Tag Archives: summer

Review: You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum

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You Wouldn't Dare by Samantha Markum

You Wouldn’t Dare
Samantha Markum
Wednesday Books
Published March 28, 2023

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About You Wouldn’t Dare

A rom com about trying to have the summer of your life before everything changes – only to realize change might be exactly what you need…

When Juniper Nash Abreheart kissed Graham Isham for the first time, she had no idea it would nearly be the end of their friendship.

More specifically, she had no idea that the terrible, unforgivable thing she did to keep their summer fling a secret wouldn’t just ruin their friendship, but also Graham’s entire life. Now, months since the fallout, Junie and Graham spend most of their time sidestepping conversational landmines on the journey back to normalcy.

Junie is sure the strangeness between her and Graham is her biggest problem – until her mom hires Tallulah, her boyfriend’s surly teenage daughter, to work at their family café, and then announces they’ll all be moving in together at the end of the summer. The only bright spot ahead is Junie’s dad’s upcoming visit, just in time for her community theater production. And then poor turnout soon threatens that.

But when Junie starts to realize the feelings she swore to take care of last summer have lingered, saving her production and managing her hostile relationship with Tallulah might be the least of her problems. Graham isn’t just off limits – their friendship has been mended to barely withstand a breeze, and the gale force of Junie’s feelings could be just what breaks them.

Samantha Markum’s YOU WOULDN’T DARE is about the risks and triumphs that come with being brave enough to take a chance at what you really want, including love.

My Review

YOU WOULDN’T DARE is set in Florida, on a (made up) island called White Coral Key that’s about four hours from Jacksonville. One side of the island is ocean-facing, and the other is bay-facing, so I’m guessing the island would be either somewhere just south of Tampa on the Gulf side of FL or somewhere around West Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast. Anyway. I live a pretty short drive from both of those places, so it was fun to read about a place so similar to my own hometown.

Besides the beachy summer setting, there’s so much to love about this book. There’s the fun community theater production, which Junie ropes all her friends into helping with. There’s the banter between her and her three best friends, and the simmering tension between her and Graham.

This book literally made me laugh out loud (twice) and cry (also twice). I loved the messages about community, found family, and the bravery it takes to have the relationships you want. I also loved Samantha Markum’s debut, THIS MAY END BADLY, but I might have actually enjoyed this one even more?

If you like friend banter, antics, and summer fun plus angsty friends-to-lovers romance, you do not want to miss this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Junie is white. She has a diverse group of friends. One is bisexual. One is biracial, and one is Latine.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. References to hands up shirts in the kissing sessions between the boy and girl. Vague reference to Junie’s friends having sex.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
References to a car accident in which someone was killed. References to characters stung by jellyfish.

Drug Content
Junie and her friends drink alcohol at parties. One gets very drunk and sick.

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

Review: The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway by Ashley Schumacher

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The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway
Ashley Schumacher
Wednesday Books
Published March 14, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway

Since her mother’s death, Madeline “Gwen” Hathaway has been determined that nothing in her life will change ever again. That’s why she keeps extensive lists in journals, has had only one friend since childhood, and looks forward to the monotony of working the ren faire circuit with her father. Until she arrives at her mother’s favourite end-of-tour stop to find the faire is under new management and completely changed.

Meeting Arthur, the son of the new owners and an actual lute-playing bard, messes up Maddie’s plans even more. For some reason, he wants to be her friend – and ropes her into becoming Princess of the Faire. Now Maddie is overseeing a faire dramatically changed from what her mother loved and going on road trips vastly different from the routine she used to rely on. Worst of all, she’s kind of having fun.

Ashley Schumacher’s THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY is filled with a wise old magician who sells potion bottles, gallant knights who are afraid of horses and ride camels instead, kings with a fondness for theatrics, a lazy river castle moat with inflatable crocodile floaties, and a plus-sized heroine with a wide-open heart… if only she just admits it.

My Review

Is there anyone who writes complicated grief like Ashley Schumacher? I’ve read all three of her books, and loved all of them. THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY introduces Madeline, a girl who’s approaching the first anniversary of her mom’s death– and her mom’s favorite Renaissance Fair, which has been redesigned by new owners. So, her grief over losing her mom and how it’s changed her life irreversibly gets kind of mirrored by this other big event. I thought it was really clever to pair those two things so closely together.

I really liked Maddie’s character, too. She’s a loner, but not in a sad, get-that-girl-some-friends kind of way. She’s an introvert who treasures close relationships with a few people.

The only thing that worried me at first was Arthur’s approach to Madeline. He gives her a nickname she doesn’t like, and plays the “I know what you need better than you do” card, which tends to rub me the wrong way. It’s a little too close to refusing to respect someone’s “no.”

However, in several scenes, Arthur listens to Madeline’s preferences and quickly adjusts his behavior in response to her boundaries, so I liked that. And I liked that it became clear that wasn’t his whole approach to relationships with girls.

One of the subplots of the story is the evolution of how Madeline feels about her body and how she behaves in response to those feelings. She’s a curvy girl who still carries some hurts from unkind things people have said to her. When Arthur first asks her to be the Fair princess, she has a hard time believing he’s serious, or that accepting the role won’t open her up to ridicule. But as she begins to explore what makes her comfortable in her own skin, she realizes that some of the things she’s been thinking about herself aren’t reality-based. And she finds ways to shop and dress that make her feel good. I liked that journey, and I especially liked that while it didn’t happen in a vaccuum– there were people who influenced her here and there– it was still her journey.

Conclusion

All in all, I loved this book. It had lots of goofy moments and starry-eyed love. I think fans of Jenn Bennett should definitely check out THE RENAISSANCE OF GWEN HATHAWAY.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Arthur has two dads.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Madeline carries a coin that, according to family lore, predicts the future. She flips the coin before making big decisions. She feels bound by the coin’s predictions, especially since it predicted her mom’s death from cancer.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

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When Sea Becomes Sky
Gillian McDunn
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published February 28, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About When Sea Becomes Sky

In this heartfelt summer story, acclaimed author Gillian McDunn paints a stunning portrait of the bond of siblings and the love we’ll always carry with us.

Bex and Davey’s summer in the saltmarsh is different this year, thanks to the record-breaking drought. Even the fish seem listless–and each day the water level lowers farther. When they discover a mysterious underwater statue, they’re thrilled at the chance to solve the puzzle of its origin. This is the summer adventure they’ve been waiting for.

When they learn of a development plan that will destroy their special spot, they’ll need to act quickly. Unfortunately, sometimes progress happens whether you’re ready or not. What will it mean if Bex and Davey lose their corner of the marsh where otters frolic and dragonflies buzz–their favorite place to be siblings together?

As Bex and Davey attempt to save the statue and their beloved marsh, they come to see that the truth is not as simple as it seems . . . ultimately discovering so much more about life, permanence, love, and loss than they ever expected.

Award-winning author Gillian McDunn crafts a gorgeous story of love and siblinghood, of secret statues and island life, of holding on and letting go.

My Review

I’ve been a fan of Gillian McDunn’s books since her debut, CATERPILLAR SUMMER. That one was really special to me because of the main character and her bond with her family over fishing– something also special to me. So while I am always on the lookout for her next book, and I’ve enjoyed all of them, I don’t go into the books with the expectation that they’ll replace CATERPILLAR SUMMER in my heart.

This one really came close, though! You know that feeling, reading a book, where the setting becomes part of the story, and the characters feel so real you can’t help but get lost in what they’re feeling, and you catch yourself not breathing because you’re waiting for something to happen? Yeah. WHEN SEA BECOMES SKY definitely achieves that.

I really liked the way the environmental dilemma resolved and the way all the pieces of the story fit together. There are a lot of things that at first don’t seem related to one another that we discover are actually connected. I loved that, too.

This is a sad book. By the time I got to the Author’s Note, I was outright bawling. I think when an author can do that to you (I’m totally looking at you, Ashley Schumacher!!) and you love the book even more, that’s a great book.

I think readers who loved NEST by Esther Ehrlich or THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH by Ali Benjamin.

Content Notes for When Sea Becomes Sky

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white.

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 this blog. I received a free copy of WHEN SEA BECOMES SKY in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Heartstopper: Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

Heartstopper: Volume 3
Alice Oseman
Hodder Children’s Books
Published February 6, 2020

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Heartstopper: Volume 3

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. An LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the third volume of HEARTSTOPPER, for fans of THE ART OF BEING NORMAL, Holly Bourne and LOVE, SIMON.

Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Nick’s even found the courage to come out to his mum.

But coming out isn’t just something that happens once – there’s Nick’s older brother, and a school trip to Paris, not to mention all the other friends and family – and life can be hard, even with someone who loves you by your side. As their feelings for each other get more serious, Charlie and Nick will need each other more than ever before.

HEARTSTOPPER is about love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.

‘The queer graphic novel we wished we had at high school.’ Gay Times

This is the third volume of HEARTSTOPPER, with more to come.

My Review

I’ve really been enjoying this series so far! The first book introduced us to both Charlie and Nick, but mainly followed Charlie’s story. In the second, we got to look deeper into Nick’s story and get to know him better. This book follows the two of them on a summer trip to Paris with their classmates (and friends).

As the cover copy suggests, the story also gives us a chance to get to know some of Charlie’s friends better. I’ve been a fan of Darcy and Tara from the beginning, and I loved getting to know Tao and Elle.

The story also follows Charlie and Nick as they decide how and when to make their relationship status (and Nick’s identity) publicly known. Though that issue has come up in some of the other books that I read (like GET IT TOGETHER, DELILAH by Erin Gough and HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE by Dahlia Adler), HEARTSTOPPER: VOLUME THREE makes space to explore what it means to Charlie and Nick. It also dives deeper into what coming out individually and as a couple means to each of them. I really liked getting to see that journey and the two of them figuring out how to navigate their feelings about it.

I think fans of the series will find more of the sweet and adorable moments between Charlie and Nick that make the books so lovable. In addition to the romance, though, the author brings readers into what it might look like to come out as a couple for the first time. The story briefly touches on some other heavy issues, but mainly it’s a sweet romance with lots of love and blushing. I will definitely be reading Volume Four, and I hope to read even more by Alice Oseman.

Content Notes

Content warning for brief mentions of disordered eating and self-harm.

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Charlie is gay and Nick is bisexual. Some minor characters are transgender, lesbian and/or BIPOC.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. Kissing between two girls. Also kissing between a boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
A girl sneaks a bottle of vodka into her hotel room for a party. She gets drunk and sick.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: The Mystery of the Smuggler’s Cove by Paul Moxham

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, , , , ,

The Mystery of the Smuggler’s Cove
Paul Moxham
Published January 31, 2013

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Mystery of the Smuggler’s Cove

Are you up for a thrilling adventure?

Twelve-year-old Joe Mitchell is excited to explore the caves on the beach where his family is spending their summer holiday. He and his sisters, Amy and Sarah, soon discover that the caves shelter a mysterious group of men who appear to be up to no good. Before they can raise the alarm, the kids need to find out what the men are up to and where they plan to send their cargo without getting caught themselves.

When word reaches the kids that one of the police officers in town works with the bandits, they realize getting help will be harder than they anticipated. They must to figure out who the traitor is and alert a trustworthy officer as well as rescue an ally who runs afoul of the smuggling ring before the men disappear into the foggy night forever.

My Review

I really enjoyed the sweet sort of 1950s feel of the story. It’s got a simplicity to it that felt refreshing, honestly. The kids are just having a summer holiday and wanting to explore and be kids when they discover evidence of a smuggling ring.

Though I enjoyed the simplicity of the spare storytelling style, some scenes went by too quickly, where I wanted to linger and really see things play out more completely. I liked each of the four kids– Will, Joe, Sarah, and Amy– but I sometimes mixed them up. There often weren’t a lot of details about them as individual characters.

One of the things I liked though was that the story is a quick read. It felt exactly like the kind of thing I might have read on vacation as a kid, so I enjoyed that kind of nostalgic sense to it and the fact that I read the whole book in under two hours.

On the whole, I thought it was a fun read, and I’m glad I read it. I would have enjoyed more detail in certain parts, but overall the story had a nice pace to it.

I think younger middle grade readers, like ages 8-10, would enjoy this shorter, fun summer adventure.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The bad guys tie up the good guys but make it clear they don’t intend to harm anyone.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE MYSTERY OF THE SMUGGLER’S COVE in exchange for my honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday: 2022 Summer Reading List

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Top Ten Tuesday: 2022 Summer Reading List

School has been out where I live for almost a month, so we’re nearly halfway through with summer here. A few weeks ago, I posted this list of 25 new summer releases that I can’t wait to read. Lately, though, I’ve been finding myself reaching for some of backlist titles. Since most of my lists feature upcoming books, I don’t get a lot of chances to talk about backlist titles that I’m reading or longing to. So, today I’m giving those books the spotlight. Here are my top ten backlist titles at the top of my 2022 summer reading list.

Note: Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions my own.

Top Ten Books I’m Reading This Summer

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This is one of those books I can’t believe I haven’t read. A young girl under a terrible curse. An oddball sorcerer with secrets. A magical castle. Sounds like loads of fun!

Release Date: April 1986

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Wallflower has been a pretty constantly challenged book in high school libraries but also hailed as something of a cult classic. I already had it on my TBR list and lately a friend recommended it. I’m expecting a wild, angsty story, and I’m ready for it.

Release Date: February 1, 1999

Ironhand (Stoneheart #2) by Charlie Fletcher

Amazon | Goodreads

What you need to know: I really liked STONEHEART, the first book in this series. For a while now I’ve been wanting to finish out the trilogy. I love the story– a London full of living statues, a quest to save the world from evil. A boy and girl trying to understand the magic inside them. Good stuff.

Release Date: October 1, 2007

The Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: HEARTSTOPPER is a series of graphic novels that follows Charlie and Nick through falling in love and some trials and challenges to their relationship. I haven’t watched the series on Netflix yet, because I wanted to read the books first, but once I catch up, I can’t wait to check it out. The final installment in the series is due out next year, so my goal is to read books 1-4.

Release Date: 2018-2023

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: From Goodreads: “Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.” I loved WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH, so I can’t wait to read this one.

Release Date: March 6, 2018

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1) by Victoria Schwab

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Ever since her near death experience, Cassidy has been able to see ghosts. In fact, her best friend is one. I think this one has been on my reading list for so long that I thought it was a standalone because only one book was out when I put it on my TBR list. I want to read the whole series, but I’ll start with this one.

Release Date: August 28, 2018

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A novel in verse about a boy exploring his identity as a mixed-race gay teen and drag artist. I’ve heard so many incredible things about this book.

Release Date: August 8, 2019

Of Curses and Kisses (St. Rosetta’s Academy #1) by Sandhya Menon

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in a remote Colorado boarding school. I can’t remember who, but one of the bloggers I follow listed this as her favorite romance novel, so I’m definitely interested in reading it!

Release Date: February 18, 2020

Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl investigates her cousin’s murder, relying on her magic, wits, and ferocity to unmask the town’s secrets. This is another book that I’ve heard incredible things about. I definitely need to read it ASAP.

Release Date: August 25, 2020

We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The breathtaking conclusion to the Sands of Arawiya Duology. I loved the first book in this series, and I’ve been desperate to know what happens to Nasir, Zafira, and Altair.

Release Date: January 19, 2021

What are you reading this summer?

Are there any books you hope to read this summer? Have you read any of the books on my 2022 summer reading list? Let me know! I’d love to know what you think and what you’ll be reading this season.