Night #3) by Brigid Kemmerer

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What you need to know: Prince Corrick, a captive with few options, must ally with a rebel leader to escape. Tessa, his love, is stranded unless she agrees to her own unlikely alliance. Back at home, Corrick’s brother is on the run and unable to help anyone. I’ve followed this series since the beginning and I have to know how it ends.

Published January 23, 2024 | My Review to Come

My Fair Brady by Brian D. Kennedy

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What you need to know: Wade agrees to help shy Brady learn to be popular in a bid to get his ex back that could backfire when Wade realizes he may be falling for Brady. The cover copy describes this one as MY FAIR LADY meets SHE’S ALL THAT. Wouldn’t it be loverly!

Published January 23, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Dark Fable by Katherine Harbour

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What you need to know: A lonely orphan is invited into an elusive magical family only to learn there are dangerous secrets within. I’m getting CARAVAL vibes maybe? I need to check this one out.

Published January 30, 2024 | My Review to Come

No Time Like Now by Naz Kutub

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What you need to know: Described as a “timely twist” on A CHRISTMAS CAROL, this is about a boy with the ability to give more life to any living thing… who gave away more than he has left and now has to collect some of the time back. Sounds super unique.

Published February 6, 2024 | My Review to Come

All This Twisted Glory (This Woven Kingdom #3) by Tahereh Mafi

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What you need to know: The thrilling conclusion to a trilogy that’s packed with betrayal, magic, romance, and possibly revenge. I’ve only recently started reading this series, and I’m unbelievably hooked.

Published February 6, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Cursed Rose (Bone Spindle #3) by Leslie Vedder

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What you need to know: This is the finale I’ve been long anticipating to a gender-bent reimagining of Sleeping Beauty with a bit of a Little Red Riding Hood mash-up. The Spindle Witch has our four heroes in her sights. Fi, who broke the prince’s curse, is caught by a curse of her own. I absolutely cannot wait for this book.

Published February 6, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton

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What you need to know: Hailed as a MOULIN ROUGE meets Holly Black sapphic romantasy. I’ve loved everything Jamie Pacton has written so far.

Published February 6, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Boyfriend Wish by Swati Teerdhala

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What you need to know: A wish for the perfect boyfriend appears to deliver him right next door. Ooh, and there’s a prank war! This is a rom-com for me.

Published February 13, 2024 | My Review to Come

Call Me Iggy by Jose Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

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What you need to know: A boy tries to win over the girl of his dreams with advice from the ghost of his grandfather. For fans of THE MAGIC FISH, which I adored.

Published February 13, 2024 | My Review to Come

With a Little Luck (Fortuna Beach #2) by Marissa Meyer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A boy with magic lucky dice seems to have it all until he loses them. How can he win the girl of his dreams now? Sounds like a sweet music-filled romance.

Published February13, 2024 | My Review to Come

This is How You Fall in Love by Anika Hussain

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What you need to know: Fake dating– maybe friends to lovers? Since those are two of my favorite rom-com tropes, I predict I’m gonna love this one!

Published February 13, 2024 | My Review to Come

The Someday Daughter by Ellen O’Clover

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What you need to know: An estranged mother and daughter reconnect on her mom’s book anniversary tour, where she faces truths and possibly finds love? O’Clover’s debut absolutely blew me away, so I can’t wait for this.

Published February 20, 2024 | My Review to Come

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal

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What you need to know: A teahouse by day becomes a vampire haven by night, and its owner will do whatever it takes to save her establishment. This promises swoony romance and a dangerous heist. All I can say is, “Yes, please!”

Published February 20, 2024 | My Review to Come

Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The cover copy is giving me some Beauty and the Beast vibes. A girl is sentenced to a year in a secluded castle after breaking an anti-magic rule. She’ll only survive by uncovering her host’s secrets and facing his past.

Published February 27, 2024 | My Review to Come

Daughter of the Bone Forest by Jasmine Skye

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A princess desperate for magical allies in a war teams up with a magical girl desperate to save her grandmother. Romance, political intrigue, dark fantasy. I am intrigued!

Published February 27, 2024 | My Review to Come

What are your most-anticipated young adult books coming winter 2024?

Are any of the books I listed above on your reading list? What’s coming soon that you can’t wait to read? Is there anything I need to add to my reading list?

Leave a comment and let me know!

Review: No Time Like Now by Naz Kutub

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

No Time Like Now
Naz Kutub
Bloomsbury YA
Published February 6, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About No Time Like Now

A teen finds himself in a race against time when he learns he’s given away more years than he has left to live in this thought-provoking speculative romp.

It’s been one year since Hazeem’s father passed away unexpectedly, and one year since Hazeem got his special ability: He can grant any living thing extra time. Since then, he’s been randomly granting people more years to live: his old friend Holly, his study buddy Yamany, his crush Jack. . . . The only problem is, none of them wanted to spend any of that time with Hazeem.

Now, Hazeem spends most of his days with his grandmother. When she experiences a heart attack, Hazeem is quick to use his power to save her–until Time themself appears and tells Hazeem he has accrued a time debt, having given away more life than he has left to live and putting the entire timeline in serious danger of collapse. In order to save the timeline and himself, Hazeem must take back some of the life he has granted other people. Suddenly, Hazeem is on a journey through and against time, but as he confronts the events of the past, he must confront the mistakes he made along the way. Hazeem will come to realize that when it comes to time, quality is more important to quantity–but is it too late to reclaim the life he’s given away so he can really start living?

NO TIME LIKE NOW is a timely twist on A CHRISTMAS CAROL that takes readers on a thought-provoking adventure, asking what matters most in life.

My Review

I really like the concept of this book. I think I imagined something a little bit different based on the cover copy, though. Like, I thought maybe we were going to see him giving away bits of his time here and there before the crisis point. Instead, what happens is that he has given away twenty-two years of his life three times, in three different instances. Early in the book, he tries to do this a fourth time, which puts him in arrears. Now, he has to decide who he will take his life back from so that he doesn’t break the whole universe.

Some parts of the book were cute and unexpected. Hazeem is super close to his pet…. hamster. Yup! You read that right. Haha. He imagines conversations between him and the hamster, which is kind of a sweet way to show us the depth of his loneliness without being too grim.

He is a lonely guy, though. As Time drags him back through his past to help him make his decision about whom to take his life back from, Hazeem walks readers through the disastrous mistakes he’s made that cost him some of the relationships he considers most precious.

Conceptually, I thought this was really cool. Practically, though, I found it hard that none of his friends considered the grief or suffering he’d endured when his dad passed away. There was very little nuance to the friend breakups in two of the cases. The offended party felt offended and, therefore, terminated the friendship. I found myself wishing those relationships had more layers or complexity.

Conceptually, the story is really cool, even if the pacing and some of the characters’ relationships proved a bit challenging to me. There are some sweet scenes between Hazeem and a few people he desperately needs guidance from. There is some exploration of grief and sorrow and what it’s like to get stuck in your grief. Those elements are pretty cool. Plus, again, imaginary hamster conversations. I think fans of Kutub’s debut will like the blend of magic and (time) travel in this novel.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Hazeem and his family are Asian American and Muslim. Diverse minor characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Hazeem gifts three people twenty-two years of his life each. A personified version of Time visits him and tells him he must choose someone to take time back from, or the universe will be destroyed.

References to reading the Koran.

Violent Content
Three scenes show someone dying. One falls from a fatal height. Another dies in a car crash. A third dies of an unspecified medical condition, maybe a heart attack. There are also references to Hazeem’s dad’s death.

Drug Content
Hazeem attends a party where kids drink alcohol. He and a friend drink, too.

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 NO TIME LIKE NOW in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Destroy the Day by Brigid Kemmerer

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Destroy the Day (Defy the Night #3)
Brigid Kemmerer
Bloomsbury YA
Published January 23, 2024

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About Destroy the Day

Left for dead, but desperate to survive . . . they have one last chance to save their kingdom.

Prince Corrick is out of options. Held captive by the vicious Oren Crane, he’s desperate to reunite with Tessa, but will need to ally with the rebel leader Lochlan, who until now wished him dead. An unlikely but deadly pair, Corrick and Lochlan must plot their next moves carefully.

An island away, Tessa Cade is heartbroken and angry. Grieving Corrick, and unsure how to find a way back to Kandala, she doesn’t know who to trust. Until Rian—the man she trusts least—makes an offer: aid in a plot to finally oust Oren Crane and see what the future holds . . .

Meanwhile in Kandala, Harristan is dethroned and on the run. He’s struggling to unite the rebels in his fractured kingdom, but he finds support—and maybe more—in unexpected places.

Can Harristan be the king his people need? Can Corrick and Tessa find their way back to each other? As outside threats loom and the fires of revolution burn from within, time is running out to save their kingdom.

In the thrilling conclusion to the Defy the Night series, Brigid Kemmerer crafts heartrending twists and devastating turns that will keep readers breathless to the very end.

My Review

We’ve finally made it to the last book in another Brigid Kemmerer series! And by finally, I mean we made it. There were only three books, so it’s not like it took a decade, but it felt like one while I was waiting. Haha.

This book picks up pretty much where DEFEND THE DAWN leaves off, so if you remember what was going on, it’ll be easy to dive right back into the world of Kandala and all the political machinations threatening the characters we know and love.

Tessa thinks Corrick is dead, so she’s understandably deep in her grief about that. She does make some new friends and unexpected allies as she tries to figure out a way to get back home, if only so she can tell Harristan what’s happened to his brother.

Corrick also makes some new friends and unexpected allies. He learns to trust others more deeply. His point of view probably has the most banter and silliness, so I enjoyed that quite a bit.

Harristan also has chapters from his viewpoint, so we get to go behind the scenes with the rebels left behind, and watch him figure out how to retake his throne while the consuls cook up ever more ways to keep him from doing so.

Lots of political intrigue. Definitely some battles we’ve been looking forward to. And– some confessions of feelings we’ve been looking forward to, too. This is a pretty big chunk of a book at 522 pages, but I read this in two sittings, and I felt like I needed every chapter in it.

This is one of the few books I’d already preordered for this year, and I’m so glad I did!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
One major character is gay, as is a minor character.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two boys. Some scenes lead into sexual encounters but fade to black after characters undress one another.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone has been poisoning people. Battles between pirates and soldiers or soldiers on opposing sides. References to torture.

Drug Content
Characters (adults) drink alcohol.

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

Review: The Griffin’s Egg by Cole Poindexter

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

The Griffin’s Egg
Cole Poindexter
The Wild Rose Press
Published January 15, 2024

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About The Griffin’s Egg

Lost in a wild West Virginia forest, Phoebe Gray’s world is upended when she finds an irritable goblin named Gnish-Gnash. She’s stumbled into Lerch Hollow, a place of magic and mystery where trolls lurk in shadows and mermaids sway with the tide.

The young adventurer soon finds herself caught up in a race against time; the Dark Mistress Lucinda is on the hunt for the last Griffin’s egg, for its power will make her unstoppable. It is up to Phoebe to protect the egg while discovering the secrets of her own magical connection to the mysterious wizard Thatcher.

With Gnish at her side and her grandfather’s old cloak on her back, Phoebe must protect this enchanted world from destruction.

My Review

I liked the gentle pace of this story. Lots happens– Phoebe faces a sorceress who seems determined to steal and eat the Griffin’s egg and become all-powerful. The way the story is broken up, though, prevents it from building up a lot of tension. Phoebe faces lots of challenges, but most are resolved in some way in the same scene. The resolution leads to the next problem for her to deal with. That pace makes this a good pick for a sensitive reader who might stress over longer-term conflicts.

The characters also don’t hold grudges or have really complex reactions to each other. For example, when a character who first worked against Phoebe decides to help her instead, Phoebe welcomes them to her team. She might have a brief moment where she considers that they tried to hurt her or lied to her when they were on opposing sides of the conflict, but she pretty quickly rationalizes that they should work together and get along now that they want the same thing.

THE GRIFFIN’S EGG is a portal fantasy in which Phoebe goes through a magic portal to a fantasy world, leaving the forest of West Virginia behind. She only spends a little time at the beginning and end of the book in the real world. I couldn’t tell if her real-world experience was supposed to take place in the world we live in or if there was a reimagined history. Her grandfather, who was born in the late 1950s, had served in a war that he didn’t want to talk about. The book never specifies what conflict it was.

All in all, I thought this was a fun, sweet story that would be great for younger middle grade readers interested in fantasy stories.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Most of the characters are mythical creatures.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Contains mythical creatures, such as goblins, trolls, and griffins. Some characters have the ability to perform magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle sequences– nothing gory.

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 GRIFFIN’S EGG in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

Review: The Summer Queen by Rochelle Hassan

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

The Summer Queen (The Buried and the Bound #2)
Rochelle Hassan
Roaring Brook Press
Published January 23, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Summer Queen

This captivating sequel to THE BURIED AND THE BOUND draws readers into the twisted and irresistible world of the Fair Folk—perfect for fans of THE CRUEL PRINCE and THE HAZEL WOOD.

As a new coven, Aziza, Leo, and Tristan faced evil and triumphed. All that’s left is to put their lives back together, a process complicated by the fallout from painful secrets, the emotional and physical scars they now carry, and the mysteries that still haunt them.

But with the approach of the solstice comes the arrival of strange new visitors to Blackthorn: the Summer Court, a nomadic community of Fair Folk from deep in Elphame. They’ve journeyed to the border between the human world and fairyland, far from their usual caravan route, to take back something that belongs to them—something Leo’s not willing to lose.

Refusing to give up without a fight, he makes a risky deal with the Summer Court’s princess and regent. The challenge she proposes sends Coven Blackthorn into the farthest, wildest reaches of Elphame.

But when you play games with the Fair Folk, even winning has a cost.

My Review

I fell in love with Rochelle Hassan’s middle grade debut and devoured THE BURIED AND THE BOUND, so it was never a question as to whether I was going to read THE SUMMER QUEEN. I love the magic-alongside-our-world in this series. The characters are so great! It only took me a couple of days to read this book, and I thought about it so much between my reading sessions. I’ve already gone back and reread some of my favorite passages.

Like the first book in the series, THE SUMMER QUEEN follows the points of view of Aziza, Leo, and Tristan. They’re an interesting trio who joined forces in the first book to defeat a powerful hag who had killed Aziza’s parents. All three characters have super distinct personalities and voices, so I never doubted whose perspective I was reading.

The book is packed with adventure and high stakes. Leo joins the Wild Hunt without really understanding what he’s doing, only knowing if he wins the hunt, he can rescue his sister. Of course, joining means that he, as a human, is taking on a powerful, experienced foe from among the Fair Folk. Pretty intense.

There’s also some star-crossed love happening. Leo has been cursed to forget his true love, and he can’t stop trying to find this person… and can’t tell when he’s standing face to face with them. I couldn’t help hoping that a breakthrough was coming with every new chapter of the book.

All in all, this sequel more than lived up to my expectations. If you like THE LUMINARIES by Susan Dennard or Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, definitely add this trilogy to your list. (And start with book one, THE BURIED AND THE BOUND.)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Aziza is Pakistani American. Tristan is gay. Leo has been in a romantic relationship with a boy before.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. References to sex.

In one scene, Leo discovers that one of the Fairies assaults the servants. He doesn’t witness anything, but overhears a conversation and sees bruises on someone afterward.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. The story contains fairies and magical creatures, such as pookas, nymphs, and others. Two characters are necromancers and have the ability to summon spirits of the dead and control shadow creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
The fairies try to convince Leo and his allies to drink Lily wine (which makes them very vulnerable to suggestion) or fairy food, which can also enchant them in some way. Aziza remembers a night spent celebrating with her friends with vodka and beer.

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 SUMMER QUEEN in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.