Tag Archives: Music

Review: A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , , ,
A Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson

A Constellation of Minor Bears
Jen Ferguson
Heartdrum
Published September 24, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About A Constellation of Minor Bears

Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s post-graduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which was the winner of the Governor General’s Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

My Review

I’ve heard so many great things about Jen Ferguson’s books that I’m only sorry it took me so long to read one. This book tackles some complex issues through characters who struggle to communicate their thoughts and feelings in ways that aren’t hurtful or difficult. (So relatable! Especially thinking of myself as a teenager.)

I really appreciated the author’s content note at the opening of the book, which offers some context for and information about the difficult topics (fat abuse, fatphobia, ableism, and racism) that the story includes. Those things often stay on the fringes of the novel but could still be really difficult for some readers. The author also includes a note at the end of the book in which she shares more about how our culture responds to fatness, disability, and our relationship to the traditional unceded lands of Indigenous people. There’s great stuff to be read in those notes.

The novel also contains some great stuff. At its core, it’s about the relationship between Molly, her brother Hank, and their best friend Tray. The relationships have become more strained since Hank’s climbing accident, and it’s unclear whether they can reconcile.

The narrative mostly shifts back and forth between Molly and Tray’s perspectives. Occasionally, Hank’s AITA posts appear between chapters, describing his thoughts and feelings and commenters’ responses. The book is divided into parts labeled according to the parts of a song. Tray is a songwriter, so some of his conflicts are resolved with and through music. Molly is a science girl, so she thinks about the science of injuries and healing. She thinks about stars and facts.

Ultimately, A Constellation of Minor Bears is a book about dealing with the unexpected. It’s about how relationships change, and how we need each other, but not always in the ways others want us to need them. It’s about figuring out how to listen to one another without judgment.

Plot-wise, the story starts off a little bit slow. Molly and Tray are so uncomfortable together. Once Brynn joins the group, the pace and energy really pick up, and I wanted to read from there all the way through to the end.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Tray and Molly are Métis. Molly’s brother Hank is white and disabled after a climbing fall. Molly is bisexual. Hank is gay. Other minor characters are queer. Molly and another character are plus-sized.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A fair number of f-bombs and other profanity. The crew have a joke that when someone says something ridiculous, they’ll call it out as bear sh**. Someone responds by clarifying that they mean no offense to any bears. It adds some lightness to difficult conversations and situations.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. References to kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
References to Métis spiritual practices, rituals, and stories.

Violent Content
Contains some ableist comments. Contains instances of abuse and fatphobia (most happen off-scene). References to anti-Indigenous comments and actions.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol. References to side characters smoking weed. One character is hospitalized after drinking far too much.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde

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We Are Hunted
Tomi Oyemakinde
MacMillan Children’s
Published August 29, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About We Are Hunted

The White Lotus meets Jurassic Park in We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde, a compulsive speculative thriller about the lengths we go to for power – and to survive.

When seventeen-year-old Femi and his brother accompany their father on a top-secret business trip to a remote and mysterious island, they are looking forward to a summer they’ll never forget.

Filled with spectacular species of animal and out-of-this-world technology, the island resort welcomes them with open arms, as does its impressive curator Richard Jenkins. But beneath the sparkle and the wonder, the island is hiding a terrible secret – and it’s biding its time. When the unthinkable happens and the island is put on lockdown, Femi realizes he is somehow at the centre of an operation that seeks to expose Jenkins’ resort for what it really is.

But the truth comes with a price. And when the bodies start to fall, Femi must decide who on the island he can trust with his life – and how far he will go to survive.

My Review

This novel begins fast and keeps a brisk pace throughout. I definitely see the comparison to Jurassic Park, though I like the characters in We Are Hunted better than those in Crichton’s novel. The unresolved conflict between Femi and his family and Femi and Deja add layers of interest to the story. The crisis brings them closer together but simultaneously highlights the rifts in the relationships. That kept me even more engaged.

The story has the high sense of creepiness and tension you’d expect in a thriller, too. Several scenes had me on the edge of my seat. Because of the nature of the story, there’s quite a bit of gore as Femi witnesses several people’s injuries and deaths and stumbles over the remains of others.

There are a couple of chapters that show scenes from another character’s perspective. While that added some interest or context to those characters, I think that information could have been inserted into the narrative in other ways. I appreciated that they were set apart as “interlude” scenes.

Femi is a musician, and there are lots of references to sound and sensitivity to sound throughout the book, which adds some interesting details. I liked the references to his music and the way that sound impacts different components of the story.

On the whole, I think readers looking for an international thriller will not want to miss this one. I flew through this book. It’s really easy to read. I probably would have read it in one session if I’d had the time to do it.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 15 up.

Representation
Femi has tinnitus. Several characters are Black and British.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One f-bomb. Infrequent use of other profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Femi goes on a date with a girl.

Spiritual Content
References to prayer and Bible verses.

Violent Content
Graphic descriptions of injuries and death.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: What is This Feeling? by Robby Webber

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What is This Feeling?
Robby Webber
Inkyard Press
Published September 17, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About What is This Feeling?

This joyful romp from Robby Weber, perfect for fans of Jason June and Morgan Matson, follows a boy who will do anything to win his drama club’s scavenger hunt in New York City, even if it means teaming up with a tech crew loner…and discovering unexpected sparks between them.

Theater star Teddy McGuire is ready for all his dreams to come true. He and his best friend, Annie, have been counting down the days to the end-of-the-year drama club trip to New York City. To make it even more magical, if they can win the annual scavenger hunt, they’ll get a chance to meet their popstar idol, Benji Keaton.

But the universe has other plans: when Annie can’t go on the trip, Teddy is forced to room with tech crew loner Sebastian, who has no interest in the scavenger hunt—or Teddy—and seems to have a secret agenda of his own.

On a larger-than-life adventure across the city, the boys will discover a lot more than what’s on their checklist, including masquerade mishaps, obstacles of Jurassic proportions, Hollywood starlets, and, most surprisingly of all, sparks beginning to fly between them. In a story about chasing your destiny, Teddy and Sebastian are about to learn the secret to making their own luck.

My Review

This is the most fun book I’ve read in a while. It’s not the first field trip to New York City that I’ve read this year. There’s a Wednesday books title about a band trip that had some similarities to this one.

Teddy is a really fun narrator. He’s so in his head, which I appreciate as a person with a lot of mind spirals myself. I also liked that his identity wasn’t really a focus of the story. Don’t get me wrong– the books about coming out or grappling with identity are important, and I love them, too. But it was nice to read something that sidestepped those themes and simply told a story about unexpected romance without stopping to explain or justify itself.

The only thing that was hard was how often Teddy’s best friend and brother minimized his feelings. They tended to assume he was being dramatic and kind of roll their eyes at him in a loving way, but still. It makes sense within the context of the story, and it’s realistic. I guess it hit on some old wounds for me, so I really felt for him in those moments.

What is This Feeling? is the first book by Robby Webber that I’ve read, but I can tell you that it will NOT be the last! I can’t believe I’m just now discovering his books. I love the balance of sweetness and realism in this one. The relationships aren’t perfect. The characters are flawed but not so deeply that it interferes with my ability to connect with them. It’s a great fall romance.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Two characters are queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A couple F-bombs. Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Teddy believes the friendship bracelets he and Annie made together years ago bring them luck, but only when they’re wearing them or have them on their person.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
Teddy (a high school senior) drinks champagne at a gala and sips a cocktail at an event with college students.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel

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

Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up
Sonia Patel
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published September 10, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up

It’s eighteen-year-old Gita Desai’s first year at Stanford University, and it’s a miracle she’s here and not already married off by her traditional Gujarati parents. She’s determined to death-grip her good-girl, model-student rep all the way to medical school, which means no social life or standing out in any way. Should be easy: If there’s one thing she’s learned from her family it’s how to chup-re—to “shut up,” fade into the background.

But when childhood memories of her aunt’s desertion and her then-uncle’s best friend resurface, Gita ditches the books night after night in favor of partying and hooking up with strangers. Still, nothing can stop the nagging voice in her head that’s growing louder and louder, insisting something’s wrong… and the only way she can burst forward is to stop shutting-up about the past.

My Review

I feel like I should have realized from the back cover copy that this book explores trauma and its effect on a young college student. Though I’m not always a fan of young adult literature featuring protagonists in college, I do think this– trauma emerging and demanding to be dealt with in the first semester of college– is something we don’t talk about enough. It seems like something that a lot of people experience as they leave home for the first time and enter a busy, stressful time of life with a lot of academic and social demands.

Anyway, regardless, I kind of went into this book unprepared for its themes, which made it hit really hard. Some of the scenes are hard to read, not because there’s anything wrong with them, but because they explicitly state things that we often shut people up for talking about. We sometimes treat these things like they’re too shameful or complicated to talk about.

Gita is incredibly smart academically. She finds two really great girl friends, both white girls, and feels sidelined by the guys at the events the three of them attend. At one point, a guy Gita sleeps with asks for her friend’s phone number immediately after they’ve had sex. Ugh. Awful.

As the story unfolds, there are more and more hints at past trauma in Gita’s life. The slow reveal of those things was agonizing for me. I suspected where things were headed, and I could feel Gita’s resistance to remembering what happened. The writing is so on point. It was hard to stay on that knife’s edge for as long as the story keeps its readers there, though.

Because the story takes place in the 1990s, there are so many music references that 90s music lovers will enjoy. Gita listens to a broad range of music, and some of the songs were really well-placed in terms of what was happening in the scene as the song played.

Conclusion

Ultimately, I love that Gita’s relationships with Marisol and Jane anchor her and help give her the courage to speak up for herself. I love the arc of her relationships with her family members, too.

Overall, this is a heavy book that won’t be for everyone. It does a good job exploring the transition from home to college life and the role of trauma and shame in choices someone might make during that time.

Content Notes

Content warning for sexual abuse and assault.

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Gita is Indian American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some F-bombs and infrequent use of other profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
Gita observes a couple having sex. One partner notices her, but the other does not know she’s there. Kissing between boy and girl. Some scenes show sexual assault from the point of view of a girl who’s very drunk and not really processing what’s happening. Details are sparse but graphic.

Spiritual Content
References to Hindu faith practices.

Violent Content
Some scenes show sexual assault from the point of view of a girl who’s very drunk and not really processing what’s happening. Scenes also briefly show or reference child abuse. A girl hits a boy who kisses her against her will.

Drug Content
Gita and her friends (freshman in college) drink alcohol at parties and the home of some men they barely know.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life by Fiona Hardy

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How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life
Fiona Hardy
Kane Miller Publishing
Published August 25, 2020

Kane Miller Website | Bookshop | Goodreads

About How to Write the Soundtrack to Your Life

Murphy Parker is going to be a songwriter. If she can summon up the nerve to play in front of anyone other than her dad, that is. When an unplanned keyboard performance at school goes well, Murphy wonders if maybe her dreams have a chance after all. Until her entire grade accuses her of plagiarism.

Someone out there is playing Murphy’s songs. But why? How did they hear her play? Desperate to clear her name and reclaim her music, Murphy makes an unlikely alliance with two of her classmates. Turns out, friendship might be even more complicated than tracking down a song thief…

From the up-and-coming talent behind HOW TO MAKE A MOVIE IN 12 DAYS comes a funny and moving mystery about family, friendship and finding your voice.

My Review

Oh, wow. I really identified with Murphy as the quiet kid in school. The way people treated her, where they assumed things about her and filled in the blanks about her life, really resonated with me. I totally understood how difficult it was for her to speak up, even when she had something to say. I remember having those experiences and being so frustrated with them.

Murphy has a family life that’s not often represented in children’s books. She has a close relationship with her dad, and he’s doing the best that he can and visits her a lot. She lives with her aunt, uncle, and cousins, though. This gives her a lot of stability and support. I liked her family members and the dynamics between them.

While the plot of the story centers around Murphy’s music and finding out who stole her songs, the true superstar in the story is in the relationships. In the beginning, Murphy considers two girls her best and only friends. As the story unfolds, the way she sees those relationships and others changes. She learns what it means to be a friend in addition to what it means to have one. The narrative balances the relationship and mystery elements really well while also giving readers a glimpse into life with a parent diagnosed with depression.

This is the first novel by Fiona Hardy that I’ve read, but I’m looking forward to reading her other book, How to Write a Movie in 12 Days, which follows one of the minor characters in this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Murphy’s dad has depression. Her mom is absent. She lives with her aunt, uncle, and cousins.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Other kids taunt Murphy and say mean things to her. She describes being bullied by a girl in the past. References to someone hospitalized for depression.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

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

Review: The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford

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The Loudest Silence
Sydney Langford
Holiday House
Published July 30, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Loudest Silence

Two disabled, queer teens find belonging in this poignant platonic love story about singing, signing, and solidarity.

CASEY KOWALSKI once dreamed of becoming a professional singer. Then the universe threw her a life-altering curveball— sudden, permanent, and profound hearing loss—just before her family’s move from Portland to Miami. Now, she’s learning to navigate the world as a Deaf-Hard of Hearing person while trying to conceal her hearing loss from her new schoolmates.

HAYDEN GONZÁLEZ-ROSSI is also keeping secrets. Three generations of González men have risen to stardom on the soccer field, and Hayden knows his family expects him to follow in their footsteps, but he wants to quit soccer and pursue a career on Broadway. If only his Generalized Anxiety Disorder didn’t send him into a debilitating spiral over the thought of telling the truth.

Casey and Hayden are both determined to hide who they really are. But when they cross paths at school, they bond over their shared love of music and their mutual feeling that they don’t belong, and the secrets come spilling out. Their friendship is the beating heart of this dual-perspective story featuring thoughtful disability representation, nuanced queer identities, and a lovably quirky supporting cast.

My Review

This is a debut?! I need more books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s got so many great things. A playful, supportive friend group. Vulnerable, frank explorations of grief, sudden hearing loss, and anxiety. Music. Sign language. A celebration of platonic love (with a little romantic love on the side). I love it.

The story follows Hayden and Casey’s points of view, usually in alternating chapters. I found both of them to be great characters and so easy to root for. Hayden is the sweetest. Casey has harder edges, and she’s a loyal friend if you can get past her walls.

An author’s note explains how Langford uses ASL and SimCom (simultaneous communication, or using sign language and speaking simultaneously) in the text, which helped get me oriented to the narrative. It’s a little different than I’ve seen in other books, which is totally okay. I appreciated knowing when someone was signing and talking versus just signing or talking– it was also an important distinction in the story for plot reasons, so it helped to have that distinction clear.

The book seriously has so many things to love about it. The sweet romance. The unapologetic ace rep. The spotlight on multiple cultures within one family. It’s a great book. If you love books about music, musicians or fabulous friend groups, you do not want to miss The Loudest Silence.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Hayden is Cuban/Italian American and asexual. Casey is Deaf-Hard-of-hearing. Other characters are Latine and queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One F-bomb. Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. At one point, the characters assume two boys are dating.

Spiritual Content
One character has a cross necklace he rubs his thumb on when he’s nervous. Another character gives someone a necklace with a pendant showing a saint on it.

Violent Content
Descriptions of anxiety and panic attacks. Ableist behavior.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.