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Review: I’m the Girl by Courtney Summers

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,
I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers

I’m the Girl
Courtney Summers
Wednesday Books
Published September 13, 2022

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About I’m the Girl

The new groundbreaking queer thriller from New York Times bestselling and Edgar-award Winning author Courtney Summers.

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley’s older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.

A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, SADIE, I’M THE GIRL is a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?

My Review

Books by Courtney Summers always take me a little time to sift through because I feel like she brings so much to the page for us to unpack. The story challenges its readers to dive deep into a girl who doesn’t have it all figured out. Georgia is a dreamer, and she doesn’t understand the price she’s being asked to pay until it’s being taken from her, and even then, she works really hard to rationalize what’s happened.

Georgia is the kind of character I wanted to stop from making the choices she’s making. I totally got why she did what she did. I knew she couldn’t see the danger signs. She was caught up in some other place, seeing stars and the recognition she felt she’d always been denied. It’s like those horror movies where the bad guy is hiding behind a door with an axe and you’re watching the main character opening doors without a clue what’s coming.

There was one moment toward the end, which I don’t think I can explain well without spoilers, but I’ll do my best. Georgia discovers a connection between a murdered girl and another crime operation, but the connection seemed weird to me. I think I wanted more explanation to understand what made that connection plausible. Otherwise it seemed like an unnecessary risk to the crime operation, if that makes sense?

Other than that, I feel like this is a book that grabbed my heart with both hands and squeezed, and I kind of held my breath until the end, hoping that Georgia would be okay, would learn what she needed to learn, and that she would answer the question about whether to accept a predatory power structure for herself.

It feels a little weird to refer to this book as a successor to SADIE when I feel like the whole premise of SADIE was that Sadie wholeheartedly rejects that predatory power structure, but there’s definitely a connection thematically between the two books. And both contain sisters seeking justice at any price.

I’M THE GIRL is another powerful story by an incredible author. It delves into some difficult content (listed below), so be aware of that.

Content Notes

Contains scenes depicting sexual assault, child pornography (from the victim’s perspective), references to human trafficking, assault and murder.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Georgia and Nora are lesbians.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Sex between two girls. References to masturbation.

Before the story begins, a man approached Georgia with a modeling scam. He tells her he wants to represent her as a model but she needs to be photographed. The photographer takes nude photos of her. Georgia thinks the photos are professional and make her look beautiful. Others in the book confront her with the truth of what these men did to her.

Two scenes depict graphic sexual assault. In one scene, Georgia finds the body of a girl who was murdered and obviously raped.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
See sexual content. A man threatens Georgia. A man attacks Georgia. Police find a man’s body after his death in an apparent suicide.

Drug Content
In one scene, Georgia’s new employer gives her a drink that he says is “virgin” but which contains alcohol. In another scene, a client coerces Georgia into drinking alcohol with him.

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 I’M THE GIRL in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Shades of Rust and Ruin by A. G. Howard

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Shades of Rust and Ruin
A. G. Howard
Bloomsbury
Published September 6, 2022

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About Shades of Rust and Ruin

Embrace the mysterious. Invoke the magical. Enter the Mystiquiel…

Phoenix “Nix” Loring knows her family is under a Halloween curse. When she was three, her parents tragically died on October 31st. Eleven years later, her twin sister Lark suffered a similar fate.

Ever since, Nix has battled survivor guilt. She can’t even find comfort in Clarey, Lark’s boyfriend and the one person who understands her pain, because Nix’s hidden feelings for him go far beyond friendship. All that remains are her sketches, where she finds solace among the goblins and faeries in her imaginary world of Mystiquel. When her depression starts affecting her ability to see color, Nix all but gives up on her art, until her uncle goes missing on Halloween day. Hot on his trail, Nix and Clarey step through a portal, becoming trapped inside a decaying version of their town filled with Nix’s own sketches come to life.

As Nix and Clarey search for her uncle within the sinister and dangerous world of Mystiquel, Nix discovers there’s more to her family curse and otherworldly artwork than she ever imagined—and unless she can solve the Goblin King’s maze before the clock strikes midnight, her life won’t be the only one the curse claims next.

Set in a gritty, steampunk-inspired fantasy world, New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a thrilling new duology full of romance, twists, and betrayals.

My Review

SHADES OF RUST AND RUIN is the first book by A. G. Howard that I’ve ever read. I have ROSEBLOOD, and I really want to read it, but haven’t managed to yet. All that to say, I went into this book without really knowing what to expect other than the information in the cover copy.

I liked the writing a lot. It’s emotive and dark– more spooky than creepy. The story world was pretty immersive. I definitely found myself getting lost in Mystiquiel. SHADES OF RUST AND RUIN is a retelling of “The Goblin Market” by Christina Rosetti, and I loved the references to the poem and the way the goblin market lore was used in the book.

If you know me at all, you know I absolutely adore sister books. The cover copy kind of undersells this part of the book because it makes it sound like Nix’s guilt and grief are spread over all her losses. But Lark wasn’t just Nix’s sister, she was her twin. Nix was the one who found her after she’d died. That’s the loss that has destroyed her. She spends a lot of the book still struggling to orient herself after her sister’s loss. I thought that was one of the most powerful parts of the story.

From what it says in the cover copy, I thought there would be more of a blossoming romance between Nix and Clarey. There’s a bit of a story there, but I thought it was a lot more understated than the cover copy led me to believe it would be. The last chapter of the book makes it seem like the second book in the duology is going to involve the romance a lot more, though.

I think readers who enjoyed DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor or SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning will enjoy this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Characters are white. Nix and her sister are said to be part albino. Clarey has panic attacks and trouble with spaces with a lot of people. His dog has a mechanical leg.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kiss between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
The story contains goblin and fairy-like creatures who have some magic abilities. In their world, Nix has some magic herself.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle violence. Descriptions of Lark’s death.

Drug Content
The story references fruit from the goblin market and its affect on humans. It’s supposed to be very addicting. In the story of “The Goblin Market” one sister nearly dies after consuming fruit from the market because she can’t stop craving it.

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 SHADES OF RUST AND RUIN in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World by Samara Shanker

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Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World
Samara Shanker
Atheneum
Published September 6, 2022

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About Naomi Teitelbaum Ends the World

A magical Bat Mitzvah gift gets out of control and thrusts a girl into a supernatural quest with the fate of the world at stake in this spooky middle grade adventure that’s perfect for fans of Aru Shah.

Naomi Teitelbaum is so ready for her Bat Mitzvah. Her prayers are memorized and she’s definitely got a handle on her Torah portion (well, almost). Then she gets a mysterious gift: a tiny clay Golem. To Naomi’s shock, it comes to life—and obeys her every command.

At first, this small magical helper seems like the best Bat Mitzvah gift ever. But with each command, the Golem grows…and gets harder to hide. And creepy, unnatural creatures like dybbuks, demons, and a congregation of ghosts have started following Naomi around. To keep herself out of trouble and the Golem out of harm’s way, Naomi gives the Golem well-intended instructions: save the world.

Unfortunately, this leaves more room for interpretation than Naomi thought. Before long, the Golem is wreaking havoc all over Los Angeles, and only Naomi and her friends can stop it.

My Review

I had a lot of fun reading NAOMI TEITELBAUM ENDS THE WORLD. I loved Naomi and her friends Becca and Eitan. It’s clear from the way they talk to each other that they have a lot of history and close bonds with one another. They would banter back and forth or give each other a hard time sometimes, but it always came from a place of knowing and loving each other.

Another element of the story that I liked was Golem character. There was something sort of sinister about the way he grew larger with every task he completed. The fact that using the Golem opened up a spirit world around Naomi and her friends also added some spookiness to the story. I liked that some of those encounters were spooky and others ended up being helpful.

All in all, I think readers looking for a wild, world-saving adventure will really enjoy this one. It’s a perfect read for the spooky season. I think fans of THE DARKDEEP by Ally Condie and Brendan Reichs will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are Jewish. Naomi has two moms.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to Jewish celebrations and religious ceremonies. Naomi and her friends are studying for their Bat Mitzvah or Bar Mitzvah ceremonies. Naomi asks her rabbi questions about her reading from the Torah. A rabbi tells her stories from Jewish folklore. Naomi’s Golem comes to life, just like the Golems in Jewish folklore. After that happens, Naomi begins to see other spirits and demons.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some of the spirits Naomi and her friends encounter try to capture them.

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 NAOMI TEITELBAUM ENDS THE WORLD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Prince of Steel Pier by Stacy Nockowitz

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The Prince of Steel Pier
Stacy Nockowitz
Kar-Ben Publishing
Published September 1, 2022

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About The Prince of Steel Pier

A young teen falls in with the Mob and learns a lesson about what kind of person he wants to be.

In THE PRINCE OF STEEL PIER, Joey Goodman is spending the summer at his grandparents’ struggling hotel in Atlantic City, a tourist destination on the decline. Nobody in Joey’s big Jewish family takes him seriously, so when Joey’s Skee-Ball skills land him an unusual job offer from a local mobster, he’s thrilled to be treated like “one of the guys,” and develops a major crush on an older girl in the process.

Eventually disillusioned by the mob’s bravado, and ashamed of his own dishonesty, he recalls words of wisdom from his grandfather that finally resonate. Joey realizes where he really belongs: with his family, who drive him crazy, but where no one fights a battle alone. All it takes to get by is one’s wits…and a little help from one’s brothers.

My Review

I feel like every time I read historical fiction, I find myself thinking I should read more of it, and THE PRINCE OF STEEL PIER definitely made me think that again. I really enjoyed the setting and time period. At one point, Joey talks about going to see the diving horses, and that made me want to watch WILD HEARTS CAN’T BE BROKEN again, which I haven’t seen in years.

I loved the scenes that showed Joey’s big Jewish family. His relationships with his brothers felt so real. Sometimes I couldn’t help laughing at the banter between them. At other times it was sad to see them growing apart.

Joey’s character totally drew me in. He chafed against the opinion he thought his family had of him as a weak or oversensitive person. But as he struck out on his own and tried to build a new reputation with Artie and his gang, Joey found that while they treated him like an independent person, they also expected things of him that he wasn’t sure he could give or even should give.

I thought the story balanced Joey’s character growth with the fast-paced plot pretty well. I felt like there was always just enough time to pause and explore Joey’s feelings before something new before the next conflict emerged.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book. Joey is a layered character who expertly guides us through his journey in a fascinating 1970s Atlantic City landscape.

Content Notes

Content warning for Antisemitic comments.

Recommended for Ages 9 to 13.

Representation
Joey and his family are Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Joey encounters people who make Antisemitic comments about him and his family.

Romance/Sexual Content
Joey has a crush on a girl.

Spiritual Content
Joey worries about his faith. He doesn’t believe in God and worries that his family would be disappointed in him.

Violent Content
Joey witnesses some men trying to intimidate another man. Joey overhears some implied threats, too. In one scene, two men pull out knives, threatening another man.

Drug Content
A man at a bar drinks liquor. Joey talks about a time someone in his family gave him a shot of whiskey.

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 PRINCE OF STEEL PIER in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Three Kisses, One Midnight by Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, and Evelyn Skye

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Three Kisses, One Midnight
Roshani Chokshi, Sandhya Menon, and Evelyn Skye
Wednesday Books
Published August 30, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Three Kisses, One Midnight

New York Times bestselling authors Roshani Chokshi, Evelyn Skye, and Sandhya Menon craft a spellbinding novel about discovering the magic of true love on one fateful, magical night in THREE KISSES, ONE MIDNIGHT.

The town of Moon Ridge was founded 400 years ago and everyone born and raised there knows the legend of the young woman who perished at the stroke of twelve that very same night, losing the life she was set to embark on with her dearest love. Every century since, one day a year, the Lady of Moon Ridge descends from the stars to walk among the townsfolk, conjuring an aura upon those willing to follow their hearts’ desires.

“To summon joy and love in another’s soul
For a connection that makes two people whole
For laughter and a smile that one can never miss
Sealed before midnight with a truehearted kiss.”

This year at Moon Ridge High, a group of friends known as The Coven will weave art, science, and magic during a masquerade ball unlike any other. Onny, True, and Ash believe everything is in alignment to bring them the affection, acceptance, and healing that can only come from romance—with a little help from Onny’s grandmother’s love potion.

But nothing is as simple as it first seems. And as midnight approaches, The Coven learn that it will take more than a spell to recognize those who offer their love and to embrace all the magic that follows.

My Review

I read a pre-release version of THREE KISSES, ONE MIDNIGHT. I loved the stories and the ways they connected together. The formatting was a little strange, but I feel like that’s something I’m hesitant to assume is the way the published version of the book will be.

The story gives us the point of view of Onny, Ash, and True, but each in turn. So the first third of the book is Onny’s story. Then Ash’s. Then True’s. I recently read another book written that way, and I really enjoyed it, so it was fun to read another book written with the point of view split up that way.

I wish each section had individual chapters, though. Each point of view section is probably close to 100 pages. In the ARC, each point-of-view uses scene breaks (little stars across one line), but each section reads as one long chapter. That wasn’t my favorite. It feels weird to me to stop reading at a scene break instead of a chapter break. I don’t know if the final version reads that way. The sample section available on Amazon shows some scene breaks but not any chapter breaks.

Anyhow. One of the big reasons I wanted to read this book is because I’ve read other books by Roshani Chokshi (pretty much an auto-buy author for me at this point) and Sandhya Menon, whose books have been so much fun! I’m not totally caught up on her backlist, but I’m sure I will at some point. The only one of the trio that I hadn’t read before is Evelyn Skye, and I’ve got a couple of her books on my To Be Read list. So I was excited about getting to read something by her, too.

THREE KISSES, ONE MIDNIGHT delivered all the things I hoped for from the authors. It’s fun and romantic, but I felt like the characters were deep, too. I loved all three stories. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes, so I especially loved seeing that one in there.

I thought the party and the town’s lore about love were really great elements, too. All in all, I probably enjoyed this book more even than I expected to, and I expected it to be a fun read.

I think fans of Sandhya Menon’s other books or books by Kasie West will love the sweet tales of romance in THREE KISSES, ONE MIDNIGHT.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Onny is Filipino American. Ash is Asian American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two men.

Spiritual Content
Onny believes in magic. She makes a love potion from a recipe her grandmother gave her. In one scene, a group of teens use a Ouija board. Some characters experience encounters with a ghost or spirit.

Violent Content
Boys steal a mannequin that True was supposed to guard. She confronts them, and the situation escalates to a physical confrontation.

Drug Content
Some jokes about the party’s punch being eventually spiked.

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 THREE KISSES, ONE MIDNIGHT in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Ravenfall by Kalyn Josephson

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Ravenfall
Kalyn Josephson
Delacorte Press
Published September 6, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Ravenfall

One magical inn, two kids with supernatural powers, and an ancient Celtic creature trying to destroy their world by Halloween night…

Halloweentown meets Supernatural in this spooky middle-grade series from the acclaimed author of the Storm Crow duology!

Thirteen-year-old Annabella Ballinkay has never been normal, even by her psychic family’s standards. Every generation uses their abilities to help run the Ravenfall Inn, a sprawling, magical B&B at the crossroads of the human world and the Otherworld. But it’s hard to contribute when your only power is foreseeing death.

So when fourteen-year-old Colin Pierce arrives at Ravenfall searching for his missing older brother and the supernatural creature who killed their parents, Anna jumps at the chance to help. But the mysteries tied to Colin go much deeper than either of them expects. . . .

As the two team up to find answers, they unearth Colin’s family’s secret past and discover that Colin has powers beyond his imagination. And now the supernatural creature, one with eerie origins in Celtic mythology, is coming after him. If Anna and Colin can’t stop the creature by Halloween night, the veil to the Otherworld could be ripped open—which would spell destruction for their world as they know it.

My Review

I loved this book! A while back I read another book about a magical inn on the edge of other magical worlds, and, I mean, it was okay? I liked it fine, I guess. I wanted something more from the book, though, and I don’t think I even realized what I’d been looking for until I read RAVENFALL.

Right from the beginning, I loved the quirky house and the cat-who-isn’t-a-cat. I loved the way Anna and her sisters each have a specific kind of magic and the way their gifts fit together. Colin’s mysterious past hooked me right away. His parents’ deaths. His missing brother. He had so much going on, and I felt like that well kept getting deeper and deeper in all the best ways!

I read this whole book within 24 hours, and I already feel like I want to read it again. I’m still thinking about the characters and some of the big moments in the story.

I went ahead and ordered copies of Kalyn Josephson’s YA duology, because after this one, I feel like I’m going to need more of her storytelling. I’m excited to read them.

So technically this is a middle grade book, as Anna and Colin, the point-of-view characters, are thirteen and fourteen. I think the writing was a bit more of a YA style, but the story fit the middle grade age group. I would put solidly in the in-between, for sixth to ninth grade readers.

Readers who love stories about reimagined fairytales will definitely love this one. Readers who enjoyed CINDER by Marissa Meyer or VASILISA by Julie Mathison should check this one out for sure.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Major characters are white. There are two LGBTQIA side characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Lots of characters have the ability to perform magic of a specific kind. Samhain is approaching, so Anna and her family expect to encounter more ghosts and spirits.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief descriptions of murder. Battle scenes.

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 Ravenfall in exchange for my honest review.