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Review: The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

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The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

The Sound of Stars
Alechia Dow
Inkyard Press
Published February 25, 2020

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About The Sound of Stars

Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity?

Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.

Seventeen-year-old Janelle “Ellie” Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. Deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, humanity’s emotional transgressions are now grounds for execution. All art, books and creative expression are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When a book goes missing, Ellie is terrified that the Ilori will track it back to her and kill her.

Born in a lab, M0Rr1S (Morris) was raised to be emotionless. When he finds Ellie’s illegal library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more. They’re both breaking the rules for love of art—and Ellie inspires the same feelings in him that music does.

Ellie’s—and humanity’s—fate rests in the hands of an alien she should fear. M0Rr1S has a lot of secrets, but also a potential solution—thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while making a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.

My Review

Somewhere between requesting an advance copy of this book and actually reading it, I forgot what this story was about. (This is the only thing I don’t like much about e-books– it’s harder to flip to the back cover copy and read the summary again if you want to refresh on the premise of the book.)

Right away, though, I loved the idea of the secret library. And the references to some of the social situations and how they morphed after the alien invasion felt pretty realistic. I also think it’s really fun when a book creates its own fandom, whether that’s a famous book or movie or in this case, a famous band. I loved all the snippets about the Starry Eyed– interviews, lyrics, news spots, everything that made them seem real.

It took me a little while to get into Ellie. She’s a little prickly, which I grew to understand and love once I understood why. At first I think I worried she would be too judgy– but it becomes obvious fairly quickly that she’s just guarded and for good reasons.

I really liked the way Ellie and Morris’s relationship developed. I also loved that the story followed Ellie’s feelings about physical affection. I feel like that can be a really alienating thing to feel, especially as a teenager when there’s so much emphasis on dating and attraction. So I loved that this story models someone who’s different, and a relationship in which that’s okay.

Plot-wise, I feel like some people are going to argue that the end is kind of too easy. I don’t want to give anything away. For me, I enjoyed the end– there were some elements of it that I could see coming, but that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of it. This is one of those books that sets up the second book in the last few pages of the first, so I’m sure there will be a sequel. Right now I plan to read it. I’m interested enough in Ellie and Morris’s story to invest in another book for sure!

Fans of THE 5TH WAVE by Rick Yancey or DEFY THE STARS by Claudia Gray will definitely want THE SOUND OF STARS on their reading lists!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Ellie describes herself as on the spectrum of asexuality (gender isn’t important to her with regard to romantic love) and isn’t generally interested in romantic physical intimacy. She’s also black. There are a couple minor characters that identify with they/them pronouns.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used fairly frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some references to sex and kissing. Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Ellie and her friends witness human executions (someone hanged to death) and trauma caused by experimentation. Some situations of peril and battle situations. Nothing grossly graphic, but the kinds of things you’d expect in a post-apocalyptic world.

Drug Content
Ellie’s mother is an alcoholic.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE SOUND OF STARS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Chirp by Kate Messner

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Chirp
Kate Messner
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published February 4, 2020

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About Chirp

From acclaimed author Kate Messner comes the powerful story of a young girl with the courage to make her voice heard, set against the backdrop of a summertime mystery.

When Mia moves to Vermont the summer after seventh grade, she’s recovering from the broken arm she got falling off a balance beam. And packed away in the moving boxes under her clothes and gymnastics trophies is a secret she’d rather forget.

Mia’s change in scenery brings day camp, new friends, and time with her beloved grandmother. But Gram is convinced someone is trying to destroy her cricket farm. Is it sabotage or is Gram’s thinking impaired from the stroke she suffered months ago? Mia and her friends set out to investigate, but can they uncover the truth in time to save Gram’s farm? And will that discovery empower Mia to confront the secret she’s been hiding–and find the courage she never knew she had?

In a compelling story rich with friendship, science, and summer fun, a girl finds her voice while navigating the joys and challenges of growing up.

My Review

I got kind of nervous as I started to read this book. The way it talked about Mia having a secret, I assumed it had something to do with an adult having inappropriate contact with her, and I wasn’t sure how explicit or intense that would be. Since I’m pretty sensitive to the topic, I felt a little tense until I got to that part of the story. It didn’t include anything nightmarishly explicit. I don’t say that to downplay what Mia experienced at all, simply that as a reader, it didn’t end up being something I couldn’t handle reading.

Mia’s grandmother made me smile so much. She’s strong and brave and pretty committed to her course. I liked the relationship she has with Mia, and the way each encouraged the other. Mia’s friendships with Clover and Anna were great, too. I loved how they bonded over their shared passion for their Launch Camp projects and then over other experiences.

Solidarity Between Women

At one point in the book, after Mia has heard from several of the women in her life about experiences where they were harrassed or treated inappropriately by men, she wonders if this is something that all women experience. I felt like it’s such a reasonable question, and such a hard part about growing up, right? Because too many women do have those stories. I know I do.

While it’s heartbreaking watching someone realize something troubling about the world, I loved the way it becomes part of Mia’s healing, too. She’s not alone. She’s not wrong for feeling the way she did, even though at the time, she felt completely alone and ashamed for feeling uncomfortable.

I also loved that, even though I thought the topic was really well-addressed, the story wasn’t only about these things. Mia is never defined by that experience. She’s always many things– a girl with lots of interests and talents and relationships.

Plus I have to talk about the cricket farm. I know I say this every time I read a book with a protagonist with an unusual interest or talent, but I love that the author brought such a different family business to the story– not only a cricket farm, but crickets for a food source! I thought that was really fun.

Readers who are looking for a balance of light and heavy topics will enjoy CHIRP a lot, especially fans of BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD by Monika Schröder or FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Mia’s friend Anna is Indian. A couple other minor characters are also Asian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mia recalls situations in which a man made her uncomfortable and left her feeling icky.

Spiritual Content
A brief mention that Mia’s family has gone to church on Sunday.

Violent Content
A man verbally threatens a girl.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of CHIRP in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle

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The Lose Tide Warrior (The Storm Keeper’s Island #2)
Catherine Doyle
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published January 14, 2020

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About The Lost Tide Warriors

In the brilliant sequel to The Storm Keeper’s Island, winner of the Books are My Bag Readers Award, Fionn Boyle finds himself at the heart of the fight for the island’s survival.

Fionn Boyle has been Storm Keeper of Arranmore for less than six months when thousands of terrifying Soulstalkers arrive on the island. The empty-eyed followers of the dreaded sorceress, Morrigan have come to raise their leader and Fionn is powerless to stop them. The Storm Keeper’s magic has deserted him and with his grandfather’s memory waning, Fionn must rely on his friends Shelby and Sam to help him summon Dagda’s army of merrows.

But nobody else believes the ferocious sea creatures even exist. And how can he prove he’s right without any magic? As Fionn begins his search for the lost army, the other islanders prepare for invasion. The battle to save Arranmore has begun.

My Review

Oh. My. Gosh. Reading this book, I laughed out loud. I ugly cried. It was a wild ride all the way through, and I loved every minute of it.

While Fionn wrestles with his unresponsive magic and his fears about failing the island, he’s surrounded by spunky, quirky characters. So there’s this constant balance between serious and silly that I thought really worked.

I love the way the whole community was involved in the battle to save the island. This isn’t one of those books where the hero has to go solo despite everyone telling him to go to bed or stop pestering them with prophesies of certain doom. Fionn definitely fights his own battles, but the community rallies around him. I found that really refreshing and awesome.

Altogether, this is a totally worthy sequel to THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND, which was one of my favorite books last year. I can tell this is a series I’m going to be talking about and recommending far and wide.

If you liked A SNICKER OF MAGIC by Natalie Lloyd or THREE TIMES LUCKY by Sheila Turnage, or you are breathing and love a good story, please add this series to your reading list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 up.

Representation
Characters are Irish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of mild profanity, but used more in a classical sense? Like “such and such will damn the island forever.”

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Fionn has been chosen as the island’s new Storm Keeper, which means he should have a kind of elemental magic. He’s also having nightmares in which an evil sorceress visits him. She is awake and gathering followers to her so that they can perform a ritual to raise her. Her followers, called Soul Stalkers are sort of like zombies that gather on the island. Fierce mermaid-like creatures called Merrows are supposed to answer to the Storm Keeper’s call and defeat the Soul Stalkers.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some graphic descriptions of shark-toothed Merrows and Soul Stalkers battling.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE LOST TIDE WARRIORS in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord

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The Map From Here to There
Emery Lord
Bloomsbury YA
Published January 7, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About The Map From Here to There

Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It’s senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing “the rest of her life,” Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be–how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord’s award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life’s most important questions.

My Review

This is the first book I’ve read by Emery Lord, though her books have been on my “must try this” list for a long time. I thought the writing was great– Paige is a sweet sort of people-pleaser who’s just beginning to assert her own desires and goals, so it was a great moment to step into her life.

I loved all the script-writing stuff. Though I know nothing about that process, it felt believable and Paige’s enthusiasm for it was contagious. I absolutely bought in and needed her to get into a great college program where she could continue to pursue that dream.

Especially in the early chapters, the narrative referred back to things that had happened before, and kept thinking, wait, why isn’t that a novel? Why aren’t I reading that other story, because it sounds really compelling.

And then I had a duh moment. There IS a book telling that previous story. It’s called THE START OF ME AND YOU. So now I need to read that one!

For the most part, I followed the story just fine without having read the first book. The only things I found confusing were the backstories of Paige’s friends. There are several to keep straight, and I didn’t always have them right. I think I would have been more on the ball there if I’d read THE START OF ME AND YOU first.

But overall, I liked THE MAP FROM HERE TO THERE. The writing was strong but accessible. I never felt like Paige was being pretentious or that the writing didn’t suit her voice. And, as I mentioned above, her passion for script-writing absolutely came through. I felt it as I was reading. Same with her anxiety and her confusion and frustration with her feelings. I thought she was super relatable.

If you liked STARFISH by Akemi Dawn Bowman or THIS ADVENTURE ENDS by Emma Mills, definitely add THE MAP FROM HERE TO THERE to your list.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
One of Paige’s best friends is a lesbian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. In a couple scenes, Paige experiments with contact beyond kissing — the details are kept vague.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Brief description of a car accident.

Drug Content
A couple scenes show teens (including Paige) drinking alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of THE MAP FROM HERE TO THERE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: It’s My Life by Stacie Ramey

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It’s My Life
Stacie Ramey
Sourcebooks Fire
Published January 1, 2020

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About It’s My Life

If she wants a future with him, she’ll have to make peace with her past.

Jenna’s never let her cerebral palsy get her down. But when she discovers that her condition was actually caused by an injury at birth, she’s furious with her parents, who withheld the truth. And as they push her to get yet another difficult procedure, Jenna feels her control over her life starting to slip.

Enter Julian, Jenna’s childhood crush. He’s just moved back to town, and he’s struggling in school, so Jenna reaches out to him—anonymously— to help. Soon, their conversations are about so much more than class. She’s falling for him all over again, hard and fast. But would Julian still be interested in her if he knew who she really was? And can she find a way to take back her own narrative before she pushes away everyone she loves?

My Review

You know, just leave it to Stacie Ramey to create still more characters that I can’t help falling in love with. I really, really needed a solid, heartfelt contemporary book, and IT’S MY LIFE totally had me covered. I love Jenna’s awkwardness and her tendency to overthink things. I love her passion and her relationship with her mom.

Actually, I want to say more about her and her mom. Because I felt like that was a really complex relationship, since Jenna’s really pushing back against her parents’ assumptions about her medical treatment and care. She’s feeling lied to by her parents and unable to communicate to them her need to make her own medical decisions.

Though we only see Jenna’s point-of-view, I felt like it was easy to see that so much more was happening between the lines. Her mom felt like this real, complicated character with conflicting desires but a consistent commitment to her daughter. I don’t know if that makes total sense, but I just found myself having a lot of respect for Jenna’s mom because clearly she had a lot going on in her head and heart.

IT’S MY LIFE is at its core, a personal journey story. At the beginning, Jenna feels like her perfect life starring the cooler, better version of herself is completely out of reach. Jenna has two choices: she can sit back and let that life stay a fantasy, or she can pull together all her courage and figure out a way to make things happen for herself.

I love that theme in the story so much, and I think Stacie Ramey does real justice to the part of life where we must choose to become the main character in our own stories. I’m so glad I read this book, and I think it will really stay with me for a long time.

If you liked MY SISTER’S KEEPER by Jodi Picoult or IMPOSSIBLE MUSIC by Sean Williams, or just find yourself in the mood for an uplifting contemporary story featuring a strong protagonist, make sure you check out IT’S MY LIFE.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Jenna has Cerebral Palsy. Jenna and her family are Jewish. Her best friend Ben is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used fairly frequently. A couple instances of stronger profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Jenna has some daydreams about lying in bed with a boy.

Spiritual Content
Some references to Jewish traditions and holidays.

Violent Content
Jenna witnesses a fistfight between two boys.

Drug Content
Jenna and a friend drink alcohol at a dance.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of IT’S MY LIFE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Not if I Can Help It by Carolyn Mackler

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Not If I Can Help It
Carolyn Mackler
Scholastic Press
July 30, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

About Not If I Can Help It

Willa likes certain things to be certain ways. Her socks have to be soft . . . and definitely can’t have irritating tags on the inside. She loves the crunch of popcorn and nachos . . . but is grossed out by the crunch of a baby carrot. And slimy foods? Those are the worst.

Willa can manage all these things — but there are some things she can’t deal with, like her father’s big news. He’s been keeping a big secret from her . . . that he’s been dating the mom of Willa’s best friend Ruby. Willa does NOT like the idea of them being together. And she does NOT like the idea of combining families. And she does NOT like the idea of her best friend becoming her sister overnight. Will she go along with all of these changes? NOT if she can help it!

My Review

Just when I needed a spunky heroine in my life, I found Willa in NOT IF I CAN HELP IT. She has fierce opinions and specific ideas about how she wants things to go. Some of these things are related to her Sensory Processing Disorder, like her needs for clothes to fit a certain way and feel a certain way, but others are simply her own personal preference, like where she wants to go to school next year, and who her dad happens to be dating.

After her dad and her best friend Ruby’s mom announce that they’re dating, Willa realizes she and Ruby aren’t on the same page about it. This begins a big challenge to their relationship and a challenge to Willa’s way of looking at things. She begins to learn that situations and relationships don’t a;ways look the same from other people’s points of view.

For me, that process is precisely what makes this book amazing. Willa navigates that tug-of-war between her own preferences and needs and those of the other important people in her life, mainly her dad and her best friend. She remains a fierce person, fiercely committed to her way of thinking, but also fiercely committed to the people she loves, which makes her all the more lovable and amazing.

NOT IF I CAN HELP IT makes a great read for kids navigating transitions to blended families in their own lives or helping them develop empathy and understanding for the transition in the lives of people close to them. It’s also a great pick for encouraging understanding and empathy toward children with sensory issues. I highly recommend it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 up.

Representation
Willa has Sensory Processing Disorder. Another character battles anxiety. Willa’s best friend, Ruby in Indian-American. One minor character is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog. I received a free copy of NOT IF I CAN HELP IT in exchange for my honest review.