Tag Archives: small town

Review: The Best Worst Summer by Elizabeth Eulberg

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,
The Best Worst Summer by Elizabeth Eulberg

The Best Worst Summer
Elizabeth Eulberg
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published May 4, 2021

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About The Best Worst Summer

This is going to be the worst summer ever for Peyton. Her family just moved, and she had to leave her best friend behind. She’s lonely. She’s bored. Until . . . she comes across a box buried in her backyard, with a message: I’m so sorry. Please forgive me. Things are about to get interesting.

Back in 1989, it’s going to be the best summer ever for Melissa and Jessica. They have two whole months to goof around and explore, and they’re even going to bury a time capsule! But when one girl’s family secret starts to unravel, it’s clear things may not go exactly as planned.

In alternating chapters, from Peyton in present day to Melissa three decades earlier (a time with no cell phones, no social media, and camera film that took days to develop, but also a whole lot of freedom), a story of a mystery that two sets of characters will never forget.

My Review

I was a little nervous at first that this book would come off as shallow and cheesy. I wasn’t immediately drawn into Peyton or Melissa’s voices, but as I read and got to know them better, I feel like I appreciated their goofiness a lot more. I really enjoyed watching the friendship between Peyton and Lucas develop. I liked that they both struggled for more autonomy from their parents but for different reasons. With Jessica and Melissa, I felt sad for the fractures in their friendship and the times they seemed to just miss really seeing each other. It made me remember some things, too, that I wished I’d done differently with a friend.

On the whole, I read the book pretty quickly, and I loved the way the past and present tied together over the mystery of the box. I thought the pacing of that reveal was nicely done and the way everything connected together was also great.

I think readers who enjoyed the celebration of friendship in THE GIRLS OF FIREFLY CABIN by Cynthia Ellingsen will love this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Both point-of-view characters are white. Jessica, Melissa’s best friend is Korean, adopted by white parents. Lucas, Peyton’s friend is in a wheelchair. One scene shows two women who are married.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
One scene shows two women who are married. I think one kisses the other on the cheek.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Melissa’s father is an angry, domineering person. He’s described as abusive, but his behavior is mostly referenced and not shown on scene. Melissa mostly steers clear of him when she can.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep by Laurie Faria Stolarz

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

The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep
Laurie Faria Stolarz
Wednesday Books
Published March 16, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Last Secret You’ll Ever Keep

Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz returns with a thrilling novel where an eighteen-year-old girl’s search for answers lands her in one of the most terrifying situations imaginable.

Four days…
Trapped in a well, surrounded by dirt, scratching at the walls trying to find a way out.
Four days of a thirst so strong, that when it finally rains, I drink as much as possible from the dripping walls, not even caring how much dirt comes with it.

Six months…
Since my escape. Since no one believed I was taken to begin with – from my own bed, after a party, when no one else was home…
Six months of trying to find answers and being told instead that I made the whole incident up.

One month…
Since I logged on to the Jane Anonymous site for the first time and found a community of survivors who listen without judgment, provide advice, and console each other when needed.
A month of chatting with a survivor whose story eerily mirrors my own: a girl who’s been receiving triggering clues, just like me, and who could help me find the answers I’m searching for.

Three days…
Since she mysteriously disappears, and since I’m forced to ask the questions: will my chance to find out what happened to me vanish with her? And will I be next?

My Review

One of the things I really liked about this book is that there is no sexual trauma in it. I was nervous at first, picking it up, because I like this type of suspense, mystery, trauma recovery story, but I’m just really sensitive to sexual trauma, so I didn’t want to end up in over my head with this book. The good news is, I didn’t.

It’s an interesting story. For a long time, I felt unsure about Terra. It seemed plausible that what happened to her was in her head– not on purpose, but that it was the result of previous trauma. Even Terra herself sometimes doubted what she’d experienced. So I felt like the story kept a really good balance there, keeping me really uncertain where it was headed and what would be around the next bend, as a good suspenseful story should.

I also thought the timeline– some sections from the present and others from the past– added to the scattered feel of Terra’s mind. Her chat logs on the Jane Anonymous site added a lot, too, from giving her a safe space to share her feelings to also creating a strong support network.

I read THE LAST SECRET YOU’LL EVER KEEP pretty quickly, only stopping once (because I got food poisoning, gross). I think readers who enjoyed PAST PERFECT LIFE by Elizabeth Eulberg or THE LOST AND THE FOUND by Cat Clarke will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are white or not described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used just over a dozen times through the story.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Descriptions of kidnapping. Graphic descriptions of hunger and severe thirst.

Drug Content
Terra attends a college sorority party held by one of her friends’ older sisters and drinks punch, probably containing alcohol.

Note: I received a free copy of THE LAST SECRET YOU’LL EVER KEEP in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: These Unlucky Stars by Gillian McDunn

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , ,

These Unlucky Stars
Gillian McDunn
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Published March 2, 2021

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About These Unlucky Stars

From the author of CATERPILLAR SUMMER comes a new heartfelt story of a girl’s unexpected friendship that changes her forever.

Annie has always been the odd one out in her family. Her practical dad and brother just don’t understand the way she thinks. Ever since her mother left a few years ago, Annie has been reluctant to get close to anyone.
When a poor decision lands Annie in hot water, she must make amends by watching her elderly neighbor’s weird dog all summer. As Annie begins to connect with her neighbor Gloria, it becomes clear that Gloria won’t be able to live on her own for much longer. But it’s this brief and important friendship that gives Annie the confidence to let people in, and see how rich life can be when you decide to make your own luck and chart your own path to happiness.

Perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Gillian McDunn has crafted another touching story that will remain in readers’ hearts.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of books by Gillian McDunn since her debut (which includes a girl fishing! Be still my heart!), so I was really excited to read THESE UNLUCKY STARS. I also tend to love intergenerational friendships and older characters who are prickly on the outside but have a heart of gold underneath that grouchy exterior. AND I love books about small southern towns. So this was pretty much a guaranteed win for me.

The book has so many great characters. From Otto, the unique dog and his protective, loyal spirit, to the BBQ owners who dote on Annie’s family like adopted grandparents, to the chatty, mischievous mayor’s son who wants to help people.

I loved the setting– the small town, the mountain landscape, and the southern expressions that appeared here and there and made me miss my family in North Carolina.

Most of all, I loved the emotional journey that Annie traveled. On page one, she’s an island of grief over the loss of her mom, and she feels trapped by bad luck. But as she’s faced again and again with opportunities to help people get ready for the town festival and is forced to work off her guilt helping Gloria, she begins to see things in new ways. She begins to come out of her shell and to heal from her grief.

Though I adore this book, there are a couple things I wish had been different. One is a spoiler, so scroll down to the end for that one, if you’re interested. The other thing is that we didn’t really get to see her dad’s reaction to the parade float she made for his shop, and I really wanted that moment. I think it would have been a cool way to resolve the issue between her and her dad over her artwork and a moment for him to show support. He does make a supportive comment, but it’s kind of quick and more really about the fact that Annie took on the job of the float, not really seeing and appreciating her work.

On the whole, though, I really enjoyed this book with its small town setting, intergenerational friendship, and tender exploration of grief and healing. I think fans of McDunn’s other books will definitely want to check this one out as well as fans of NEST by Esther Ehrlich.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
One (minor) character has mental health issues. Two men (minor characters) are married.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Annie worries that her dad may be interested in a new woman.

Spiritual Content
Annie’s mom told her she was born under an unlucky star. Annie clings to that identity and every time something bad happens, she chalks it up to inescapable bad luck. One character makes a reference to the Heavens being in charge of the living.

Violent Content
A woman falls and is injured. A boy punches the wall in anger.

Drug Content
None.

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

Spoiler – the Other Reason I Struggled with These Unlucky Stars

The other thing that I struggled with in the book is that Annie learns her mom has bipolar disorder. She didn’t like the way she felt on medication and stopped taking it. Then she realized her illness and the impulsiveness it caused put her children in danger, so she left them to protect them from her.

I feel like I’ve seen that in stories a lot lately– the bipolar parent who leaves the family– and I guess I kind of hoped THESE UNLUCKY STARS would take a different approach. I also tend to struggle with books that show people not taking meds because they don’t like how they feel– not that that doesn’t happen, but I guess because I feel like it’s a reason that’s overused.

Review: Reckless, Glorious, Girl by Ellen Hagan

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Poetry, , , , , , , , , ,

Reckless, Glorious, Girl
Ellen Hagan
Bloomsbury Publishing
Published February 23, 2021

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Reckless, Glorious, Girl

Beatrice Miller may have a granny’s name (her granny’s, to be more specific), but she adores her Mamaw and her mom, who give her every bit of wisdom and love they have. But the summer before seventh grade, Bea wants more than she has, aches for what she can’t have, and wonders what the future will bring.

This novel in verse follows Beatrice through the ups and downs of friendships, puberty, and identity as she asks: Who am I? Who will I become? And will my outside ever match the way I feel on the inside?

A gorgeous, inter-generational story of Southern women and a girl’s path blossoming into her sense of self, Reckless, Glorious, Girl explores the important questions we all ask as we race toward growing up.

The co-author of Watch Us Rise pens a novel in verse about all the good and bad that comes with middle school, growing up girl, and the strength of family that gets you through it.

My Review

One of the great things about this novel-in-verse is how unpretentious it is. Sometimes reading poetry makes it harder for me to connect to a story, because I get lost in the rhythm of the words or have to stop to decode things, but RECKLESS, GLORIOUS, GIRL is really easy to read. It’s still got a lot of emotion and heart, it’s just also really straightforward, which I liked.

Sometimes Beatrice’s character felt a little shallow to me. Everything she felt made sense and seemed realistic. She focused a lot on her skin and how she looked and wanting to be cool– which are totally reasonable things for someone to think about. I guess it just felt like a lot to me, and I wanted her to hurry toward realizing that those things weren’t what was the most important.

Beatrice grows a lot through the story. I love how the story centers around women: her mom and grandmother, her two best friends, even other girls in Beatrice’s class. Her relationships with her mom and Memaw were my favorite. I love how they challenged each other and sometimes experienced friction, but always they loved each other.

I think readers who enjoyed THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS will enjoy the heart and family relationships of this story.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Beatrice is white. Her best friends are Latina and Black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used maybe half a dozen times.

Romance/Sexual Content
Beatrice attends a party where they play spin the bottle. She and a boy are matched up but don’t kiss. There is one kiss between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Beatrice’s grandmother is a very free spirited person and makes a vague reference to thanking the goddesses.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Silver Box by Margi Preus

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Silver Box
Margi Preus
University of Minnesota Press
Published October 6, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Silver Box

In the final Enchantment Lake mystery, Francie’s search for the truth about her mother—and herself—plunges her into danger during a North Woods winter

When she wakes in her aunts’ cold cabin on the shore of Enchantment Lake, Francie remembers: everything about her life has changed. Or is about to. Or just might. Everything depends on the small, engraved silver box that she now possesses—if only she can follow its cryptic clues to the whereabouts of her missing mother and understand, finally, just maybe, the truth about who she really is. 

Francie, it turns out, has a lot to learn, and this time the lessons could be deadly. Her search for answers takes her and her best friends Raven and Jay as far afield as an abandoned ranch in Arizona and as close to home as a sketchy plant collector’s conservatory and a musty old museum where shadows lurk around every display case. At the heart of it all is a crime that touches her own adopted North Woods: thieves dig up fragile lady’s slippers, peel bark from birches, strip moss off trees, cut down entire forests of saplings to sell for home décor. But Francie is up against no ordinary plant theft. One ominous clue after another reveal that she possesses something so rare and so valuable that some people are willing to do anything to get it. When Francie’s investigation leads her into the treacherously cold and snowy North Woods, she finds out  that she too is being pursued.

My Review

I’m so glad I got to read all three of the books in this series so close together. All three books were super enjoyable– definitely brought back some great memories of reading Nancy Drew books when I was younger. I love Francie and Raven and the adventures that they face.

One of the other things I enjoyed is the fact that environmental issues are so well-integrated into the story. I felt like the facts and issues never sounded forced, but they added a lot of intrigue to the mystery and kept the stakes pretty high all the way through the book.

I recommend starting with ENCHANTMENT LAKE, since it gives you a chance to get to know some of the other characters first, but the mystery plot is fairly self-contained, so I think readers who wanted to start with this book could do so.

This book begins immediately after A CLUE IN THE TREES leaves off, so if you have the opportunity to read them back to back, I think that will also be more enjoyable, but not at all necessary. Each story contains a standalone mystery.

Like the other two books in the Enchanted Lakes series, THE SILVER BOX is a quick read. I think mystery lovers will definitely enjoy the pacing of this book as well as its unforgettable characters and charming Northwoods setting. It’s an excellent series to get lost in if you’re looking for an engrossing story or something to distract from reality.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Francie’s best friend Raven is a Native American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Francie is dating a boy who is away at college.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Francie discovers the body of a woman who’s been hit over the head. She and another character face kidnapping and other situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: Enchantment Lake by Margi Preus

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

Enchantment Lake (A Northwoods Mystery)
Margi Preus
University of Minnesota Press
Published March 11, 2015

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Enchantment Lake

A disturbing call from her great aunts Astrid and Jeannette sends seventeen-year-old Francie far from her new home in New York into a tangle of mysteries. Ditching an audition in a Manhattan theater, Francie travels to a remote lake in the northwoods where her aunts’ neighbors are “dropping like flies” from strange accidents. But are they accidents?

On the shores of Enchantment Lake in the woods of northern Minnesota, something ominous is afoot, and as Francie begins to investigate, the mysteries multiply: a poisoned hotdish, a puzzling confession, eerie noises in the bog, and a legendary treasure that is said to be under enchantment—or is that under Enchantment, as in under the lake? At the center of everything is a suddenly booming business in cabin sales and a road not everyone wants built.

To a somewhat reluctant northwoods Nancy Drew, the intrigue proves irresistible, especially when it draws her closer to the mysteries at the heart of her own life: What happened to her father? Who and where is her mother? Who is she, and where does her heart lie—in the bustle of New York City or the deep woods of Minnesota? With its gripping story, romantic spirit, and a sly dash of modern-day trouble (evil realtors and other invasive species), Enchantment Lake will fascinate readers, providing precisely the charm that Margi Preus’s readers have come to expect.

My Review

I loved all the descriptions of the small town of Walpurgis and its quirky inhabitants, including Francie’s great aunts. Aunt Astrid and Aunt Jeannette have told everyone that Francie is a detective when in reality she simply played one on TV. They don’t seem troubled by the misinformation, and they have every confidence that Francie can solve the case.

Right away I loved Francie, too. She’s smart and vulnerable and definitely a reluctant heroine. There are a couple of times when she ends up in some tense situations and I definitely felt myself on edge reading them, in a good way!

On the whole, this isn’t as dark or intense as something like ONE OF US IS LYING by Karen McManus or THE WHITE RABBIT by Caleb Roehrig. It’s a fun, sweet mystery perfect for upper elementary or middle school readers, or anyone looking for a small town mystery you could read in a couple hours.

Francie’s story continues in A CLUE IN THE TREES and THE SILVER BOX, which I’ll be reviewing over the next couple weeks.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between Francie and a boy.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A suspicious number of “accidental” deaths have occurred around the lake. (All take place off-screen.) Francie hears a gunshot which she’s later told was a man’s death by suicide. Some situations of peril. Francie is trapped with someone she thinks is the murderer more than once.

Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol at a dinner party. A girl maybe a little older than Francie is drunk at night.

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