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Song of the Yellow Dragon by Ying Ping Low

Review: Song of the Yellow Dragon by Ying Ping Low

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Song of the Yellow Dragon
Ying Ping Low
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Published May 12, 2026

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About Song of the Yellow Dragon

Two children search for a legendary dragon’s magic in this enchanting fantasy, perfect for readers ages 9-13!

There is a secret that every child knows: Magic is real. But by the time children turn thirteen, they forget that magic is anything but make-believe.

Mengyao wants to remember. Born in a village nestled in a secluded vale, Mengyao wants to hold on to magic and become a Divine Healer. But with her thirteenth birthday fast approaching, she is losing hope.

Young emperor Kai is on the run from traitorous advisors. He’s searching for the fabled Dragon’s Pulse, a magic capable of defeating his enemies. On the brink of his thirteenth birthday, Kai doesn’t have much longer. So when he meets Mengyao—the girl whose name is mentioned in his legend—he forces aside his instinctual distrust and recruits her to help him on his quest.

On their perilous journey, Kai and Mengyao find aid in unexpected forms like a jade hare, a moon goddess, and a handful of promises. But as enemies close in and time runs out, secrets that will reshape the fate of their kingdom forever come to light.

My Review

This is such a charming book. I loved the voice it’s written in. At times, the narrator speaks directly to the reader or reminds readers about something happening far from the main characters. The tone is almost playful, keeping the story light even though some serious events occur.

I loved the bond between Kai and Mengyao. They have very different personalities, so at first, I wasn’t sure how they could get along. But it made sense that their differences would work together to make them a strong team. I enjoyed watching them push each other and keep each other safe, even as they pretended to ignore one another.

As the story reaches its most desperate moment, many threads weave together, revealing new elements that reshape the narrative as a whole. I love it when that weaving together is well done, as it is here.

I also enjoyed the way that the story uses magic. In the book, children know and recognize magic around them until they turn thirteen. They can ask the wind for help if they’re lost. Mushrooms will tell them whether they’re poisonous. But once a child turns thirteen, they look back on those experiences as childish and overly imaginative. That looming forgetting of magic created an interesting deadline for Kai and Mengyao. I loved how the author used that to add tension and keep the story whimsical.

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those books that doesn’t get nearly enough visibility as it deserves. If this isn’t already on your reading list, please check it out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 13.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to spiritual beliefs and practices. Supernatural beings offer help in times of need. An ancestor has a power that can help in a crisis. A deity intervenes to protect someone.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to murder (happens before the story begins). Someone tries to poison children. Soldiers burn down a building. References to a murder plot. Soldiers chase children with intent to harm them.

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: If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson

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

If You Were Here
Abigail Johnson
HarperCollins
Published April 28, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About If You Were Here

A charming and emotional standalone grumpy/sunshine romance set during a Nantucket summer. Lili needs Wren’s help to complete her father’s research and save her family’s reputation–but working together leads to more discoveries than either of them bargained for.

Lili Gardner hasn’t been back to Nantucket, her dad’s favorite place, since her parents divorced six years ago. But Dad passed away recently, leaving her a house on the island and an unsolved mystery about a maligned Gardner ancestor. Lili is determined to finish his life’s work, and convinces her mom and sister to spend the summer in Nantucket with her while she looks for answers, and for a connection to her dad.

Wren McCleave has a passion for history, but his father refuses to showcase anything real in their tourist trap of a “museum.” So when Lili asks Wren for help with her research, Wren can’t resist the opportunity to throw himself into something real, even if he dislikes tourists on principle.

Lili and Wren only have a summer to find out the truth about Lili’s ancestor. But the most surprising truths they uncover aren’t about the distant past, but about themselves right here in the present, and about what they want out of the future.

My Review

If you’re looking for a summer beach or vacation read, this one would be perfect. It takes place during the summer on Nantucket, in a small island community. Expect pizza on the beach, boat trips, and plenty of simmering romance.

I really enjoyed Johnson’s debut novel, so when I saw that she had a new one coming out this summer, I really wanted to read it. I like the way that she writes tender moments and the scenes filled with yearning, where the characters haven’t figured out how to be together yet and aren’t even sure their feelings are reciprocated. It’s so easy to get lost in the anticipation of those moments.

Wren has needed a wheelchair since an accident years before the story begins. For the most part, though, this book really doesn’t focus on his disability. There are a couple of scenes where it becomes a focus. At one point, Lili invites him to a place that isn’t accessible. She feels horrible when she realizes, and the two have a conversation about that. For the most part, though, we are busy thinking of Wren as a potential museum curator who is struggling to set boundaries with and express his wishes to his family.

Lili also has some family relationship matters to sort out. She’s trying to solve a mystery her dad left behind, which leads her to grapple with some of the wounds in the relationships her dad left behind. The story doesn’t explore him as a character in depth beyond his obsession with his family history. Lili’s relationships with her mom and sister are important, and she wrestles with how to balance those connections with her passion to uncover the past.

Wren and Lili have a little bit of a grumpy/sunshine vibe going, especially at the beginning of their connection. I love that they bond over their shared love of history. The relationship isn’t without its bumps and flaws. I could see part of the story being challenging for some readers, especially those who prefer neat, simple romances. But I appreciate that mistakes were made, and consequences happened. I like that Lili and Wren each had to reckon with the fallout of their choices, and that leads them to reconnect with other characters in ways that they needed to. Sorry that’s so vague– I don’t want to spoil anything.

All in all, this was a fun summer romance. It feels like a perfect book to take on vacation or to the beach for an afternoon.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to an accident in which Wren broke his back. (Happened before the story began.)

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: Journey to Tomioka by Laurent Galandon and Michaël Crouzat

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Journey to Tomioka
Laurent Galandon
Art by Michaël Crouzat
Translated by Anne and Owen Smith
First Second
Published June 9, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Journey to Tomioka

For fans of This Was Our Pact and Hayao Miyazaki films comes a breathtaking graphic novel about siblings who risk everything to return their grandmother’s ashes to her home inside the Fukushima Exclusion Zone.

Osamu hasn’t been the same since that day. When the tsunami hit Fukushima prefecture, it killed his parents, destroyed his home, and triggered one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters. Now, all Osamu has left is his grandmother, Bā-chan, and his big sister, Akiko. As he withdraws into his own world, he befriends friends yōkai―spirits only he can see.

Then, tragedy strikes again, and Bā-chan dies. Osamu and Akiko are determined to return her ashes to their family farm in Tomioka, a town within Fukushima’s forbidden zone. There, the siblings will face dangerous radiation and yōkai, both friendly and deadly―but they’re willing to risk it all to make it home.

My Review

This book draws attention to the victims of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. The story follows Osamu, a young boy who shows kindness toward the yōkai, mythical creatures that live in his home and community. When his grandmother dies unexpectedly, he convinces his sister that they should bring her ashes home to her farm in the area still evacuated since the nuclear disaster.

Along the way, they meet a man who lives in the forbidden zone and cares for the animals living there. The story gently encourages readers to question our relationship with nature and our short attention spans for tragedies happening elsewhere.

At one point in the story, Osamu’s sister notes that his personality changed in the wake of the tsunami. He went from being an outgoing kid with lots of friends to being much quieter and more internal. A doctor, she says, diagnosed him with Autism, but she feels that’s inaccurate, because he used to have friends. I think I get what she’s trying to say, but I kind of wish this had just been left out of the book. It’s a small comment, and there’s so little context. I could see people feeling like this is saying that people with Autism can’t have friends or be friendly, which isn’t true.

All in all, I appreciate the author for bringing the Fukushima nuclear disaster to the forefront of conversations through this book and for highlighting some of the victims who are too often neglected, namely, children and animals.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 9 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Osamu believes in the existence of yōkai, mysterious supernatural creatures and spirits from Japanese folklore. He speaks to some who live in his home and leaves an apple for one living near a tree. He later encounters a being representing radiation.

Violent Content
References to the death of a grandparent and caregiver. References to the deaths of parents in the tsunami. These are not shown on the page.

Osamu breaks a window in an abandoned shop. He and his sister evade rescue workers and their cousin’s fiancé, Seiichi, and venture deeper into contaminated spaces, risking exposure to radiation.

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: The Last Best Quest Ever by F. T. Lukens

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The Last Best Quest Ever
F. T. Lukens
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published May 26, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Last Best Quest Ever

A fraudulent teen quester must team up with a brooding, royal rival on a perilous adventure to save her brother’s life in this cozy young adult romantasy full of mythical creatures by the New York Times bestselling author of Spell Bound and So This is Ever After.

Seventeen-year-old Ellinore has the best questing record of anyone in the kingdom’s history. She also has a secret: her fame is built entirely on lies. Tired of the charade, she shocks the kingdom by retiring at a royal feast. But her plans for a quiet life are disrupted when her twin brother Zig bets his life that Ellinore can retrieve the horn of the mythical Elder Beast. To save Zig, she reluctantly sets out on one last, perilous quest.

Accompanying her are Zig, determined to help despite his recklessness; Aven, her envious rival eager to prove their superiority; an ambitious bar maiden turned adventurer; and a young, magic-wielding bard. Together, they face an arduous journey fraught with mythical challenges and shifting alliances. As they search for the Elder Beast, Ellinore grapples with her growing feelings for Aven, her fear of losing Zig, and her identity as a reluctant hero.

With time running out, Ellinore must confront not only the legendary creature but also her own truths. Can she save her brother, embrace her potential, and finally decide her path?

My Review

This was my most-anticipated read for 2026, so I was delighted to get a free copy from the publisher. I’ve been a huge fan of the author’s books since I first read Spell Bound in 2023. I think all three of their books that I’ve read would be considered contemporary fantasy, so I was excited to try this more traditional fantasy story. Though the story doesn’t make any overt Dungeons and Dragons references, it very much felt like the kind of quest one might play.

I grew up reading Blue Moon Rising by Simon R. Green, and though this story is more on the cozy side of fantasy, some of the humor reminded me of that book. I love a fantasy that pokes fun at genre tropes, and Lukens does that beautifully, if more subtly here.

The romance between Ellinore and Aven develops believably. It takes some time for Ellinore to recognize the feelings she’s having about Aven, and then it takes time for the two to actually talk about or acknowledge their feelings, but things roll out in a satisfying way.

I wish that the whole confrontation to acquire the horn of the Elder Beast had a little more going on in it. I won’t say it was anti-climactic, but it definitely kept to the cozy fantasy landscape rather than building to a peak of tension. The confrontation between Ellinore’s party and the mages toward the end of the book is really funny, though. I appreciated the humor in that scene and the tension that built up in that moment quite a bit.

All in all, I would say this only further cements my love for Lukens’ books. I think I have copies of the two they’ve written that I haven’t read, so hopefully I’ll get to those soon.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing.

Spiritual Content
Mythical creatures and the use of magic. Some creatures are deities and created others. There’s a simple heirarchy in the story that’s very easy to follow.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and brief battle violence. It’s all pretty PG level.

Drug Content
References to visiting a tavern where people are presumably drinking alcohol, though none of the main characters do this.

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: The Danger of Small Things by Caryl Lewis

Book Review and Content, Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

The Danger of Small Things
Caryl Lewis
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published March 24, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Danger of Small Things

Set in a world where bees are at risk of extinction, this startling YA dystopian is perfect for fans of Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now and Sarah Crossan, described by the author as a love letter to her daughter. 

Imagine a world where honeybees have died out. It’s a patriarchal world where famines are rife. It’s a world without art, without books, without plays. Girls are sent away from home, forced to pollinate crops by hand with brushes and to marry as soon as they can. Inhabiting this world is Jess and her friends Cass, Deva, and Ruth. But even if one fourteen‑year‑old knows that brushes weren’t invented for pollinating, can she really stoke a revolution?

Caryl Lewis: ‘As a beekeeper, I am acutely aware of the interconnectedness of everything and have long been frightened of how we, as humans, set ourselves apart from nature. We do not seem to understand that in destroying nature, we destroy ourselves. My daughter is growing up in what feels like a much more hostile environment facing climate instability, the rise of misogyny and the roll back of women’s bodily rights. I wanted to comfort and empower her and let her see that our greatest weapon in a floundering world is the imagination.’

My Review

I’m really fascinated by the fact that the author is herself a beekeeper, and that her experience inspired the story. Certainly, exploring the extinction of bees and its impact on global food supply is a timely one. In this story, Lewis connects this with a society that uses the food shortage to create a government system that uses its girls and women as labor before pressuring them into a life of raising the next generation of laborers.

Some elements of the story left me wanting more information about the larger world beyond the town where Jess lived. Where did the leaders go when they left the village? Who did they trade with?

I was a bit worried about Jess’s relationship with the guard. I think she was supposed to be thirteen or fourteen, and he was seventeen or eighteen. Nothing romantic happens between the two of them, though, and it doesn’t seem like Jess thinks of him in that way.

All in all, I think the concept of this book is very relevant. I could see readers who enjoy dystopian fiction liking this one a lot.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to kissing. Vague references to sexual abuse. (Not shown on the page.)

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to riots and political unrest. Some instances of homophobia.

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.

20 Young Adult Books Still on My Spring 2026 Reading List

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20 Young Adult Books Still on My Spring 2026 Reading List

This spring has been an incredibly rough season. From personal tragedy to unexpected home repairs, I feel like nothing in my life has gone as planned. Reading-wise, I’m way behind. There’s just no other way to say it. It takes me longer to read a book right now, and some things are just too hard to read in the aftermath of losing my dad.

These are the books I agreed to review this spring and just haven’t been able to get to yet. I want to read all of them. (I’m pretty careful about what I accept for review.) As the days go by, it has become clear to me that I simply won’t be able to get to all these books and post the reviews in a timely manner.

I hope you enjoy the list. Please let me know if you’ve read anything listed here, especially if it was amazing! I can always use a good book recommendation.

Note: This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. Thanks for using them to do your shopping.

20 Young Adult Books Still on My Spring 2026 Reading List

Holloway by Elana K. Arnold

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A girl grieving her mother’s death gets lost in a holloway. This looks twisty, emotional, and engaging. I’ve put off reading it as I’m unexpectedly processing the death of a parent myself, but I really want to read this one soon.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Game of Oaths by S.C. Bandreddi

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A trapeze artist in a magical circus tournament – I love all those words. Even better, this book is about a girl who competes in the tournament to avenge her sister’s death. I’m so in.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

Rolls and Rivalry by Kristy Boyce

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I loved Boyce’s first D&D rom-com, so I’m super excited for this summer band camp plus a swoony D&D romance. Bring it on!

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Lustrous Dark by Loretta Chefchaouni

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: a YA fantasy inspired by a Moroccan folktale in which a girl rises up to reclaim power that’s been taken from women. The cover copy claims this is perfect for readers who love political revolution, fighting the patriarchy, female friendships, and cinnamon roll love interests. That’s me!

Published May 19, 2026 | My Review to Come

Change of Plans by Sarah Dessen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A new Sarah Dessen novel! Yes! This one is about a girl whose carefully laid plans collapse, and she has to live (yikes!) without a plan for after high school. Sounds horrifyingly relatable.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

Girls Like Us by Jennifer Dugan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A follow-up to Some Girls Do, about the challenges of a long-distance relationship and the tension between romance and living one’s dreams. I’m looking forward to this one.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A strange inn with magical secrets. A handsome groundskeeper’s son. This cozy romantic fantasy sounds like the perfect book for me.

Published March 31, 2026 | My Review to Come

Being Aro edited by Madeline Dyer and Rosiee Thor

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This collection features twelve stories of characters saving the day and celebrating connection and love sans romance. I loved the other collection edited by Dyer and Thor, so I really want to read this one.

Published May 26, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Redwood Bargain by Markelle Grabo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A girl must pose as her Lady to save her from the Redwood Man, a task which will cost her life if she’s discovered. This looks eerie and dark. I’m excited to read this.

Published April 28, 2026 | My Review to Come

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, Akimaro, Li Lu, and Barbara Perez Marquez

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I enjoyed reading this book several years ago, and I am excited to see how this team adapted it to a graphic novel format. Laura Jean’s story is relatable and funny, so this will be a perfect story to revisit this summer.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Odyssey: A Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A graphic novel version of The Odyssey, which is perfectly timed. I’m interested in refreshing my memory of the story, which I haven’t read since high school.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Spell for Unraveling (The Buried and the Bound #3) by Rochelle Hassan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Possibly my most-anticipated book release this year! This is the finale of The Buried and the Bound, and I have to know how these characters save the day, find love, and (hopefully) break a curse.

Published April 28, 2026 | My Review to Come

Behind Five Willows by June Hur

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: An homage to Jane Austen set in historical Korea about a girl who helps distribute banned books while her family pressures her to marry. This looks amazing.

Published May 19, 2026 | My Review to Come

If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: I can never get enough grumpy/sunshine romance, and this one looks excellent. A tourist and museum worker team up to find the truth about an ancestor and instead discover truths about themselves.

Published April 28, 2026 | My Review to Come

This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: An injury ends the athletic career of a young Black basketball player. Searching for a new way to make his voice heard, he joins a writing program. Sounds thoughtful and timely.

Published May 12, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Labyrinth of Waking Dreams by Michelle Kulwicki

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: Three teens discover a gateway to a mythical labyrinth in the Appalachian mountains. I spent summers in the Appalachian mountains growing up, so I’m super excited to revisit that landscape via this novel.

Published April 21, 2026 | My Review to Come

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A team of contestants must solve escape rooms to advance in a reality show series while faced with an unsolved murder mystery from an earlier season. I love this premise, and I’m sure I’ll find this one unputdownable.

Published April 7, 2026 | My Review to Come

Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: A younger sister bent on solving the murder of her older sister and pop starlet, even if it takes her through the darker side of global fame. This looks riveting– the kind of story I won’t be able to look away from.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: The back cover copy calls this fantasy inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, which is a favorite book for me. I have to read this one.

Published April 14, 2026 | My Review to Come

Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

My thoughts: This novel connects a young Navajo teen’s present-day experience at an elite boarding school with his great-grandmother’s experience at an Indian Boarding School. A timely, important story.

Published May 5, 2026 | My Review to Come

What’s on your spring reading list?

What books are still on your spring reading list? Have you read any of the books I listed here? Leave a comment and let me know what you’re hoping to read soon or which of these titles I should push to the top of my reading list.